I'm posting this here because of how well meaning the design of this card is and just how bad it actually is. The idea is to prevent ramp and ostensibly fetches, but since you can fetch at instant speed there are a ton of plays that circumvent this. It also turns your opponents fastbond into a colored mana channel for them.

I think if the card cost 1 with the cantrip ability it might have had a chance because it would mess with peoples opening plays / not let them do things turn one, but at 2 mana this just feels like the best intentions that just missed the mark by such a degree it's sad. Then again maybe it's really just for standard.

Yep, terrible design, like most cards, but its Blue and says Draw a Card so it'll probably see some play in at least one format. You'd hope after like 30 years of designing cards that they'd start to get better at it, but here we have it. A giant wall of confusing text for an ability that barely does anything at all.

EDIT: Also why is everything asymmetrical now? Do they really want people to just be totally brain dead when building decks?

My first though was Fastbond, Radiant Fountain, Sunscorched Desert

But it says opponent.

@vaughnbros said in [ZNR] Confounding Conundrum:

EDIT: Also why is everything asymmetrical now? Do they really want people to just be totally brain dead when building decks?

Ironically, if this were symmetrical it would maybe be too good. A 2 mana cantrip that can combine with fastbond and then nothing but lands to win you the game on the spot that can also disrupt your opponent (though minimally) so you can push your combo through, and both are tutorable with the same tutors.

It's pretty hilarious with Parallax Tide, I guess? I dunno.

I think this is more a counter to amulet-titan/valukut-ramp decks and a speed bump to fetches in Modern. This is not a Vintage/Legacy card and seems obviously not designed with those formats in mind.

Landfall looks like a big part of the new zendikar set, this could be a foil for that in standard. We could be reading way to much into this.