Since tempo can be described as the rate in which you play out your cards, the mana difference between spell snare and the 2cmc card you target is only going to be a tempo gain if you are able to use it to play another spell.
So if I can cast spell snare and path to exile on turn 2 and you've just had your 2 cmc spell countered, I've played 2 cards and you've played one, netting a +1 tempo advantage (for example). This can come from a position where I was a tempo deficit (you had a permanent in play and I had none) and reset the tempo to neutral; or tempo neutral (we both had a permanent in play) and gain an advantage in tempo.
Either way, the effect of playing spell snare against a 2 cmc spell is only tempo relevant if you use the mana difference to play another (tempo-relevant) spell.
Lets tie this back to spell snare. Spell snare is normally going to be tempo neutral and card neutral (1 for 1), unless you can use the 1 mana difference in casting cost, then you are able to get a tempo advantage.
So spell snare should be considered a tempo card, and may be appropriate in decks that can use the extra mana for tempo. If you can't use the extra mana, spell snare is probably not being exploited to its fullest - not to say it would be out of place as 1 mana hard counters (even if conditional) are rare.
You are missing the point, remand doesn't take away a card from your opponent, and costs you a card and gives you a draw (net zero cards). So there is no card advantage - you played a card that cost your opponent zero cards and gained you a card, meaning the number of cards in hand/play did not change.
Dismiss is categorically different since it removes a card from your opponent, with the same (effectively) zero card cost to yourself, so +1 card advantage.
On the other hand, remand is often TEMPO advantage if you remand a spell that costs more to play than remand. If you are not able to use the extra mana you gain then it is tempo neutral, which is still desirable if you have an advantage in board state.
I'm sorry, but remand simply is not card advantage. It's a tempo spell, and normally just neutral tempo at that.
You are confusing card advantage with tempo. Putting the wrath back in hand is maintaining/ possibly increasing your tempo advantage (4 mana for 2 mana, (net)zero cards to zero cards).
Additionally, how does Knowledge pool interact with the legendary rule? If I have Knowledge pool and Teferi, mage of Zhalfir in play, can I cast another Teferi from my hand in order to gain access the the Knowledge pool spells without losing the Teferi already in play?
When I cast another spell, knowledge pool exiles the new spell and I'm able to select Cyclonic Rift to cast without paying its mana cost... how does overload work with this? Can I pay the overload cost, or is it paid for free? Do I even have the option to use overload?
Survive early game with condemn/wall of omens/supreme verdict. Cast Teferi EOT and if it resolves and you have knowledge pool in hand (with mana to play it), you should win with the hard lock. Very hard to disrupt, especially if you play Teferi with Cavern of souls.
For my own context, I've been trying to make Bant Tempo work, and find that Geist of Saint Traft and (to a lesser extent) Loxodon Smiter sometimes need help connecting if there is a blocker in play. I have been considering Sword of Feast and Famine for the deck but it can play anti-tempo at times via disruption as already covered in this thread. Rancor is what I'm trying atm.
Eidolon asap as anything they could play after to prevent you from hitting them with the hellspark will shock them. Eidolon has greater value the sooner its played - more than hellspark.
What are the prevailing thoughts on Rancor in comparison to the swords? In some ways it fills the same slots that a sword might, but at a much cheaper mana cost, reducing the tempo issues that we see with the swords.
Along the same lines, what are thoughts regarding Basilisk Collar?
I thought I'd share the deck I've been tweaking for a bit - this could be called Version 2. This deck relies on a turn 2 beater with disruption and resiliency to finish up early.
Actually i just found the answer. Since the token would be returned during the resolution of the same effect that removed it from play, state based effects don't have a chance to destroy the token. However, since I last played WotC added a rule specifically baring tokens from returning to play from any zone:
110.5g A token that has left the battlefield can’t come back onto the battlefield. If such a token would return to the battlefield, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based actions are checked; see rule 704.
So if I can cast spell snare and path to exile on turn 2 and you've just had your 2 cmc spell countered, I've played 2 cards and you've played one, netting a +1 tempo advantage (for example). This can come from a position where I was a tempo deficit (you had a permanent in play and I had none) and reset the tempo to neutral; or tempo neutral (we both had a permanent in play) and gain an advantage in tempo.
Either way, the effect of playing spell snare against a 2 cmc spell is only tempo relevant if you use the mana difference to play another (tempo-relevant) spell.
So spell snare should be considered a tempo card, and may be appropriate in decks that can use the extra mana for tempo. If you can't use the extra mana, spell snare is probably not being exploited to its fullest - not to say it would be out of place as 1 mana hard counters (even if conditional) are rare.
Dismiss is categorically different since it removes a card from your opponent, with the same (effectively) zero card cost to yourself, so +1 card advantage.
On the other hand, remand is often TEMPO advantage if you remand a spell that costs more to play than remand. If you are not able to use the extra mana you gain then it is tempo neutral, which is still desirable if you have an advantage in board state.
I'm sorry, but remand simply is not card advantage. It's a tempo spell, and normally just neutral tempo at that.
When I cast another spell, knowledge pool exiles the new spell and I'm able to select Cyclonic Rift to cast without paying its mana cost... how does overload work with this? Can I pay the overload cost, or is it paid for free? Do I even have the option to use overload?
3x Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
4x Wall of omens
4x condemn
4x Rune snag
4x Mana Tithe
4x Supreme Verdict
2x Cyclonic rift
3x Thirst for knowledge
2x Sphynx's Revelation
4x Celestial Colonnade
4x Hallowed Fountain
2x Glacial Fortress
2x Mystic Gate
4x Tectonic Edge
2x Cavern of Souls
4x Island
4x Plains
Survive early game with condemn/wall of omens/supreme verdict. Cast Teferi EOT and if it resolves and you have knowledge pool in hand (with mana to play it), you should win with the hard lock. Very hard to disrupt, especially if you play Teferi with Cavern of souls.
Along the same lines, what are thoughts regarding Basilisk Collar?
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Birds of paradise
4 Scavenging Oooze
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Mystic Snake
3 Venser, Shaper Savant
3 Restoration Angel
4 Path to Exile
2 Rancor
2 Momentary Blink
4 Remand
21 Land
4 Hindering light
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Krosan Grip
3 Vendillion Clique
In early stages of refinement. Anyone have suggestions on how to further refine the deck?
Opinions on efficacy?
110.5g A token that has left the battlefield can’t come back onto the battlefield. If such a token would return to the battlefield, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based actions are checked; see rule 704.