Why is this card so good? Because he effectively
allows you an instant-speed tutor. For 1U, you
can cast any instant or sorcery in your
graveyard a second time. That's card advantage,
and it also allows you to treat your graveyard
like a second hand. If you've got Snapcaster in
your hand and Mana Leak in your 'yard, than for
2UU you've got Mana Leak in your hand. And since
instants and sorceries go to the graveyard when
you cast them, all you need to do to stock your
graveyard with Snapcaster fuel is to cast the
spells you draw, which you were going to do
anyway. That's a major part of why Snapcaster
Mage is so good-- he requires so little effort
for you to get maximum value out of him.
Also, don't forget that Snapcaster's ability
works even if the target card already has
flashback. Most cards cost more to flashback
than to hardcast (see Silent Departure for a
prime example) or cost a different color of mana
(case in point: Ancient Grudge) or both (Spider
Spawning) so Snapcaster can be used not only to
recycle otherwise-spent spells, but to cheat the
flashback costs and fake out opponents who may
have taken for granted that you didn't leave
mana up to flash back a certain spell.
Really, Snapcaster is only as powerful as the
spell you flash back. But as the split cards,
the Lorwyn Commands, and the various cycles of
Charms have taught us, there's power in
versatility. Snapcaster isn't just a second
casting of a spell, it's any spell in your
graveyard at any time. And it's that versatility
that allows it to dominate.
The horror monsters walk, and the Wheel turns on
the last Invitational card. I don't think
there's been a single previous Invitational
design that wasn't strong in eternal formats,
and Snapcaster Mage may go down as one of the
greatest even in those hallowed ranks. There are
countless popular instants and sorceries that
are powerful when cast once, and there was
probably a reason many of them didn't originally
have flashback. A lot of blue's best plays
involve "end of turn, draw lots of cards." How
many of those are creatures? After Innistrad,
probably a lot of them.
This is the best invitation card since Dark
Confidant, Tiago Chan’s designed card is all
card advantage, Giving any spell flashback is an
amazing way to obviously reuse powerful spells
and to reap some possible card advantage in the
process. In standard this creature is seeing
play in most decks featuring blue providing a
solid early game threat that can recur important
spells the power of this card is extremely
self-evident. In extended and modern this cards
power is roughly equal to the power of the
spells you can play and in these formats
pickings are plentiful for Snapcaster to really
shine. In legacy and vintage it is surprising
when a newly released card see’s some play and
this card has a power level to rival Dark
Confidant and is seeing play to match, flashing
back any number of powerful removal spells or
even flashing back a Brainstorm, Time Walk or
other key spell puts you in quite a powerful
position versus your opponents.
In casual and
multiplayer you can recur game winning spells
such as board wipes or just plain powerful cards
like Time Stretch if you have the mana making it
a powerful addition. The fact it’s a wizard
leaves room for some interesting tribal
components. In limited is sort of a money card
and can beat down and is splashable the fact you
need some decent spells is not hard to do making
this a powerful card In a spell heavy deck.
Overall this is one of the most powerful cards
printed in recent memory and has a home in every
format ever period.
Today's number two card of 2011 is Snapcaster
Mage which is a two mana Blue 2/1 with Flash and
when it comes into play a target Instant or
sorcery in your graveyard gets Flashback until
the end of the turn with a cost equal to the
target's casting cost. This is a card that
can easily turn a game around or give the final
push towards a victory.
Whether it brings back removal to clear the way
or a field changing bomb there is almost no
chance of it not being extremely useful in some
way as it is both versatile and provides card
advantage. Many Blue and multicolor decks
will be running this to get extra uses out of
their favorite spells and aside from needing to
wait a few turns to be fully utilized there is
no drawback to playing it.
For Limited not having an existing deck to take
advantage of makes it a bit weaker in one sense,
but being able to play removal or other format
dominating effects a second time compensates
nicely. After using the effect having a
2/1 available for an attack or defense is a
bonus that puts it over the top. A very
easy first choice in Booster and should be
splashed into most Sealed builds as well.
Welcome to the
Top 10 cards of 2011 countdown here at Pojo.com!
Coming in at number 2 is one of the most popular
cards from Innistrad. I must say I personally do
not use, or even like the card coming in at this
space, but here it is anyways, Snapcaster Mage!
Snapcaster Mage is a rare creature human wizard
that costs one blue and one generic mana. He is
a 2/1 with flash that says whenever he enters
the battlefield, target instant or sorcery card
in your graveyard gains flashback until end of
turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana
cost.
While this card has soared in popularity, and I
do understand some reasons why, I just have not
jumped on the band wagon. I know the uses
include pulling back a vital burn spell, or even
more oft to grab a counter spell when it is most
needed. Plus it has flash, so it can drop in as
an unexpected blocker. But I just feel that
overall, I am just not digging highly on the
Snapcaster Mage.
