Continued posts about cards I believe are undervalued in Modern.
Ojutai's command is Cryptic Command's little brother, or at least in the majority of opinions. However, It's my contention that Ojutai should be played in every control build that can handle the mana cost, and in some ways is more playable than command (gasp!).
I know it's not a popular opinion, but at least hear my argument.
Positive features of Ojutai:
-4 mana cost is runnable in most builds
-versatility of effects (more below) allows for virtually no bad matchups
-replaces itself
-combo potential (more below)
Negative features:
-blue/white limits deck participation
-4 cost can be awkward in non-control decks (multiple copies aren't suggested(more blow))
Versatility expanded: even taking out the draw 1 card option, which should be considered almost every time this card hits play, the other 3 options give ludicrous advantage and work to handle nearly every type of interaction in modern. Pulling a critter back gives tempo and card advantage, plus enforces whatever win condition youre working on (combo or aggro). Counter a creature spell hurts nearly every build in modern these days, even control decks (anti-snap etc). And gain 4 life is a direct screw you to burn and fast aggro, both of which need that 3 damage per card played, which this effect undoes. Plus, in almost every circumstance, since it replaces itself even if they mess up the other effect (for example burn plays skullcrack) you still get to draw the card and are ok for the exchange.
Combo potential expanded: the interactions this card has with snapcaster mage are borderline insane. The pull back a 2 drop or lower effect fetches back a host of good creatures in modern, but pulling back a snap puts this card into the ludicrous range. For example, opponent plays a creature, you cast ojutai and choose pull back the creature and draw 1 card, then pull back the snap and snap back a mana leak/path to exile/lighting bolt/fatal push/etc. For 1 card, with the 2 grave conditions (common), you put the opponent at -1, drew a card, and got a 2/1. That's a +2 for the exchange, not to mention the tempo. Similar things happen with lots of other creatures in modern. Wall of omens nets you a possible +2 for the exchange. Tidehollow Sculler can be pulled back after a search to put you at +2 for the exchange. The list goes on, and its not unreasonable to fulfill any of the above combinations with ease. And, even if you run card configurations with these combos in mind and the necessary material hasn't accumulated when you need it to, you can always just draw a card and gain 4 life at the end of a turn.
Now, onto my problems with cryptic in modern.
First, no I'm not insane, I understand its a good card. My problem with it isn't so much with the card itself but with the frequency with which it is run in decks. It's my contention that cryptic shouldn't be run at 4 copies, or frankly even at 3 because of 2 things: its 4 drop cost, and its 3 blue requirement.
Both speak to the problem with casting it early, which is the crux of my argument. Its virtually impossible in modern, where even with search lands it will be tough to get 3 blue and an extra available quickly, to have cryptic be an option to play until the mid to late middle game, making it a card you don't want in your opening hand. Thus, 4 or 3 copies, what you run when you're ok with seeing a card in your opening hand, shouldn't be considered. In converse, cryptic is a magnificent card to topdeck and a wonderful card to have in hand once the mana qualifications are met, thus my reasoning in limiting it to 1 or 2 copies to maximize its playability.
So, lets compare the two and see where we come out.
It's worth noting that cryptic's choices are better than ojutai's in a vacuum, but the combo ability of ojutai with snap and other creatures makes ojutai considerably more attractive in engineered circumstances. The prospect of pulling back a snap with ojutai should be making you salivate.
While the two cost the same overall in mana, the 3 blue requirement makes cryptic harder to manage in modern, and might be inactive a few more turns based simply around the harsher requirement in mana base, making ojutai the better card to start with/draw early.
Overall conclusions:
1- no, cryptic isn't bad, its quite wonderful
2- ojutai is a solid card that generates advantage in almost any circumstance
3- the combo potential for ojutai is just plain stupid and can't be ignored
4- neither ojutai nor cryptic should be run in higher concentrations because of the potential to have it as a dead draw/tempo crusher in the opening
Recommendations: Any deck that can handle the blue white cost should consider ojutai, and decks that run snap and can handle blue/white shouldn't be run without ojutai