Reflex Response

[Liam-K]

Playing with Red again.  Red would agree with the idea that in a vital situation, you don't think, you act.  This is a very martial arts sort of concept, and that's where I wanted to go with this idea.  Except, when you're a wizard, you don't respond to threat with trap and stun.  Using your hands anyway.  I'm not sure if I think this is good or not.

Reflex Response 1 {R}
Instant
Counter target spell that targets you or a creature you control.  Reflex Response deals 3 damage to that spell's controller.

[Ephraim]

1. This doesn't feel like a red card to me. Blue's had numerous cards, albeit none particularly recently, that touch upon this idea. See Intervene, Counfound, and the Hydromorph creatures.

2. This doesn't feel like "martial arts" to me, as you described it. This is purely a metamagic effect. If you want it to be a martial arts kind of card, it should be a combat trick.

3. This is undercosted for what it does. It's taking an ability that has heretofore belonged to blue and is giving it to red, but better. Unlike confound, this gets to counter spells that also target you. and instead of getting to draw a card, you get to deal 3 damage -- all at the same price of 2 mana. If you keep this idea, the card needs to cost more.

Before I can make any really meaningful suggestions, I need to know exactly where you want to go with this. The card, as-is, doesn't work. You can keep two out of three: colour, effect, mana cost. If you want to lose the low mana cost, this may be workable as-is. If you want to change the effect to something more combat oriented, the colour and the mana cost can stay where they are (assuming you come up with a combat trick appropriate at that mana cost.) If you want to change the colour of this, well, you'll need to change the effect a little bit too. Even at , this effect may be undercosted (see Suffocating Blast.)

[Matt]

Suffocating Blast was alwyas kind of bad, though.

[Jacob Orlove]

Suffocating Blast was alwyas kind of bad, though.

Suffocating Blast suffered from both having to match Mystic Snake's casting cost, and from the creature targeting requirement. Compare this to Undermine for a much better example of what this should cost. Although that's from the era of the UU counterspell, this is a much narrower effect.

[Godder]

"Don't mess with my stuff" is a White concept. Red now has Misdirection effects, though, so perhaps this could be a cheaper, more situational Shunt.

[Ephraim]

This could also operate like Browbet et al. "Counter target spell that targets you or a permanent you control unless that spell's controller has Reflex Response deal n damage to him or her."

[Liam-K]

I had it costed at 1RR, the smilies are acting up.  Red shares a colour in reflect damage, obviously the "hurt you for trying to hurt me" part and not the "prevent the damage" part.  I could have sworn there was some sort of red only redirecting card but I can't find/remember it.  This is weaker than those in most casts, but it's cheaper.  Fork is arguably a stronger effect than this at less.  Red also has REB/pyro, I was sort of under the impression that red was allowed circumstantial counterspell effects.

I did think of Undermine when costing it, it's easier to cast, but the same CMC, but less flexible and in a colour that has less of these effects.

As far as the martial arts/combat trick thing, I don't know I have this scenario in my head where the red mage just picks up a threatening spell on the edge of his awareness and crushes the attempt instinctually, the backblast stinging the guy trying to cast it.  Maybe it shouldn't save your creatures, only stuff that targets you?  That sort of fits it in with the reversal theme red likes.  May require enlightening flavor text to convey this feeling if it's just me.

edit: I didn't even know about Shunt, been out of the loop too long.  But it sort of helps my arguement and is even costed 1RR.

[Jacob Orlove]

Fork is arguably a stronger effect than this at less.

Incidentally, Fork is no longer a red card: Twincast.

[Matt]

Current wording post - where is it?

[silvernail]

i would make it cost 2RR or leave it as 1RR and have it only work on spells that target your creatures.