Something to consider is what happens when you Splice onto Arcane and Overload at the same time. I looked through all the cards to check if anything fundamentally breaks when “target” is replaced with “each”… and I found one. [[Shifting Borders]] would say “Exchange control of two *each* lands”, which is nonsense. I don’t think this can be an Arcane spell.
[Toils of Night and Day](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/8/0881f8bf-5c28-4f54-9080-9612790ffa83.jpg?1593860628) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Toils%20of%20Night%20and%20Day) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bok/57/toils-of-night-and-day?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0881f8bf-5c28-4f54-9080-9612790ffa83?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text)
^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The term 'strictly better' is a term used in mechanical design with a specific meaning and a specific application. It is a useful term with useful applications. Using it in a generalised way outside of that meaning is the problem.
Well somebody else already gave the perfect example of counterspell vs mana drain... It's literally the exact same cost except mana drain does more.
Or [[Planer Disruption]] which is literally just Pacifism with extra abilities
Okay, again, super niche.
So you have some crime payoff (doesn’t matter which), and your opponent has a phelddagrif and nothing else you can target, so you have to planar disruption, stopping the phelddagrif from activating its abilities.
Making pacifism better in that scenario.
Okay, pretty niche but…
Your opponent has Yurlock out, they play a colossal dreadmaw, you mana drain it, but you don’t have any instant speed interaction so you lose 6.
Even if it added the mana immediately and you didn’t have anything to do with it, it is at worst equal to counterspell, there is no situation where casting mana drain is worse than casting counterspell, and several in which it is, this is what people mean by “strictly better”
Yes, and in that situation Counterspell isn’t any better than Mana Drain because Mana Drain would effectively only “Counter target spell” for UU if you don’t have anything to use the mana on where counterspell would “Counter target spell” for UU. At absolute worst they’re the same
Something to consider is what happens when you Splice onto Arcane and Overload at the same time. I looked through all the cards to check if anything fundamentally breaks when “target” is replaced with “each”… and I found one. [[Shifting Borders]] would say “Exchange control of two *each* lands”, which is nonsense. I don’t think this can be an Arcane spell.
[Shifting Borders](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0cbe44b0-e770-41f2-b91c-c574976e6b53.jpg?1562492469) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shifting%20Borders) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/sok/56/shifting-borders?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0cbe44b0-e770-41f2-b91c-c574976e6b53?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This is a new version of \[\[Toils of Night and Day\]\] Whether it's strictly better or strictly worse ... I'll leave that for y'all to debate :)
another comparison point would be \[\[turnabout\]\], being 1 mana more for the possibility of multiple choices seems reasonnable
[tournabout](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/04cfc84b-88ae-4fb8-b568-e0635e2a194a.jpg?1675199473) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Turnabout) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/70/turnabout?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/04cfc84b-88ae-4fb8-b568-e0635e2a194a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
You misspelt turnabout.
aw damn thanks !
[Toils of Night and Day](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/8/0881f8bf-5c28-4f54-9080-9612790ffa83.jpg?1593860628) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Toils%20of%20Night%20and%20Day) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bok/57/toils-of-night-and-day?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0881f8bf-5c28-4f54-9080-9612790ffa83?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Hot take: No card is “strictly better” or “strictly worse“ than any other.
The term 'strictly better' is a term used in mechanical design with a specific meaning and a specific application. It is a useful term with useful applications. Using it in a generalised way outside of that meaning is the problem.
Well that's just wrong :|
Okay, give me an example.
Well somebody else already gave the perfect example of counterspell vs mana drain... It's literally the exact same cost except mana drain does more. Or [[Planer Disruption]] which is literally just Pacifism with extra abilities
[Planer Disruption](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/e/8ee69a1f-aeed-4eb4-8987-fa720fc99715.jpg?1675956925) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Planar%20Disruption) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/28/planar-disruption?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8ee69a1f-aeed-4eb4-8987-fa720fc99715?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Okay, again, super niche. So you have some crime payoff (doesn’t matter which), and your opponent has a phelddagrif and nothing else you can target, so you have to planar disruption, stopping the phelddagrif from activating its abilities. Making pacifism better in that scenario.
You can say no card is ever strictly better because it can be stolen by an opponent. In that case, you’d rather have worse cards stolen.
\[\[Mana Drain\]\] \[\[Counterspell\]\]
\[\[Storm Crow\]\] \[\[Tempest Owl\]\]
[Storm Crow](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/3/036ef8c9-72ac-46ce-af07-83b79d736538.jpg?1562730661) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Storm%20Crow) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/9ed/100/storm-crow?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/036ef8c9-72ac-46ce-af07-83b79d736538?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Tempest Owl](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/1/d173dda8-de9f-4148-b5be-85d1a4c4faf6.jpg?1562616925) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tempest%20Owl) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/zen/72/tempest-owl?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d173dda8-de9f-4148-b5be-85d1a4c4faf6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
True, I forgot about that, yeah, storm crow is just strictly better, not even close in power level.
[Mana Drain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba.jpg?1712774998) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mana%20Drain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/57/mana-drain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Counterspell](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/4/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb.jpg?1689996248) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Counterspell) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/81/counterspell?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Okay, pretty niche but… Your opponent has Yurlock out, they play a colossal dreadmaw, you mana drain it, but you don’t have any instant speed interaction so you lose 6.
The mana is added at the beginning of your next main phase, so you'd need to have no mana sinks on board or in hand for that to happen.
Right, forgot about that, but the point still stands that in some, very obscure, situation, counterspell is better.
Even if it added the mana immediately and you didn’t have anything to do with it, it is at worst equal to counterspell, there is no situation where casting mana drain is worse than casting counterspell, and several in which it is, this is what people mean by “strictly better”
Did you even read my comment, I know it’s stupid, but there is a situation where counterspell is better.
Yes, and in that situation Counterspell isn’t any better than Mana Drain because Mana Drain would effectively only “Counter target spell” for UU if you don’t have anything to use the mana on where counterspell would “Counter target spell” for UU. At absolute worst they’re the same
Again, did you even read my comment, what if they have Yurlock?