your right the grindstone thing is a way better combo but it's not extended. this should be an extended deck. the plaxcaster maybe a good idea because i also could protect the painter servant with shroud, thx for that. The snake and the pact are a bit expensive but they good counter though, and i play birds noble hirach and chrome mox to afford them. and there is also the combo with blink and the snake(three times counter). blink may also protect painter servant from red shots or path to exile (exp). But your right I'm not shure about the whole counterpart od the deck, maybe manaleak, runesnag, CryptComm. etc would be bettter. But since counterspell is't extended anymore it's a hard descision.
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he wont't be killed because i either blink him or counter with pact or mystic snake. Or i'm lucky and your playing a lot of black spells. another option is to get him back with the Academy Ruins