Quote Originally Posted by LOLWut View Post
Decisions and tutoring -> value, like everything else now. Still, cool enough card and cool enough set. Pitchfork in the holster for now.
True, true. Tutoring for specific answers IS value. But this new card can do some Instant-speed shenanigans that Pod was incapable of, letting it eek out maybe a smidgen more value.

Quote Originally Posted by Cire View Post
I know a three mana soft counter probably won't be even close to cutting it - but the Spell mastery gives me some pause as this acts as a counter and pretty good card quality at the same time. Good enough - probably not, but modern should love this?
Seems more like Limited fodder.

Modern would need an incredibly strong upside to running what is, as you said in the Edit, Condescend with less flexibility. A conditional Scry 2 just doesn't cut the mustard. If it bounced a creature or drew a card, we might be talking.

I don't play Standard, but from my many Tarkir block drafts, I've seen a pretty good countermagic suite in Standard. Silumgar's Scorn is effectively Counterspell in control decks that choose a Hexproof, Flying dragon as their finisher (like Dragonlord Ojutai or Silumgar, the Drifting Death. And then there are a bunch of strong strong, situational counterspells to round out the suite in things like Ojutai's Command, Disdainful Stroke, Stubborn Denial, and Stratus Dancer. I don't Calculated Dismissal would be worth it in Standard but, again, I don't play Standard....just mouthin' off for fun.