[Innistrad] - Snapcaster Mage

[Onslaught]

Snapcaster Mage - 1
Creature - Human Wizard

Flash
When Snapcaster Mage enters the battlefield, target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.

-------------

So, Tiago Chan's invitational card finally shows up, and it's a good one. At the VERY least, it's another Wizard to pitch to Voidmage Prodigy. Beyond that, it has utility for other decks too - such as Regrowthing an Ancestral at instant speed. Flashing in a creature endstep is also a nice way to pester Jace, or you can always use it as a surprise blocker for Dark Confidant.

An exciting card for sure!

[Aace]

This is quite amazing, and certainly has eternal potentials. I think the greatest thing about this is that it has flash, EoT this + ancestral will be a pretty common play. The 2/1 body is also very very decent. The only question would be, what do you cut for it? Flash it, target FoW -> pitch another card would be a pretty decent last resort counter as well.

Btw, isn't this radically different from the Tiago's original version? I thought that was a counterspell on a land...

[fowftw]

This is quite amazing, and certainly has eternal potentials. I think the greatest thing about this is that it has flash, EoT this + ancestral will be a pretty common play. The 2/1 body is also very very decent. The only question would be, what do you cut for it? Flash it, target FoW -> pitch another card would be a pretty decent last resort counter as well.

No, to cast FoW from the yard, you have to pay the flashback cost defined by Snapcaster Mage, so you're not allowed to pitch.

Btw, isn't this radically different from the Tiago's original version? I thought that was a counterspell on a land...

R&D couldn't make his original card work, so they had him send in several more submissions.

[Troy_Costisick]

So will this be the first creature restricted in Vintage in the last.... however many years?

[Onslaught]

I pre-ordered a set of four from Starcity for 30 bucks. I have a feeling I shoulda grabbed like 20 of them just to have as trade bait...

Edit: In the span of the last hour, it went from 7.50 for preorder, to sold out of preorders, and now 20 more are up for preorder at 10 dollars a piece. The price is climbing before our eyes and the card isn't even out for another month, I'm guessing you should snap these up while you can.

[honestabe]

So, when does someone write a vial wizards primer?

[MaximumCDawg]

I pre-ordered a set of four from Starcity for 30 bucks. I have a feeling I shoulda grabbed like 20 of them just to have as trade bait...

Edit: In the span of the last hour, it went from 7.50 for preorder, to sold out of preorders, and now 20 more are up for preorder at 10 dollars a piece. The price is climbing before our eyes and the card isn't even out for another month, I'm guessing you should snap these up while you can.

This is one of those magical rare times when vintage application is just so obvious... you're 100% correct and I have preordered my set too.

I wonder if this was a consideration when they let Lightning Bolt rotate? 1UR for 3 damage and a 2/1 seems hilariously awesome.

[Onslaught]

So, when does someone write a vial wizards primer?

http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=42847.0 - such coincidental timing

This is one of those magical rare times when vintage application is just so obvious... you're 100% correct and I have preordered my set too.

Man, they were available for preorder for 5 bucks for a short while, can you imagine getting in on that. I figure even if Vintage decks don't end up using a full set of four, it's still going to be ridiculous in Legacy, Modern, and probably even T2.

[MagicMan]

Just pre-ordered my 4, seems like a win win card to me. I agree should be awesome in almost all formats if not all formats!

[Norm4eva]

...and people bitch about Stoneforge Mystic.  Srsly.

Seriously though, I wanna rock 4 of in my shitty High Tide deck.  Being able to Recoup Turnabout, Meditate, Ideas Unbound... nom nom nom nom.

Oh yeah I guess I'm talking about Legacy. 

Vintage already broke this guy before he was printed.

[Eastman]

Just curious, what is everyone thinking they will be flashing back with this?  Isn't this worse than regrowth, which often doesn't see play in green decks?   Doesn't it suffer from the same problem as regrowth, that it does nothing in the crucial first few turns?

[Aace]

Just curious, what is everyone thinking they will be flashing back with this?  Isn't this worse than regrowth, which often doesn't see play in green decks?   Doesn't it suffer from the same problem as regrowth, that it does nothing in the crucial first few turns?

Well, first of it, it's got flash, and that's a huge deal. It's also blue, so it pitches to you know what. It has a decent body as well. Lastly, most of what you would want to reuse in vintage are instant and sorcery anyway, so the limited card type doesn't really matter much.

[MaximumCDawg]

Up to 12 buxish now on SCG.  Gaining 2 dollars an hour at this rate, will probably settle at 10 - 15.

Just curious, what is everyone thinking they will be flashing back with this?  Isn't this worse than regrowth, which often doesn't see play in green decks?   Doesn't it suffer from the same problem as regrowth, that it does nothing in the crucial first few turns?

First off, Regrowth does see a fair amount of play from time to time.  Second off, having a relevant effect attached to 2 power is pretty friggin huge.  This is one of the big reasons why Confidant is played and Phyrexian Arena is not, for example.

To answer your question, I anticipate flashing back:
1UU for Spell pierce + 2/1 body
2UU for Time Walk + 2/1 body
1UUU for Mana Drain + 2/1 body
3UU for Tinker + 2/1 body

I mean, you get the idea, right?

[serracollector]

Its a blue miniture Yawg Will, with a 2/1 body, and 1 mana less. I've seen a few people win off Yawg will.....

This card is so good.

[diopter]

Fringe card. All of these applications and dream scenarios are marginal.

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

Just curious, what is everyone thinking they will be flashing back with this?  Isn't this worse than regrowth, which often doesn't see play in green decks?   Doesn't it suffer from the same problem as regrowth, that it does nothing in the crucial first few turns?

Regrowth was never an instant that pitched to force and traded with bob

[Guli]

Haha you can target free cards like Mental Misstep, Noxious Revival and Surgical Extraction.

[Darkenslight]

Fringe card. All of these applications and dream scenarios are marginal.

I'm not so sure - the level of recursion on this guy and the ability to dodge GY removal with instants seems like a strong plan to me.

[ELD]

Card looks way to fair to me.  Also, think about the price of Zen fetchlands.  They are some of the most played, and unbelievably good cards ever printed, and they top out at $10 or so.  Rares cap out a lot lower than they used to, especially when they are from the first set of a block that's about to get drafted for the next year.   

First off, Regrowth does see a fair amount of play from time to time.  Second off, having a relevant effect attached to 2 power is pretty friggin huge.  This is one of the big reasons why Confidant is played and Phyrexian Arena is not, for example.

I'd argue that the mana cost is the issue there.  3 mana is not even close to 2 mana.  3 mana spells need to flat out win the game.  Necro, Tinker, Twister, Yawgmoth's Will pass this test.  This guy has to cost at least 3, even if you're flashing back Ancestral Recall.  All hype on this one.  High initial prices, just like the normal over speculation on new releases. 

[Troy_Costisick]

Fringe card. All of these applications and dream scenarios are marginal.

What???

SCM + Brainstorm
SCM + Mystical Tutor
SCM + Ancestral
SCM + Spell Pierce
SCM + Mental Misstep
SCM + Mana Drain
SCM + Dismember
SCM + Vamp Tutor
SCM + Dark Ritual
SCM + Time Walk
SCM + Tinker
SCM + Timetwister
SCM + Thoughtseize
SCM + Demo Tutor
SCM + Duress
SCM + Ponder
SCM + Preordain
SCM + Imperial Seal
SCM + Yawgmoth's Will (that got countered/discarded)

How is any of this marginal?

[madlucas]

What about Snapcaster Mage with Ancestral Vision?
Does it work?

[nineisnoone]

Just curious, what is everyone thinking they will be flashing back with this?  Isn't this worse than regrowth, which often doesn't see play in green decks?   Doesn't it suffer from the same problem as regrowth, that it does nothing in the crucial first few turns?

I don't see this making the cut in any blue combo/control deck. The body is okay, but you'd generally be served better with effects more consistent with your deck than adding an alt win condition.

I do however think this card is going to be very strong for Fish, almost Lodestone Golem strong.  Snapcaster Mage -> Flusterstorm/Spell Pierce/REB/Claim/whatever, works similarly to Lodestone Golem.  It helps your defense (sphere effect/counterspell), while giving you another body that synergizes well with you primary win condition.

The main issue is finding the right suite to go along with it. Flusterstorm definitely. Repeal could see a resurgence in the main for additional draw. Claim/REB/"artifact bounce/counter card" in the sideboards (maybe main).

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

@ Eld
What about tfk. It cost 3 and I wish I could play 3+ all the time. All the spells you compared this to are sorceries as well.
This thing is good in  gifts pile obviously as well.  I know I hated splashing for green to regrowth, and wished I could pitch it to fow all the time. And hated broadcasting my plays main phase with it. This fixes my issues with it. This card is by no mean an auto include in every deck, and probably not a 4 of, but it seems good.

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

What about Snapcaster Mage with Ancestral Vision?
Does it work?

Nope

[quicksilvervii]

Exciting card, but not sure I would go so far as to compare it to yawg's will.  Maybe he'll be good at helping gush chain more of them together against non shop decks.  There is no doubt that he is good and will see play, but yet somehow I'm not entirely impressed.

[DubDub]

Exciting card, but not sure I would go so far as to compare it to yawg's will.  Maybe he'll be good at helping gush chain more of them together against non shop decks.  There is no doubt that he is good and will see play, but yet somehow I'm not entirely impressed.

You'll be less impressed when you realize that paying  mana for a Gush cast from your graveyard isn't very good.

Recap
He doesn't enable casting alternate cost cards like: Gush, Force of Will, Daze, for their alternate cost.  He doesn't enable casting suspend only cards like Ancestral Visions, because they have no mana cost, not just a mana cost of  .  However, he does play nicely with cards that can be paid with Phyrexian mana like Dismember, Gitaxian Probe and Mental Misstep.  Also, flashback does not allow you to break timing rules.  Just because he has Flash and gives Flashback doesn't mean that Demonic Tutor or Time Walk in your graveyard can be cast during an opponent's endstep.

All that said, I think this guy is the real deal, and I'm currently testing two in a deck for the Waterbury.

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

Exciting card, but not sure I would go so far as to compare it to yawg's will.  Maybe he'll be good at helping gush chain more of them together against non shop decks.  There is no doubt that he is good and will see play, but yet somehow I'm not entirely impressed.

You'll be less impressed when you realize that paying   mana for a Gush cast from your graveyard isn't very good.

Recap
He doesn't enable casting alternate cost cards like: Gush, Force of Will, Daze, for their alternate cost.  He doesn't enable casting suspend only cards like Ancestral Visions, because they have no mana cost, not just a mana cost of  .  However, he does play nicely with cards that can be paid with Phyrexian mana like Dismember, Gitaxian Probe and Mental Misstep.  Also, flashback does not allow you to break timing rules.  Just because he has Flash and gives Flashback doesn't mean that Demonic Tutor or Time Walk in your graveyard can be cast during an opponent's endstep.

All that said, I think this guy is the real deal, and I'm currently testing two in a deck for the Waterbury.

I'm pretty sure we all know this except the one guy who asked about it, and he asked which is the smart thing to do when you're not sure. although one guy said something that makes me think if forgot it rfg'd stuff. but yeah, I'd run this as a one of in gifts. Maybe a 2 of for cute things only because its blue.

[quicksilvervii]

Exciting card, but not sure I would go so far as to compare it to yawg's will.  Maybe he'll be good at helping gush chain more of them together against non shop decks.  There is no doubt that he is good and will see play, but yet somehow I'm not entirely impressed.

You'll be less impressed when you realize that paying  mana for a Gush cast from your graveyard isn't very good.

Recap
He doesn't enable casting alternate cost cards like: Gush, Force of Will, Daze, for their alternate cost.  He doesn't enable casting suspend only cards like Ancestral Visions, because they have no mana cost, not just a mana cost of  .

My mistake.

Seemed like many pegged him as an auto-4-of and I disagreed.

[Gambit]

Up to 12 buxish now on SCG.  Gaining 2 dollars an hour at this rate, will probably settle at 10 - 15.

It's a Rare in the first set of a block that will be drafted a lot. This card is probably OK in standard, not SFM good. It will see some play in vintage probably a 2 of in some decks. And will see some play in other formats as well. This card will NOT be $15 in 3 months. Probably $7. If you want to get some for value, get foils.

[Blue Lotus]

Fringe card. All of these applications and dream scenarios are marginal.

What???

SCM + Brainstorm
SCM + Mystical Tutor
SCM + Ancestral
SCM + Spell Pierce
SCM + Mental Misstep
SCM + Mana Drain
SCM + Dismember
SCM + Vamp Tutor
SCM + Dark Ritual
SCM + Time Walk
SCM + Tinker
SCM + Timetwister
SCM + Thoughtseize
SCM + Demo Tutor
SCM + Duress
SCM + Ponder
SCM + Preordain
SCM + Imperial Seal
SCM + Yawgmoth's Will (that got countered/discarded)

How is any of this marginal?

All of those cards are terrible when you add 1U to the cost, except ancestral. And considering it is restricted, you will only get to use this guy once. Cramming 4 in your deck is certainly wrong. Cute, useful, but overhyped.