New MTG Merfolk Wizard Can Shut Down Modern's Most Powerful Cards!

As The Lost Caverns of Ixalan spoilers continue to be revealed, there are a few cards in particular that have caught our attention. Recently, we talked about a cool Exploring Vampire that had the ability to combo with Wildgrowth Walker Wildgrowth Walker Whenever a creature you control explores, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature and you gain 3 life. . From intriguing combo pieces to strange win conditions, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan has certainly showcased some fascinating cards.

While these combo pieces and alternate win conditions may act as a brewer’s paradise, they may not be as impactful in the competitive scene as some other spoilers. So far, there doesn’t appear to be too many cards with major implications in non-rotating Constructed formats. That being said, there are a few worth keeping an eye out for.

One of these cards is a unique Merfolk Wizard that has massive multi-format potential. It interacts quite favorably with a number of Modern’s most powerful cards. The card in question is Tishana’s Tidebinder Tishana’s Tidebinder Flash
When this creature enters, counter up to one target activated or triggered ability. If an ability of an artifact, creature, or planeswalker is countered this way, that permanent loses all abilities for as long as this creature remains on the battlefield. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.) . Does this powerful Creature have what it takes to revitalize the Merfolk archetype in Modern? Could it help keep overpowered cards like The One Ring The One Ring Indestructible
When The One Ring enters, if you cast it, you gain protection from everything until your next turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each burden counter on The One Ring.
{T}: Put a burden counter on The One Ring, then draw a card for each burden counter on The One Ring. in check? Let’s take a closer look at exactly what Tishana’s Tidebinder does and in what situations it shines brightest.

Nimble Obstructionist 2.0

For three mana, you get access to a 3/2 with Flash that can counter an activated or triggered ability at minimum. On rate, this is already quite strong. Compare this to a card like Nimble Obstructionist Nimble Obstructionist Flash
Flying
Cycling {2}{U} ({2}{U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle this card, counter target activated or triggered ability you don't control. . Nimble Obstructionist has popped up from time to time in Modern, but generally isn’t quite good enough by today’s standards. This is especially true as power creep has transformed the landscape of the Modern format.

It’s not like there aren’t solid activated or triggered abilities to counter, either. Given how popular Evoke Elementals from Modern Horizons Two (like Fury Fury Fury Double strike
When this creature enters, it deals 4 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers.
Evoke—Exile a red card from your hand. , for example), Primeval Titan Primeval Titan Trample
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. , and Cascade spells like Shardless Agent Shardless Agent Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.) are, this effect can definitely be powerful. Yet, three mana is a lot to pay, and there are generally better options. So why would Tishana’s Tidebinder be a lot more appealing?

First of all, in order to counter an activated or triggered ability with Nimble Obstructionist, you have to Cycle it for three mana. While you do get to draw a card, you aren’t directly impacting the board in a proactive manner. If you play Nimble Obstructionist proactively, then you don’t get the benefits of countering an ability.

Tishana’s Tidebinder gives you the best of both worlds. Not only do you get a solid piece of interaction, but you also advance your presence on the battlefield. For decks like Modern Merfolk, this is extremely important. However, the biggest reason Tishana’s Tidebinder is in the spotlight is because there is more to the card than that.

Beating Modern’s Best Cards

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Unlike Nimble Obstructionist, Tishana’s Tidebinder does much more than just counter one activated or triggered ability. Once you successfully counter an ability of a Creature, Artifact or Planeswalker, that permanent loses all abilities for as long as Tishana’s Tidebinder remains in play. In the current Modern metagame, this is simply unbelievable. Take the example of preventing Primeval Titan for searching for Lands when Tidebinder enters the battlefield. Well, now you take away Primeval Titan’s attack ability as well, leaving the opponent with a vanilla 6/6 in play.

Tidebinder is exceptional in a variety of combo matchups that Nimble Obstructionist wouldn’t be. One of the biggest examples is when playing against Yawgmoth combo. Let’s say your opponent sacrifices one of two copies of Young Wolf Young Wolf Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.) in play to Yawgmoth with the intention of drawing a bunch of cards. You can respond by countering the ability that puts a -1/-1 counter on a Creature and draws your opponent a card. Then, as long as this ability resolves with Tishana in play, Yawgmoth is no longer a concern.

One of the most backbreaking interactions as of late is The One Ring buying a WHOLE TURN before we can attack again. Tishana ensures that the "protection from everything trigger" is countered, therefore The One Ring will lose the card draw ability. pic.twitter.com/BcMeU0xmag
— Nikachu (@NikachuMTG) October 27, 2023

As Modern Merfolk aficionado Nikachu points out, Tidebinder also interacts very favorably against The One Ring The One Ring Indestructible
When The One Ring enters, if you cast it, you gain protection from everything until your next turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each burden counter on The One Ring.
{T}: Put a burden counter on The One Ring, then draw a card for each burden counter on The One Ring. . Not only do you prevent your opponent from gaining Protection from everything for a turn cycle, allowing you to attack freely with your squad, but the ability to draw cards with it gets shut off.

The advantage of shutting off other abilities of permanents is extremely strong, and Tidebinder even gets to shut off Planeswalkers! When your opponent casts Wrenn and Six Wrenn and Six +1: Return up to one target land card from your graveyard to your hand.
−1: Wrenn and Six deals 1 damage to any target.
−7: You get an emblem with "Instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard have retrace." (You may cast instant and sorcery cards from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying their other costs.) or Karn, the Great Creator Karn, the Great Creator Activated abilities of artifacts your opponents control can't be activated.
+1: Until your next turn, up to one target noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its mana value.
−2: You may reveal an artifact card you own from outside the game or choose a face-up artifact card you own in exile. Put that card into your hand. , you get to counter the first activation, effectively blanking the Planeswalker for as long as Tidebinder remains in play. Between Planeswalkers, Yawgmoth, The One Ring, Cascade variants, and Fury decks like Rakdos Scam, it’s incredible how many top decks in the format Tidebinder successfully interacts with. It’s clear that Tidebinder is strong, but what decks will best utilize the card?

Shells for Tishana’s Tidebinder

Stoked to try this in izzet wizard control. Answers so many of the problem permanents for that deck stapled onto a 2-for-1 that turns on flame of anor
— nominal.naomi (@nominalnaomi) October 27, 2023

The most obvious shell for Tishana’s Tidebinder is Modern Merfolk. As a Creature-centric, proactive yet still interactive strategy, Tidebinder is a perfect addition to the deck. It also works exceptionally well with Aether Vial Aether Vial At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a charge counter on this artifact.
{T}: You may put a creature card with mana value equal to the number of charge counters on this artifact from your hand onto the battlefield. , which allows you to put Tidebinder into play for free. Cards like Vodalian Hexcatcher Vodalian Hexcatcher Flash
Other Merfolk you control get +1/+1.
Sacrifice a Merfolk: Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {1}. and Force of Negation Force of Negation If it's not your turn, you may exile a blue card from your hand rather than pay this spell's mana cost.
Counter target noncreature spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard. can help protect Tidebinder against opposing removal spells outside of Solitude when necessary.

Merfolk isn’t the only place where Tidebinder can shine, though. In Izzet Wizards in Modern, Tidebinder seems like a great addition. This deck primarily acts at Instant speed, playing like a control deck built to maximize Flame of Anor Flame of Anor Choose one. If you control a Wizard as you cast this spell, you may choose two instead.
• Target player draws two cards.
• Destroy target artifact.
• Flame of Anor deals 5 damage to target creature. . Tidebinder is a Wizard in addition to a Merfolk, meaning it synergizes nicely with Flame of Anor, too. It also answers problematic permanents, including Planeswalkers, that would otherwise be difficult to beat once resolved.

Outside of Modern, there’s still potential for this card to see play. In Pioneer, getting to blank Esika’s Chariot Esika’s Chariot When Esika's Chariot enters, create two 2/2 green Cat creature tokens.
Whenever Esika's Chariot attacks, create a token that's a copy of target token you control.
Crew 4 or shut down Greasefang, Okiba Boss Greasefang, Okiba Boss At the beginning of combat on your turn, return target Vehicle card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of your next end step. is powerful. Tidebinder also works well at turning off Storm triggers in Legacy. The key is finding a home for Tidebinder. Perhaps The Lost Caverns of Ixalan will give rise to a decent Merfolk deck in Pioneer with the additions of Cavern of Souls Cavern of Souls As this land enters, choose a creature type.
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell of the chosen type, and that spell can't be countered. and efficient Creatures like Cenote Scout Cenote Scout When this creature enters, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.) . One thing is for certain, though, and that is that Tishana’s Tidebinder is an elite piece of interaction worth consideration in multiple Constructed formats.