I think it's biggest problem is when you only get to see lands. Just compare:
Telling Time: 2 mana, draw a land, draw a land next turn(?on top after).
Sleight: 1 mana, draw a land, draw a land next turn (?on top after.)
Visions: 1 mana, draw a land, draw an ? next turn.
So that means TT gives you the worst outcome - the same as Sleight - while costing twice the mana (although its not UU).
So that means in the worst case scenario you basically paid twice the cost for the same effect.
Note that this is also true for the "best" case - if you want all 3 cards:
TT: 2 mana, you get 1 now one next turn, lose the third.
Sleight: you get one now, lose one, draw the third which is a random
Visions: you get one now and can draw the other two.
So in this case TT is the middle of the three.
Now of course Visions has the drawback of giving you the random card on top no matter what, but I think the cards are pretty much on par, so why would you play the one that can be Spell Snared? :X (though I'd argue that TT is slighly better than Sleight in most decks).
You're missing the point that it's a matter of what the rest of the deck does.
Telling Time is amazing with Delver because you've a great chance of flipping Delver, toss one card you don't need, and also leave counter backup during the main phases. You can't do all those things with Serum Visions or Telling time.
Telling Time might be bad in a pure combo deck where you need that first turn play or Storm where you just want a ton of cantrips. In a deck with counter magic backup, Telling Time is much better because of the instant speed.
To me it seems like everyone is mainly comparing it to Serium Visions, and depending on what you want the cantrip for, imo, it what would make the better card.
In a combo deck when searching for a piece of the puzzle I would agree Visions is superior...
on the other hand, it a control deck or as seen very useful in UR Delver build TT should be the obvious choice.
What I love about TT that Visions has never done for me or even Slight of Hand had is two things...
-It's instant speed
-It digs for and answer right away!
Here is a situation. Your opponent got Tron online and BAM! Wurmcoil hits and your down counters an removal. I can play TT, dig three cards and hope for an answer ASAP like Path to Exile. It's not a card that needs to be played right away, and it doesn't strict you to Sorcery spend and a random card at the start.
I don't think its a card to consider a 4 of... but it's really nice having a couple in the deck.
I think it's biggest problem is when you only get to see lands.
That is a very good point. It just goes to show you that there is no "best blue draw" in Modern, and instead you have to really be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each and know what you deck needs.
Also worth mentioning that it helps enable cards with Miracle. Being instant is what makes me love it. Being able to keep mana open for a counterspell and being able to cantrip if you do not counter anything is a neat synergy that I think people are underestimating.
It's man competition to me is not the bad one drop cantrips but rather Peer Through Depths.
You're missing the point that it's a matter of what the rest of the deck does.
Telling Time is amazing with Delver because you've a great chance of flipping Delver, toss one card you don't need, and also leave counter backup during the main phases. You can't do all those things with Serum Visions or Telling time.
Telling Time might be bad in a pure combo deck where you need that first turn play or Storm where you just want a ton of cantrips. In a deck with counter magic backup, Telling Time is much better because of the instant speed.
In a combo deck when searching for a piece of the puzzle I would agree Visions is superior...
on the other hand, it a control deck or as seen very useful in UR Delver build TT should be the obvious choice.
What I love about TT that Visions has never done for me or even Slight of Hand had is two things...
-It's instant speed
-It digs for and answer right away!
Here is a situation. Your opponent got Tron online and BAM! Wurmcoil hits and your down counters an removal. I can play TT, dig three cards and hope for an answer ASAP like Path to Exile. It's not a card that needs to be played right away, and it doesn't strict you to Sorcery spend and a random card at the start.
I don't think its a card to consider a 4 of... but it's really nice having a couple in the deck.
That is also a very good point, and one that I think Control players would do well to consider more often.
Reprint Opt for Modern!!
FREE DIG THOROUGH TIME!
PLAY MORE ROUGE DECKS!
It's man competition to me is not the bad one drop cantrips but rather Peer Through Depths.