Aether Tether

[EnialisLiadon]

Aether Tether    2
Artifact
If a permanent you control would be returned to its owner's hand by a spell or ability, you may discard a card.  If you do, it is not returned to its owner's hand instead.

I think one of the (many) things that makes blue so insanely good is that generally no matter what hate you lay down, the opposing mage can just bounce it on your end step and just win on the next turn.  This is narrow card to answer that, but I'm sure there are some cool interactions that make it not a sb-only card.

Thoughts?

[chrissss]

Make it a cantrip perhaps?

I like the idea, and maybe red or green in the CC?

[Matt]

Heel

Enchantment
Permanents can't be returned to their owner's hands.

Much easier...

[Chill79]

Shouldn't it be other permanent's can't be returned to their owner's hands?And casting cost could be hybrid.

[chrissss]

Shouldn't it be other permanent's can't be returned to their owner's hands?And casting cost could be hybrid.

Yeah indeed, hybrid  and other permanents, and its a good card.

[Anusien]

Matt's wording means that costs that include returning a permanent to the owner's hand (for example Meloku) can't be paid (and those abilities can't be played).  Is this intentional?

[wiley]

I'm not sure if it is intentional, but it does make for a great drawback in deck design, as well as not being too overpowered.

Call to Heel
R/G R/G
Enchantment - Rare
Permanents can't be returned to their owner's hand.

Seems like a pretty well rounded card that could easily see play as an answer to hurkyl's recall for stax decks.  It would probably have very limited applications in any other format though, unless they print more moonfolk-esque abilities in a future block.

My question:  Is this in red's flavor?  I know it is opposing a predominantly blue based ability, but aside from that would there be any precedence for red having an enchantment that prevents bounce?  When red gets an enchantment it is normally very offense oriented whereas this is defense oriented.  I could easily see this being blue-green instead of red-green flavor wise, but that would probably make the card a non-playable in every format.

[Matt]

My question:  Is this in red's flavor?  I know it is opposing a predominantly blue based ability, but aside from that would there be any precedence for red having an enchantment that prevents bounce?  When red gets an enchantment it is normally very offense oriented whereas this is defense oriented.

It is in flavor for red and green and NOT in flavor for blue (no idea how you arrive at that conclusion unless you're just reflexively thinking "clever = blue"). Red is very much about being obstinate and saying NO! I'M STAYING! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY!

[Darkenslight]

I don't think this should be Green; this has a much better flavour in White, what with the Rule-setting fascist aspect of White.  I agree with the Red aspect of being 'no, YOU move', but Green?  I don't believe so.

[Harlequin]

I think if you wanted it in green you could flavor it in terms of trees/roots, rather than


Iron-Root Stance {R/G}{R/G}
Enchantment
Permanents can't be returned to their owner's hand.
"The roots of these trees run so deep, some believe the tree's were here before the mountains."
- Monk at Iron-Root Monestary

... with that wording it probably would work better if it were creatures only.

[Matt]

I don't think this should be Green; this has a much better flavour in White, what with the Rule-setting fascist aspect of White.  I agree with the Red aspect of being 'no, YOU move', but Green?  I don't believe so.

While red gets most of these, green sometimes gets things with that 'obstinate' flavor: Brooding Saurian, for example, and also Insist, and maybe Guttural Response.

[wiley]

My question:  Is this in red's flavor?  I know it is opposing a predominantly blue based ability, but aside from that would there be any precedence for red having an enchantment that prevents bounce?  When red gets an enchantment it is normally very offense oriented whereas this is defense oriented.

It is in flavor for red and green and NOT in flavor for blue (no idea how you arrive at that conclusion unless you're just reflexively thinking "clever = blue"). Red is very much about being obstinate and saying NO! I'M STAYING! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY!

I never said it was in blue's flavor.  I said the enchantment opposed a predominantly blue abilty, bounce.  Green gets the repeatable effects like brooding saurian and a lot of shroud and troll shroud effect so it seems perfectly fine in green.  Red usually gets one shot effect like the one you describe such as brand and threaten.  This is why I wonder if a red enchantment that does this is in flavor (also note that the vast majority of red enchantments are aggressive in nature, unlike this one).  To me it would seem like the card would be closer to proper flavor as:

1G
Enchantment
Permanents can't be returned to their owner's hand.
You may play ~ any time you could play an instant for 1R. If it was played any time a sorcery couldn't have been played, it gains substance until end of turn and when it loses substance, sacrifice it.

Existing version is obviously better, I was just pointing out the flavor aspect.

[Yare]

I think the proper wording is "owners' hands," going off Upheaval.

I was originally going to say that I thought this was more of a red ability, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like it could be green too. So, I guess I'm ok with hybrid.

Perhaps this could be put on a body, possibly one with defender? The idea being that this particular thing will not be moved? I still like it as an enchantment, but it's just a suggestion.

[Karapaz]

Oh. Hadnt fleshed that out it seems... Yep, they were in the same office. It was one of those reeealy big ones. Fox and Asura were by the window at the far end, and the Execs were way in the back with the table by the opposing wall.

[Anusien]

I don't think this should be Green; this has a much better flavour in White, what with the Rule-setting fascist aspect of White.  I agree with the Red aspect of being 'no, YOU move', but Green?  I don't believe so.

While red gets most of these, green sometimes gets things with that 'obstinate' flavor: Brooding Saurian, for example, and also Insist, and maybe Guttural Response.

I feel like green gets it even more than red, both because green opposes red more directly (more protection from blue and shroud and cannot be countered) but because it feels even more green than red.  I'd support R/G hybrid or just GG.