Green Counter

[Shadow-Walker]

GG
Instant
Counter target blue or artifact spell.  At the beginning of your next main phase, add X to your mana pool, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.

I just thought of this and it sounded sweet. Fixed mana drain? Maybe not but its a try.  I considered limiting it to just one color (just blue or just artifact), but it may be fine as is.  Anyway I finally have a site for my cards that you can check out in my signature.

Current Wording
GG
Instant
Counter target artifact spell or destroy target artifact.  That artifact can't be regenerated.

[Ephraim]

Countering just isn't green's style, no matter what colour restrictions you tack onto it. Countering is blue's thing, plain and simple. Maybe if you're trying to give a weak counterspell to white or black, blue's allies, you'd be okay, but you're trying to give it to one of blue's enemies.

I do like some aspects of this idea, though. I like that it hoses artifacts. Although there've been a glut of green artifact killers lately (making them somewhat redundant, at the moment), that's good use of flavour. Further, as the colour most associated with mana generation, the derivation of mana from this spell is far more on-colour than with Mana Drain.

Something like this might be appropriate:

Back to Nature
{G}{G}
Sorcery

Destroy target artifact. At the beginning of your next main phase, add X to your mana pool, where X is that artifact's converted mana cost.

In one way, this suggestion is more powerful, as it can handle an artifact already on the table. In the other regards, it is weaker. It costs more, is a sorcery, and targets artifacts only. I believe that balances it considerably.

[Laurie Cheers]

A bit too similar to Deconstruct?

[Jebus]

A bit too similar to Deconstruct?

Deconstruct is a fix to the "free" mechanic, and only refunds the cost of the Deconstruct.

This card, however, is possible acceleration.

[Shadow-Walker]

If i make it counter only artifacts is it balanced?  That would maintain the green naturalization flavor very well especially combined with the green flavor of mana generation.  I do think that ephraim's version is too similar to deconstruct.

[Jacob Orlove]

The point is that green really doesn't counter spells at all. Maybe there's some way to make this work as an enchantment, though.

[Shadow-Walker]

As an enchantment, what do you suggest?  This was going to be in my enchantment oriented block.

[Jacob Orlove]

Well, there's a lot of ways you could go, but one thought I had was to let them have the card, and just impose a penalty for them or bonus for you (a la seedtime). Maybe something like Compost:

(cool name)
GG
enchantment
Whenever an opponent plays a blue or artifact spell, draw a card.

[Shadow-Walker]

If I combine the two:

GG
Enchantment
Sacrifice ~this~: Counter target artifact spell. At the beginning of your next main phase, add X to your mana pool, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.


I know your going to say that green still shouldnt get countering (green does get bind) but the effect is much weaker if your opponent knows you have it.

[Matt]

Mana Drain doesn't need fixing, it needs to be left alone to die. It's a fundamentally flawed (overpowered) concept, on par with draw7s. No card should let you draw that many cards.

Which is not to say that drain-like effects are flawed. Desertion and Spelljack are what drain effects should look like. Maybe Lure of Prey?

No More Mana Drains!

[Shadow-Walker]

What if I made it sort-of a green elemental blast:
GG
Instant
Counter target artifact spell or destroy target artifact.  That artifact cant be regenerated.

[Jacob Orlove]

That's probably the best idea so far.

[Shadow-Walker]

Yes, probably I just wanted to see if I could work the drain concept.

[Ephraim]

I know that card designers typically don't get involved in the development process, but what rarity would this be? It seems to me that this might have to be rare, which is kind of unfortunate. With Oxidize already as an uncommon, this adds quite a bit of functionality to the card and gives green a counterspell to boot, which is just nuts. The only thing I see that balances this unusual ability-grant is that most artifacts aren't going to have a game breaking effect just by hitting the table for a couple of seconds, so destroy or counter will have similar effects. The ability to counter an indestructible artifact might be useful, I guess...

[Jacob Orlove]

GG is actually a whole lot more than G. This would probably make a fine uncommon.

[Matt]

Someone get this man a current wording post, stat!

[Shadow-Walker]

Edited in the current wording.  I hadnt done so since most cards I post are for my own sets that I need second opinions on and didnt need this added to the master thread, however I have nothing against doing so if the card is well liked.

[BurningIce]

For people who say Green doesn't counter spells, there is Avoid Fate from Legends.  Of course, Legends is an old set and none have been printed since.  I believe white is the only color that cannot counter any type of spells.  Black has Withering Boon and Red has stuff like Mages' Contest.

[Jebus]

For people who say Green doesn't counter spells, there is Avoid Fate from Legends.  Of course, Legends is an old set and none have been printed since.  I believe white is the only color that cannot counter any type of spells.  Black has Withering Boon and Red has stuff like Mages' Contest.

Not that this sets precedent, but white did have a coutnerspell in Mirage:  Illumination.