Cool Card Design of the Day11/22/2016 - Logic Gate is preemptive countermagic like Lunar Force but with more control and less information. You decide when to counter a spell, but you don't know what spell it is until you've decided.
Making them cast the card even when it's going to be countered keeps Logic Gate's effect more like a normal counterspell, but also feels kind of off. If we remove that, it gives us an opportunity to make a black discard spell that works like countermagic:
Either of these should create a small mind game where your opponent either needs to bait you into opening your Logic Gate, or convince you that's what they're up to so they can slip something through it.
What happens if you choose proceed and then they realize they can't cast the spell?
ReplyDeleteWhat happens if you choose halt and then they realize that they couldn't have cast the spell?
The same thing that would happen if they had tried to cast the spell and Logic Gate weren't in play.
DeleteBut the former is a cheap way to tell whether your opponent is planning to let your key spell proceed or not. This feels abusable to me (and a nightmare for judges to determine intent).
DeleteIf I declare I'm casting a spell and you Cancel it, then we see I didn't have the mana to cast it, what happens then?
DeleteBlue Gate is a little unfortunate with flexible cost spells.
ReplyDeleteThey do offer some wiggle room.
DeleteHere's my attempt at something a little less rules heavy, but with a similar spirit:
ReplyDeleteCounter Gate UU
Enchantment (U)
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may sacrifice ~. If you do, counter that spell. If you do not, return ~ to your hand.
That is cleaner. I like it.
DeleteI imagine that Lunar Force costing 2 mana would be quite a bit better, and this is strictly better than even that. Not sure I'd say too good, but given Counterspell's pedigree for unfunness I'd be incredibly hesitant to print this for a Standard legal set.
DeleteThere's also Hesitation, but yeah, Counter Gate is better than Lunar Force and could cost more.
DeleteLunar Force is an interesting comparison, but it was unplayable, so being better than that (even much better) doesn't tell us much.
DeleteThe "don't counter it" mode of this is pretty bad, since you have to bounce it, and then pay to replay it, and of course your opponent can bait you with a crappy spell you don't want to counter and then force their good spell through because this is in your hand.
I definitely acknowledge this is at the upper edge of power level, but I think even in standard it isn't a sure thing this would see play. Imagine you play this and your opponent casts a Thraben Inspector or a Lava Spike. Those just aren't good outcomes for you either way.
Agreed*
Delete* but playtesting could easily change my mind.
Oh, I obviously haven't tested it in a particular standard, so I don't say with any confidence it is okay, but if this cost 3 mana it would be totally unplayable, so if the card is going to exist, it basically has to cost UU.
DeleteSeparately, this probably would be awesome for a Theros 2 - the constellation enabling making the choice to sacrifice it interesting along another axis.
DeleteI can imagine two situations this would be playable at three mana in Standard: An enchantment-matters block, or a total-denial deck that just wants to counter everything no matter what.
Deletei hate this alternate logic gate but i already thought it out and typed it up so here it is
ReplyDeletePlayers can't cast spells from their hands.
Exile a card from your hand face-down: Logic Gate's controller may sacrifice Logic Gate. If he or she does not, you may play that card from exile this turn. Any player may activate this ability.
Also, wait, it doesn't make sense, uh
DeleteIf any player can activate an ability, what does 'you' refer to
Also this is very similar to your black Logic Gate, I'm now realizing!
DeleteAll in all it does seem a rather unwieldy card to impose on your opponents.
Time Gate
ReplyDelete3UU
Enchantment - Mythic Rare
Whenever an opponent casts a spell on their turn, exile Time Gate. If you do, end the turn.
5 seemd high for this effect considering its only a bit better than lunar force
DeleteMental Gate 1B
ReplyDeleteSorcery C
Target player chooses a card in their hand. You may have that player either discard that card or discard another card from their hand at random.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete(The chosen card is not revealed)
DeleteNeat!
DeleteLogic gate's templating feels very complex to me compared to, for example, Lunar Force. I would just word it as, "Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may sacrifice CARDNAME. If you do, counter that spell."
ReplyDeleteThat's a completely different effect, though, because then you know what spell they're casting when you decide whether to counter it or not.
DeleteWait - in logic gate's wording, select doesn't imply reveal? I hadn't realized that you choose to counter the card or let it resolve before seeing it. in that case, your way would be correct.
Delete