Aetherspouts...hmmmm?
Standard forum
Posted on July 15, 2014, 2:13 p.m. by capriom85
What do you all think f this card? Clearly it is not expected to be an all star with the $1.36 price tag it has, but I think it will make non UW forms of control more viable. UR, UB, & UG all benefit from this card in huge ways I think. It isn't a Supreme Verdict by any means, but it does clear the opponent's board for 5cmc (assuming he launches an all out attack), and messes up the next few turns for him/her. I like it for UG especially because I can play a large threat like Kalonian Hydra , pass, untap with Prophet of Kruphix , thwart their attack with AetherSpouts , and drop a large Mistcutter Hydra on my turn to swing for what may very well be lethal at this point in the game.
UR and UB have similar benefits I think...bounce their creatures and then pick them off one by one with spot removal as they come back out.
Also, all of these decks benefit since the creatures need to be recast, and maybe you have more answers the second time around. Just counter them out now.
Anyone agree that this card has possibilities for Standard?
At the moment there's no reason to. No flash blockers or anything else of that nature hut in the next standard it might be worthwhile to hold back.
July 23, 2014 4:25 a.m.
ChrisHansonBiomancin says... #3
I would be (pleasantly) surprised if they don't print a wrath effect in the first set of Khans. That said, Aetherspouts is still a very good option for control decks to compliment a traditional board wipe. I say this because it answers most of the cards that beat sorcery-speed wraths (i.e. Regeneration, Indestructible, Flash, Haste). In fact, this countering is about the only way to stop Aetherspouts, so unless you're playing against MUD, you don't need to worry about your wipe being thwarted by tricks like Golgari Charm .
The other part of Aetherspouts that makes it good in a control shell is its synergy with counterspells. Obviously, being an instant itself is a big factor (and it means that your opponent doesn't know that you're about to Spout them with your 5 untapped mana since you're playing draw-go), but the fact that it sends threats to the top of the library instead of the hand means that you'll have a chance to untap prior to them getting the threat back. Thus, if you were tapped out during the initial casting or didn't draw your counter until later, you now have a second bite at the apple.
Finally, the tempo advantage that Aetherspouts provides is absolutely huge for control. Getting into Elspeth, Sun's Champion or AEtherling on a near-empty board can seal a game quickly. Also, although Sphinx's Revelation isn't literally a win con, allowing yourself the time to hit it for 4 or 5 might as well be in many cases.
July 23, 2014 6:15 p.m.
The Golgari Charm / Boros Charm argument is actually valid, as a single Boros Charm at the right time can lose you the game as a control player.
July 23, 2014 6:41 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #5
I think you have to run counters or disruption. Green, red, and white have no answers.
Bringing back the gustcloak mechanic for Kahns would be cool. Gustcloak Sentinel for reference.
July 23, 2014 7:20 p.m.
Hunted0Less says... #7
Oh no, where are my End Hostilities
and the double white for them? I'm going to die at this rate.
See where I'm going here?
September 6, 2014 10:33 a.m.
Ah what a surprise they printed a board clear that's just better than aetherspouts. Aetherspouts has gone down to under $.5 per card and isn't played virtually anywhere. As am aside, one of my friends won a wmcq with a mono blue devotion deck not running this fucking atrocious card.
September 6, 2014 10:41 a.m.
How much time did you devote to remembering this thread just to try and one up anyone who likes this card?
September 6, 2014 5:26 p.m.
- End Hostilities 5 mana and not an instant.
- End Hostilities can't go in BUG, which may be the dominant control archetype post-rotation. AEtherspouts would work better in that deck anyway since it plays creatures that can't dodge boardwipes.
- Supreme Verdict hasn't rotated out yet. No shit AEtherspouts doesn't see play. It's not legal in Theros Block Constructed for the deck it wants to go in, and Supreme Verdict is a 4 mana can't be countered wipe.
I'm still not writing the card off until we have a better understanding of Standard once Khans rotates in.
September 6, 2014 5:48 p.m.
trentfaris242 says... #12
@sylvannos Esper is about 10xs more equipped to control than BUG is post rotation.
September 6, 2014 5:52 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #13
What makes you say that? Outside of the wrath and Utter End , I don't see much else that makes Esper better. There's no real good finisher in the format yet.
September 6, 2014 5:56 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #14
What makes you say that? Outside of the wrath and Utter End , I don't see much else that makes Esper better. There's no real good finisher in the format yet.
September 6, 2014 5:56 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #16
AEtherspouts works great with Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver .
September 6, 2014 5:57 p.m.
I didn't remember it. Someone commented then it prompted me.
Wizards have already said that they intend to make abzan the control colours. Even if not and they don't, whatever does end up being the control wedge or control colours is going to want to be including white because white has a lot of goodies at the moment. This is something that Sultai does not do.
They're both 5 mana, it's just Aetherspouts has an 'if' clause (they must be attacking) whereas End Hostilities doesn't care about that. Why would you play a card with an 'if' cause if you could spend the same amount of mana and play a card that just does the job better.
September 6, 2014 5:57 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 - yeh it would if the opponent didn't get to choose where the cards went.
September 6, 2014 5:58 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #20
It brings up interesting discussion of card advantage and such, unlike that other thread about Phyrexian Obliterator in a Naya deck. Please continue.
September 6, 2014 6:03 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #21
It brings up interesting discussion of card advantage and such, unlike that other thread about Phyrexian Obliterator in a Naya deck. Please continue.
September 6, 2014 6:03 p.m.
Dalektable says... #22
GlistenerAgent A wrath isn't something to undermine. When push comes to shove, a wrath is simply better than prolonging the damage which is what aetherspouts does. With BUG not having a playable hard wrath, that by it's own right pushes esper over the top. Also, what do you mean by no good finishers? Hpw about Elspeth, Sun's Champion ? She's been a finisher in esper since the card was printed. Not to mention Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver and Prognostic Sphinx .
September 6, 2014 6:08 p.m.
Aetherspouts CAN act as a wrath though, sometimes. Its just that its white counterpart does every time.
Esper still gets all the goodies for control though. WB are key control colours.
September 6, 2014 6:10 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #24
Wow, completely forgot about Elspeth. Yeha, that pushes it over the top for me then :) I don't think Ashiok and Sphinx are playable finishers in this upcoming format.
Abzan also has Elspeth, and some pretty good removal. I see it as probably a midrange deck.
September 6, 2014 6:12 p.m.
You can play a decent control deck without U, it's just a lot later in reacting to the opponent. Opponent plays creature, you wait for them to go to combat then remove it, instead of obviously countering it as soon as its played.
Orzhov control is a deck in the meta at the moment actually I think. It effectively stalls and durdles around then hits you with Elspeth and Obzedat.
September 6, 2014 6:14 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #26
Cast AetherSpouts and then untap into Ashiok and steal the creatures. If he is on the battlefield it becomes a wipe essentially. Just what I've experienced. Ashiok seems well positioned come rotation.
September 6, 2014 6:27 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #27
I think it's situational and better as a 1x or 2x but it can be a game swinger.
With the option of playing End Hostilities it's the better card and should played before Spouts in most situations.
September 6, 2014 6:32 p.m.
ChrisHansonBiomancin says... #28
End Hostilities is clearly the better option for control. However, I still really like AEtherspouts for more midrangy decks that want to play creatures, such as BUG or RUG
September 6, 2014 8:15 p.m.
And we have come full circle since I have mentioned (I believe) that I was considering it in my GU or RUG mid deck. It would be a nice set up for a hasty aggro deck to run into a field, get wiped and end up staring into something large with haste afterwards
September 7, 2014 12:51 a.m.
everyone says this card isn't so great. yeah looking at those ways maybe. but ive played mill (no creatures) for the past year and I think this card was a perfect addition not only to clear the field but mill after to make sure they stay gone. before I was just using cyclonic rifts or even blustersquall to tap the creatures before attacking. unfortunately mill is rotating but I loved it while it lasted.
zandl says... #1
Also, no one is circle-jerking here (and I'd caution you to keep things civil). We're merely defending the card for what it is: a 5-mana tempo spell. No one said it replaces Verdict in UW or it's going to be $20 or whatever it is qualifies as "circle-jerking".
Until you somehow prove that you're a good Magic player and stop spewing nonsense about not attacking in empty boards (still great), I can't take you seriously.
July 23, 2014 1:56 a.m.