cancel is too expensive to be playable. You need to have syncopate on 2
March 1, 2014 10:38 a.m.
Syncopate used to be a bit better since the Inistrad block had a lot of Flashback in it. The exile came in to good use there. Other then that, it's a t2 counter that gets successively weaker as the game goes on.
March 1, 2014 10:39 a.m.
For control decks, early game is where they're at their weakest. Syncopate offers a universal counter that's available on T2, unlike other forms of countermagic in standard. It works like Mana Leak , which saw a lot of play when it was standard, where it's a powerful counterspell earlygame but weaker on lategame. And even later, having a Syncopate allows you to catch opponents that tap out to play things.
March 1, 2014 2:53 p.m.
Technetium says... #7
I prefer Essence Scatter (or the new Nullify ) for T2 counter, since it is really creatures that control decks have to worry about in the early game. I used to use Syncopate but felt like there were too many circumstances where it was absolutely useless.
March 1, 2014 7:15 p.m.
OrzhovExtort says... #8
Cancel is definitely slower and dosent exile but Syncopate takes a lot to get there late game so if you plan on adding blue to ANY deck Cancel seems stronger or Negate
March 1, 2014 7:40 p.m.
Theres a reason that cancel doesn't ever see any competitive play in standard... It's a terrible card that is 100% unplayable in this format with absolutely no reason to be playing it.
March 1, 2014 8:45 p.m.
What do you mean it's a terrible card? Does adding scry to a card turn it from terrible to a definite inclusion in a control deck? Because I'm pretty sure Dissolve is literally Cancel with scry...
March 2, 2014 5:13 a.m.
kiranearitachi says... #11
i use Dissolve mainboard in my uw control deck and i like it
March 2, 2014 9:25 a.m.
Dissolve is a bad card as well but it's necessary for control decks to run it in this format. The existence of Dissolve is yet another reason that you shouldn't be playing Cancel
March 2, 2014 12:50 p.m.
Syncopate is good for decks that don't rely do heavily on blue and can use an X cost counter to its full potential.
March 2, 2014 1 p.m.
OrzhovExtort says... #14
Syncopate is very situational and unless they tap out or you have practicaly 2x the mana they do Syncopate is then just a dead card. this dissolve vs. cancel thing is stupid to argue over I agree neither are great but they see play and ARE NOT 100% unplayable. I use Cancel just because it counters ANY spell with no drawbacks except for 3 mana. since Syncopate is to cluncky maybe try Stymied Hopes even if they pay that 1 mana that usually takes care of the second card they planned on playing.
March 2, 2014 2:18 p.m.
The only time Cancel is to be consider is after already including 4x copies of Dissolve .
Syncopate is optional, but cannot serve as a replacement for the aforementioned 4x Dissolve .
March 2, 2014 2:47 p.m.
Enlightened_Jedi says... #16
i run 3 Syncopate 's because turn 3 Domri was getting old. SUPER OLD.
March 3, 2014 8:27 a.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #17
I like Syncopate because of the versatility that it offers.
T2 Counter/Force your opponent to tap out./Even if they don't tap out it can still reduce their mana pool enough to stall the next play./Exiles the spell. (hurts MBD/rock)
Dissolve at best is a T3 counter with slight deck manipulation.
Cancel at best is good for casual decks.
thataddkid says... #2
It's not. It's a turn 2 counter but every land drop your opponent hits makes it less and less effective.
March 1, 2014 10:33 a.m.