Delay

Instant

Counter target spell. If the spell is countered this way, remove it from the game with three time counters on it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend. (At the beginning of its owner's upkeep, remove a counter from that card. When the last is removed, the player plays it without paying its mana cost. If it's a creature, it has haste.)

Discussion (51)

Mortlocke on The Queen's Egg

2 weeks ago

How do you gents feel about Rewind taking one of the 'counterspell' slots?

bigrigroy - I absolutely have to weigh in on this. No. Not worth it in a 5c competetive Sliver deck. You need to go as low to the ground as possible when running competetive countermagic - holding up mana for a spell that may or may not be cast is always the least desirable outcome. And before you think "Well what do you consider competetive?" here's my list (in no particular order):

• Force of Will
• Delay
• Dovin's Veto
• Swan Song
• Pact of Negation
• Flusterstorm
• Spell Pierce
• Deflecting Swat
• Negate
• Mana Drain
• Mental Misstep
• Fierce Guardianship
• Counterspell (sort of an honorable mention here. Yes, there are better spells - but this is the original gangsta. It's a pet card for me.)

Mind you this list is pretty subjective, and should be adjusted to one's tastes and meta - but this is what I'd consider competetitive. The absolute best counter magic is free, as you can bait out the big spells.

karkin_98 on Zaxara - Sultai X / Hydra

1 month ago

Hey Osbert! Really great suggestions. Let me address each one on its own:

Mass Manipulation you are 100% right. After testing, it wasn't very great. I am looking for a replacement, but I am in need of some control and/or stealing commanders to ensure safety. That 1/1 or 2/2 (at best 3/3) hydra isn't worth the cost, I totally agree.

Split Decision you are right as well. I wanted a counterspell that was more versatile. realistically I wanted to counter other counters, and split decision did just that (with the added flexibility). But you are right, I think I will use Delay to be more straight forward.

Tasigur, the Golden Fang is very interesting. I will try it out and see how it flows.

In regards to Leyline of Anticipation and Seedborn Muse. Ive tried them and they feel a little clunky. In order for those cards to be more effective, more instants and "flash enablers" need to be included. Its about atleast 4-6 cards in order to make these 2 cards effective. And I I find it cuts into the ramp/counterspells/removal of the deck.

Blue Sun's Zenith I think will replace Mass Manipulation. Atleast until I can think of another control based X card.

I 100% agree with your card draw analysis. But I think the deck can be played in a couple different ways. I simply chose the more "kill everyone asap" approach vs. the sustained battle approach. Most of the card draws you've mentioned are on curve enchantments, but do require generation/sacing of creatures, which means we need the commander down first and cast many X spells to get. So its a tad slower. But in the event that the game goes longer, your suggestions are better suited.

In terms of the ramp you mentioned. I agree that if your heavy card draw, than those make WAYYY more sense. Just the way my deck is right now, I think its less valuable in its current iteration.

Thanks for the suggestions Osbert!! Do tell me if you find any more gems for Zaxara~!

Tylord2894 on The Deck that Death Forgot

1 month ago

Ok, let's start with ramp. I think running 33 lands is good, but you need plenty of early ramp, luckily, there are lots of why to ramp in .

• I always start with all the signets and talismans that I can run, like Golgari Signet and Talisman of Curiosity
• Added to that list might also be Arcane Signet and Fellwar Stone
• Next are the three one-drop enchantments that should go in every green deck, Wild Growth, Utopia Sprawl, and Carpet of Flowers.
• While new, Titans' Nest has been really good. It ramps, removes unwanted cards from the graveyard, and provides a bit of card advantage.

All told, that's 10-11 cards of pure value, most of which are less than a dollar. Next is card draw. Blue and Black have some fantastic card draw. While I prefer cantrip because they are better for finding combos, the door is wide open. I'll list some go-tos below from cheapest to more expensive.

• I run Frantic Search in most decks because it's good, but any deck that wants cards in the yard needs one. Careful Study and Cephalid Coliseum
• You are already running Dig Through Time; you might consider Treasure Cruise too
• Wheel effects too, very good if you want cards in the yard, think Windfall and Whispering Madness.
• If you want similar effects, Echo of Eons is good (a little pricier). Also, it helps restock your deck.
• Again, cantrips like Ponder, Preordain, and Brainstorm are great for digging for specific cards.
• The top tier (but most expensive) are Sylvan Library, Rhystic Study, and Necropotence. Hard to beat but pricy

Now, let's talk about interaction and removal.

• If you want catch-all interaction, Hero's Downfall, Counterspell, and Disallow are great places to start.
• Nature's Claim is also great. Four life isn't really a lot.
• Depending on the meta Arcane Denial and Delay are really good.
• I also have a soft spot for Mindbreak Trap.
• Free counterspell and removal are always good, perhaps some of the new ones like Fierce Guardianship and Deadly Rollick
• The door is pretty wide open here too.

I'm not going to talk about the mana base for now. This is where the bill will quickly add up. I'd be more than happen to talk about it, though. Solid mana bases for EDH are a passion of mine. Once you buy the pieces for a good mana base in a color combo, you don't really need to do it again (unless you play a lot of these colors).

I that's a lot, but I hope it helps!!

ilovemydoghisnameistuna on I'm going to build a wall

1 month ago

f you are playing Remand why not play Delay?

RiotRunner789 on Zaxara instant

1 month ago

Also, you may want to change your counterspell suit. Your Isochron Scepter has only two targets (your infinite combo and cyclonic rift non-overloaded).

If your purely going for X-spell/hydra flavor then keep the likes of Syncopate but otherwise Swan Song, Flusterstorm, Counterspell, Unsubstantiate, and Delay will act as more efficient counters and provide for extra backups for the scepter.

Why run Bloodrite Invoker and not Lore Weaver? You already have ley weaver, which gives you the other half of the combo. With ley weaver you just use your infinite mana to draw most of your deck and then win or deck out your opponents. Bloodrite seems like a worse option when either ley weaver or lore weaver alreday gets you the other one.

Brogan54 on Oloro, Ageless Ascetic

1 month ago

My recommendations :

I think most people will tell you that Oloro offers little competitive advantage to you compared to other esper commander like Zur (who can fetch Necropotence into play) or even Aminatou (who is a combo piece in the command zone). I think upsides for Oloro would be that he can do larger ad nauseam and possibly can even run Humility which few decks can win while it is on the board.

LOW IMPACT:

Teferi's Protection

Rhox Faithmender

Debt to the Deathless

Despark

MANA COST TOO HIGH

Merciless Eviction

Anguished Unmaking

Disallow

Thran Dynamo

TOO SLOW

Mox Tantalite

Phyrexian Arena

Twilight Prophet

Crypt Ghast

Winds of Abandon

Vindicate

Search for Azcanta  ^Flip

I would first add better ramp, better draw, potential Stax, tutors and then other win cons.

RAMP

Dark Ritual

Fellwar Stone

Mox Diamond

Talisman of Hierarchy

Talisman of Progress

Copy Artifact

Mox Opal

Cabal Ritual

Grim Monolith

Lotus Petal

Dramatic Reversal

DRAW

Ad Nauseam

Night's Whisper

Windfall

Timetwister

Whispering Madness

Brainstorm

Ponder

Preordain

Verity Circle (good against dorks)

Plunge into Darkness (a good Impulse)

Mindblade Render

Sygg, River Cutthroat

STAX

Drannith Magistrate

Aven Mindcensor

Cursed Totem

Notion Thief

Humility

Blind Obedience

Rest in Peace

Torpor Orb

BETTER COUNTERSPELLS

Mental Misstep

Dispel

Flusterstorm

Delay

Spell Pierce

Spell Snare

Negate

Tale's End

BETTER REMOVAL

Chain of Vapor

Gilded Drake

Yahenni's Expertise

Into the Roil

Blink of an Eye

TUTORS

Vampiric Tutor

Imperial Seal

Transmute Artifact

Intuition

Whir of Invention

Praetor's Grasp

Spellseeker

Academy Rector

OTHER COMBOS

CONSULT COMBO Demonic Consultation

Tainted Pact

Jace, Wielder of Mysteries

Laboratory Maniac

AD NAUSEAM COMBO Angel's Grace

Ad Nauseam (draw whole deck, can Windfall and make everyone die while AG means you can't lose

Helm of Obedience

Rest in Peace / Leyline of the Void

Heliod Walking Ballista

Approach of the Second Sun

Dramatic Scepter

Isochron Scepter

Rocks that produce at least three mana total (outlet is extort with blind obedience or crypt ghast) If have pristine Talisman gain infinite life, which is infinite draw with commander

Didn't look at landbase

RiotRunner789 on Zaxara, Stay Hydrated

1 month ago

Would recommend Ertai's Meddling over Delay.

Deck looks fun. First Zaxara I've seen though that doesn't run Freed from the Real and/or Pemmin's Aura.

RNR_Gaming on no more friends

1 month ago

Inalla is arguably the best wizard tribal commander and has a higher power ceiling than nicol bolas; however if your mind is set on discard go with the dragon. Counterspell, Mana Drain, Narset's Reversal, Flusterstorm and Delay are a control players bread and butter. More of a balance between creatures and interaction will make a world of difference. It's a good start but could use a good fat trim.