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Patrick Sullivan's latest article on SCG suggests a generalized split between strategies which he characterizes as the contest between counterspell decks and ramp/other decks. 

www.starcitygames.com/magic/standard/239...

In short, it's Mana Leak versus Primeval Titan.  Sullivan basically argues that countermagic (specifically Mana Leak) in standard is too powerful, less fun, and more intuitive than Titans (specifically Primeval Titan), and that countermagic should therefore be given appropriate hate (specifically Cavern of Souls).  This idea bugs me a lot. 

Am I crazy, or is Sullivan an idiot? 

Countermagic is the only realistic tool blue has to keep Titans and other general problems in check.  Barring that, ramp is guaranteed full value out of resolving cards that can't effectively be dealt with via removal and which can't be matched in power without casting a similar creature.

Sullivan identifies the 'problem' with ramp decks to be nonbasic lands (Valakut, Inkmoth, Kessig), and holds that Primeval Titan is innocent.  A ready parallel: Stoneforge Mystic. Both are incredibly powerful tutors with solid support. Both have powerful tutor targets. Note that WotC didn't ban Batterskull or SoFaF, they banned Stoneforge. Swords and Batterskull now still see balanced competitive play. Similarly, Primeval Titan connects the dots between already playable cards. The lands are minor and inconvenient without a consistent tutor.  As with SFM, Prime Time is a format-defining enabler in this scenario.

He implies that blue is in many of the top decks because Mana Leak is so powerful.  Disagree - it's because Wizards is trending toward printing powerful, efficient creatures that synergize with aggro/control tempo strategies. 

Anyway, Sullivan's article really bugged me in a lot of ways.  *I'm not a Cavern of Souls alarmist*, but I do object to Sullivan's attitude toward non-creature strategies, which I generally feel Wizards shares.  Without anyone going ballistic in either direction, thoughts?

Apr 28, 2012 -- 4:53PM, The_Mirror_Owl wrote:

Sullivan identifies the 'problem' with ramp decks to be nonbasic lands (Valakut, Inkmoth, Kessig), and holds that Primeval Titan is innocent.  A ready parallel: Stoneforge Mystic. Both are incredibly powerful tutors with solid support. Both have powerful tutor targets. Note that WotC didn't ban Batterskull or SoFaF, they banned Stoneforge. Swords and Batterskull now still see balanced competitive play. Similarly, Primeval Titan connects the dots between already playable cards. The lands are minor and inconvenient without a consistent tutor.  As with SFM, Prime Time is a format-defining enabler in this scenario.

They banned Stoneforge and not the Swords because it was from the previous block, and Swords (and equipment of equally high caliber) was so central to the Scars block that it would ruin the image of SoM block in a lot of ways. Zac Hill has said that the swords are too powerful, but had to be costed to match the previously existing swords. I agree with Sulli that it really the lands that are becoming too powerful.

Anyway, as for mana leak its like any other card. No, It's not too powerful in a vacuum, but it IS too powerful in tempo decks like delver. A deck that can win that fast with only having to commit one mana's worth of a creature to the board, then keep mana leak open from turn 2 onward is not good for the game.

@C-Lion:
You're exactly right. I'm just pointing out Wizards way of dealing with these issues. Mana Leak is the easier scapegoat, just like Stoneforge was. What's more likely: they ban Snapcaster and/or delver, or Mana Leak doesn't make it back for M13?

Blue should be able to have aggro. I was in love with the Illusions lists when they were around. They were fast but not too powerful. Everything changed though when Delver entered the picture.

The problem is the Titans (as per the usual). Remove Prime Titan; now how "important" is Leak to the Meta? It's just not a good thing to have for the points listed above.

Now remove Delver. Is Leak still a pain? Yes, yes it is. The problem with really efficient Counterspells is the same problem you have with really fast combo: If you can't counter X, and X is really efficient/fast/powerful, you're probably screwed. There needs to be a counter...actually, no, an answer to X.

If X = Quick, efficient Beaters, the Answer is Mass Removal.

If X = Exceedingly cheap, Instant-speed targeted removal, the Answer is Shroud (NOT Hexproof).

If X = Reanimation and Tutor Effects, the Answer is Denial Effects.

If X = Counterspells, the Answer is Limited Uncounterability or Recursion.


Honestly, Cavern is perfectly fine; it's good, but limited in obvious ways (Champion of the Parish goes through; Gather the Townsfolk, not so much). Once the Titans rotate, no one will think twice about it and it will probably work fine in post-Rotation Standard.

Of course, this is assuming WotC doesn't mess up again; they have some serious problems seeing where X becomes greater than any Answer can provide without devoting too many resources to said answer (hi, Affinity, Cascade, and Delver!). Hopefully they work through whatever Block it is that prevents them from noticing the obvious stuff like this.

Why would you ever NEED more than Leak and Dissipate?? Hell, throw in Cancel and Negate while you're at it.

Seriously, it's like complaining that Black Sun's Zenith and Curse of Death's Hold just isn't enough reallyreally good Mass Removal for Black.

Wha??