Lofty Denial

Instant

Counter target spell unless its controller pays {1}. If you control a creature with flying, counter that spell unless its controller pays {4} instead.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Freeform	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Pauper Duel Commander	Legal
Pauper EDH	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (33)

legendofa on Deadly Fang of the Dragon

2 weeks ago

Balaam__ This deck came together better than I expected thematically, and those counterspells slotted right in. A slight problem with Lofty Denial is that the dragons usually sit in hand until turn 5-ish, so the Dragon-specific counterspells are easier to get the most out of.

Evolvereaver on New to Pioneer. *HELP*

3 months ago

I've played a lot of UB spirits even back in the day of Rakdos MDR and KarnDevotion. I believe that we've received a few quality of life support in the most recent sets.

Enduring Curiosity yes it is a four drop but you're a tempo-agro deck and this card even if it dies comes back as an enchantment. I'd recommend just running two in the main. Refills your hand and allows you to press the advantage that you worked so hard to gain.

No More Lies is better than Lofty Denial in my experience. It doesn't require you spending all your resources protecting your early drops just so you can send a card they wanted into the graveyard anyway. Sure it might seem better on game two, but adding in three RIPs against decks in the format that can consistently get graveyard use in the early game. 4 No More Lies in game 1 and adding in the RIPS afterward give you a better chance.

Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel helps a lot is a 2/1 flash flying and has helped me draw many cards after enduring curiosity is down. I atmost recommend one of (it is not a spirit but it sure does come in clutch)

Sheltered by Ghosts gives +1/+0 ward 2 and lifelink also exiles a nonland permanent with no CMC restrictions.

I also have been experimenting with Seam Rip it's nice to be able to at least lock up the following

Cori-Steel Cutter Fear of Missing Out Artist's Talent Blade of the Oni Emberheart Challenger Heartfire Hero Manifold Mouse

to name a few that it has helped me out against.

Cards that I think that can be cut out or eventually phased out

Lofty Denial we just lack worthwhile early game spirits with enough protection to have the flying clause to be fulfilled. Sure it can stop a turn 2 play, but they could just pass and wait to kill your next creature.

Curious Obsession I used to love this card but at most I might leave it as a 1-2 of split with enduring curiosity. It provides no protection and the +1/+1 and forcing you to attack just makes some awkward situations. I got curious obsession I need to attack with at least a creature

Elsterooo on New to Pioneer. *HELP*

7 months ago

Sure, I hope I will not forget anything from before.

The card I posted was Military Intelligence. Not necessairly for this list, but you said you like, in part, a control focused approach and I wanted to at least post something if I was going to comment. I'm glad if that was a helpful suggestion.

I think the comments already mentioned all the important bits. And I agree about less to no Disallow. The reason for this is Lofty Denial should take care of everything you need. Even if someone casts a one mana spell on T2 and you don't have a flier out, you wouldn't be able to cast Disallow either. I do not believe leaving three mana open on T3 to enable it is beneficial to your strategy as well, I'd even prefer a Spell Queller in that situation.

All in all, my reasoning for this is that by the time you could meaningfully cast Disallow, your opponent should be on life support at the bare minimum.

No matter your experience, it is substantially hard to make these choices without cardpool knowledge and a feeling for the powerlevel of the format. You're doing great, though.

Elsterooo on New to Pioneer. *HELP*

7 months ago

Military Intelligence

I've read through the comments and everything important has already been said. You say you like things to be control heavy and I wanted to at least make one suggestion if I was going to comment that you'd perhaps find interesting.

It's not really for this list, but if you end up tweaking something in the future, I hope this can be useful.

I do agree with Disallow being a 2x max. Aggro isn't my thing, so I don't know whether it fits on curve. In theory 4x Lofty Denial should be plenty, simply because you don't want your opponent to be alive by the time you could cast a Disallow fittingly or they can pay for Lofty meaningfully. I'd go 4x Lofty and 1x Disallow, personally.

Balaam__ on New to Pioneer. *HELP*

10 months ago

Geistlight Snare might be good too, I’ll maybeboard that for now. Not sure I can fully capitalize on it with just the 4 enchantments, but we’ll see. And I’ll be sure to playtest with both No More Lies and Lofty Denial to see which yields the more consistent results, but for now I threw in Lofty Denial simply because I already have some on hand. Thanks again, this has been really helpful!

Balaam__ on New to Pioneer. *HELP*

10 months ago

Thanks a bunch, K4nkato. I completely overlooked Curious Obsession and it’s pretty much exactly what the deck needs. It’s outclassed in other formats so it never even entered my mind, but I’m grateful you pointed it out!

I’ve not seen No More Lies until now, and it looks solid, but is it better than Lofty Denial in this shell? It’ll exile stuff which is ok I guess, but Lofty Denial is practically guaranteed to set them back another {4} vs No More Lies’ {3}, as every creature I have is a flyer. I don’t know whether the exile bit outweighs the more secure counter effect. Regardless, I see your point about dropping the axe on Absorb and Disallow, and I have a good idea where to go from here.

Thanks again for the input.

Balaam__ on Azorius Aggro Oops All Flying

1 year ago

Great stuff here. I see Lofty Denial in your maybeboard already, I definitely recommend mainboarding it. It’s just too good.

wallisface on uuu

1 year ago

Some thoughts:

• as a monocolored deck, there’s no point in running Evolving Wilds or Terramorphic Expanse, in fact as they make lands enter tapped, they actively hurt you by slowing you down.

• cards like Lofty Denial and Lookout's Dispersal are incredibly weak and unreliable - you’re better off running Mana Leak.

• your creature count is very high for a control deck, which will often mean you run out of ways to disrupt your opponent and get overwhelmed. Mist of your creatures are all incredibly underwhelming also, all being very small, easy to kill, and do-nothing. You would be far better-off running much less creatures, but then having those creatures that you do run be threatening, like Tolarian Terror.

• cards like Stern Dismissal, Unsummon, and Divide by Zero are all really, really bad in a control deck, as the archetype only really wins by attrition and card advantage, and these bounce spells are giving you card disadvantage - meaning you’ll run out of resources first and lose the game. If you’re having problems answering stuff on-board, you’re better-off with something like Witness Protection