Thinking about Nothing

The new extended period is coming up and I believe it will be signified by one distinct feature; the significant number of manaless casting cost spells in the format.

The popular ones include:

• Chrome Mox


• Chalice of the Void [for 0]


• Engineered Explosives [for 0]


• Dread Return


• Mindbreak Trap [new to the format]


• The PACT cycle [primarily Pact of Negation, Slaughter Pact, Summoner's Pact]


• STORMED copies [Grapeshot, Dragonstorm]


• CASCADED cards [Off Bloodbraid Elf, Enlisted Wurm, etc]


• SUSPENDED cards [mainly Hypergenesis combo, Ancestral Vision, Lotus Bloom]


• AFFINITY cards [Frogmite, Myr Enforcer, Spire Golem]

This pretty much covers every single deck in the metagame:

• Hypergenesis [Hypergenesis, Demonic Dread, Ardent Plea]


• UR Dragonstorm [Dragonstorm, Lotus Bloom, Pact of Negation]


• Tooth and Nail [Chalice of the Void, Chrome Mox]


• Tron [Chalice of the Void, Chrome Mox]


• Elves [Summoner's Pact]


• Kiki Gifts [Engineered Explosives, Chrome Mox, Chalice of the Void]


• Dredge [Chrome Mox, Dread Return]


• Faeries [Chrome Mox, Engineered Explosives, Ancestral Vision]


• Affinity [Frogmite, Myr Enforcer]

Now, I'm not sure how many spells a counterspell has to be able to hit before it's considered a great spell. Certainly Spell Snare, which can only hit 2 mana spells for U, is now considered a tournament staple. So I'm wondering how useful Nix will be in the new metagame, considering it's a Spell Snare that hits spells cast for 0 mana for a single U as well.

Perhaps it's likely a sideboard card only; something you bring in when you know your opponents is playing mana acceleration with Chrome Mox and Lotus Bloom (a two-for-one trade of Nix vs Chrome Mox + Removed Card seems good so early in the game). Or maybe you'll bring it in to counter your opponent's Mindbreak Traps in the storm mirror. Or to easily prevent Hypergenesis going off. Or protecting your tokens against Engineered Explosives, or protecting against Chalice of the Void.

The big argument will be "Why Nix instead of Chalice of the Void for 0?". I think Nix is going to be around more to protect your plays vs Chalice and Mindbreak Trap, rather than hinder your opponent by countering Moxen and Ancestral Vision. Chalice is an offensive card. Nix, like every counterspell, is defensive. Furthermore, Chalice for 0 will not stop Cascaded spells, Storm copies or Dredge Return; Nix does.

If the new extended does feature a glut of cards abusing a zero-mana-cost environment, then perhaps Nix will be seen as the new Spell Snare. Perhaps it's worth picking up a playset right now before people rediscover this little counterspell.

--***--

BONUS NEW EXTENDED CONTROL SKELETON

DECK NAME: "This Level Of Blue Is Higher Than Any Other Previous Level Of Blue"

MAIN

[Counterspell Suite]

4 x Nix
4 x Spell Snare
4 x Mana Leak
2 x Cryptic Command

[Draw Spells]

4 x Ancestral Vision

[Control Spells]

1 x Chalice of the Void
1 x Engineered Explosives
1 x Relic of Progenitus
1 x Trinket Mage
2 x Vedalken Shackles
2 x Venser, Shaper Savant

[Kill Conditions]

10 x Kill Conditions

[Lands]

4 x Man Lands
20 x Other Lands

SIDEBOARD

3 x Mindbreak Trap
3 x Circle Of Protection: Red
3 x Trickbind
3 x Threads of Disloyalty
3 x Ancient Grudge

Labels: analysis, magic