a-slice-of-cake
06-20-2011, 05:10 PM
A link to the card. (http://magiccards.info/cmd/en/46.html)
When I first saw the card spoiled, I looked and said, "Oh, huh, that's kinda neat in multiplayer" and continued to herp, derp, or whatever it was I was doing at the time.
I just read it again. My jaw dropped.
Folks, we have a new 1-mana counter (from sealed product intended for multiplayer, no less). And it's awesome.
Let's examine it by comparing it to a card many blue decks have somewhere in their 75: Spell Pierce.
1. Flusterstorm is a force spike with storm. This means that, unless you're in a very rare situation that I can't even think of off the top of my head, you will always get at least one extra copy. Assuming you're only targeting one spell, you should nearly always get to force them to pay :2: -- just like Spell Pierce, except sometimes more.
2. It turns out counterspells with Storm are really good against Storm combo decks. Granted, Stifle is good against them too, but Fluster has much wider uses outside of tempo-based decks. Spell Pierce is sometimes good at stopping the combo mid-going-off, but sometimes they have the spare mana to make up for it as well.
3. Obviously, Tarmogoyf and friends laugh at Spell Pierce. Flusterstorm, not so much.
4. How many times has your critical Spell Pierce been countered by an opposing Spell Pierce, Misstep, or Force? The only thing that counters Flusterstorm cold is Stifle (which once again, isn't that popular) and an opposing Flusterstorm.
5. The original Flusterstorm can get stopped by Counterbalance or Chalice of the Void, but its copies don't trigger those permanents and sail on through.
I'm curious to see how this reshapes certain lists. Feel free to add your thoughts!
When I first saw the card spoiled, I looked and said, "Oh, huh, that's kinda neat in multiplayer" and continued to herp, derp, or whatever it was I was doing at the time.
I just read it again. My jaw dropped.
Folks, we have a new 1-mana counter (from sealed product intended for multiplayer, no less). And it's awesome.
Let's examine it by comparing it to a card many blue decks have somewhere in their 75: Spell Pierce.
1. Flusterstorm is a force spike with storm. This means that, unless you're in a very rare situation that I can't even think of off the top of my head, you will always get at least one extra copy. Assuming you're only targeting one spell, you should nearly always get to force them to pay :2: -- just like Spell Pierce, except sometimes more.
2. It turns out counterspells with Storm are really good against Storm combo decks. Granted, Stifle is good against them too, but Fluster has much wider uses outside of tempo-based decks. Spell Pierce is sometimes good at stopping the combo mid-going-off, but sometimes they have the spare mana to make up for it as well.
3. Obviously, Tarmogoyf and friends laugh at Spell Pierce. Flusterstorm, not so much.
4. How many times has your critical Spell Pierce been countered by an opposing Spell Pierce, Misstep, or Force? The only thing that counters Flusterstorm cold is Stifle (which once again, isn't that popular) and an opposing Flusterstorm.
5. The original Flusterstorm can get stopped by Counterbalance or Chalice of the Void, but its copies don't trigger those permanents and sail on through.
I'm curious to see how this reshapes certain lists. Feel free to add your thoughts!