had an idea for a 1-mana hard counter.

[Norm4eva]

1-mana Hard Counter  U
Instant

For each player, counter target spell each player controls.

The idea here is that it only works when everyone's dicking with the stack.  I don't know if it's necessarily fair in a two-player situation - Player A casts (win condition), Player B Forces it, Player A Forces the Force, Player B casts 1-mana Hard Counter and at that point, it don't matter if Player B's first FoW gets countered because as long as he targets the original win condition he still wins.  But under most circumstances it requires you to have at least one spell on the stack that you probably wanted to have resolve.

Is this just garbage - and thusly, safe?  Or is just printing it at U still too good?  Also, since the effect is universal, could it be costed at (W/U)?

[Delha]

The templating on this is really really fuzzy. Did you mean something like the below?

Shouting Match

Instant
Each player chooses a target spell. Counter each of those spells.

[Norm4eva]

No I meant for the caster of the spell to choose all the targets.  I based the wording off Onslaught's money card Blatant Thievery.  Relevant Oracle text in 3, 2...

"For each opponent, gain control of target permanent that player controls. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)"

Only difference here being I say "player" instead of "opponent".  I suppose I misstepped a little and should probably have said it like this...

For each player, counter target spell that player controls.

[BC]

I think a reasonable 1cc counter would be:

 
Instant
Counter Target Spell.  You can't play spells during your next turn.

[Delha]

I think a reasonable 1cc counter would be:

 
Instant
Counter Target Spell.  You can't play spells during your next turn.

This is the only remotely balanced version of a card in this thread so far.

[Norm4eva]

Why is the original one (save a lousy template) not balanced?  As intended, you yourself have to have at least one other spell on the stack besides 1-Mana-Counter, since as with all counterspells, it cannot target itself (save redirection via Divert and its friends).

[Delha]

Why is the original one (save a lousy template) not balanced?  As intended, you yourself have to have at least one other spell on the stack besides 1-Mana-Counter, since as with all counterspells, it cannot target itself (save redirection via Divert and its friends).

I don't believe you don't have to have a spell on the stack. I don't have time to look it up for sure right now, but I believe the initial "For each player" mitigates the usual demand for extra targets.