Swan Song is one of the newest "Theros" spoilers revealed today Sept. 11, 2013 from Wizards of the Coast's upcoming expert "Magic: The Gathering" expansion set in an update to the image gallery of www.DailyMtg.com. For just one blue mana Swan Song answers some of the game's deadliest spells.
Swan Song - U
Instant (Rare)
Counter target enchantment, instant, or sorcery spell. Its controller puts a 2/2 blue Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
"The most enlightened mages create beauty from violence."
-Medomai the Ageless
Although Swan Song will leave your opponent with a 2/2 blue Bird creature token with flying you'll be able to shoot it down thanks to Bow of Nylea. Swan Song's applications in Standard run the gamut from countering Erebos, God of the Dead to Curse of the Swine or Sphinx's Revelation. While Swan Song won't stop planeswalkers like Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver or Xenagos, the Reveler and artifacts such as Pyxis of Pandemonium like Negate does, Swan Song's still a hard counter that will put a stop to your rival's removal or counterspells of their own.
One place Swan Song might shine is in eternal formats like Legacy. Flusterstorm currently sees play and is a conditional counter that can only target instant and sorcery spells. If you're playing a combo deck it's likely you plan on winning that turn anyways, so who cares if your adversary ends up with a blue 2/2 Bird creature token with flying when they'll won't even be alive to attack with it?
There's situations where cards like Syncopate can't get the job done. Dissolve may be the new best unconditional mono-blue Counterspell in standard, however Swan Song is sure to make an impact too. Players used to bluff Counterspell with two untapped Islands. Now you only need one Island.
How will you use Swan Song?
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