Counterbalance lock

[Maxpayne03]

If my opponent has {Counterbalance} and {Sensei's Divining Top}, I cast {Punishing Fire}, he put a fuse card {Wear // Tear} on top of his library, and trigger his counterbalance to counter my spell. I argued that the fuse card has a converted cost of 3 not 2, but he claimed that he was told by a level 2 judge that counterbalance see the wear and tear as either one or two casting cost. Who is right?

[blabla]

Just checked the ruling, the spell would be countered. A split spell has two different cmcs, so  {Wear // Tear} Has a cmc of one and two.

[Remillo]

When a splt spell is involved and something needs to know a CMC, here's what happens:
The effect asks 'What's your CMC?', to which Wear//Tear responds "1 and 2".  For effects like Counterbalance, it'll use both values, countering 1 costs or 2 costs.  For effects like Dark Confidant, it also uses both, and causes you to lose life for both values, causing you to loose three life.

Another important thing to note, in the opposite situation, if YOU cast a fused wear//tear, Counterbalance can counter it with a 1 or 2 drop, since it still sees Wear//Tears CMC as '1 and 2' not '3'.

[Kaylesh]

When a splt spell is involved and something needs to know a CMC, here's what happens:
The effect asks 'What's your CMC?', to which Wear//Tear responds "1 and 2".  For effects like Counterbalance, it'll use both values, countering 1 costs or 2 costs.  For effects like Dark Confidant, it also uses both, and causes you to lose life for both values, causing you to loose three life.

Another important thing to note, in the opposite situation, if YOU cast a fused wear//tear, Counterbalance can counter it with a 1 or 2 drop, since it still sees Wear//Tears CMC as '1 and 2' not '3'.

That last bit is incorrect.

15-4-2013   To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in both costs.
So CMC of a cast fused wear/tear IS 3.

[mickeven]

what if you are casting just Wear or Tear?

[Kaylesh]

what if you are casting just Wear or Tear?

15-4-2013   On the stack, a split spell that hasn't been fused has only that half's characteristics and converted mana cost. The other half is treated as though it didn't exist.

[Remillo]

When a splt spell is involved and something needs to know a CMC, here's what happens:
The effect asks 'What's your CMC?', to which Wear//Tear responds "1 and 2".  For effects like Counterbalance, it'll use both values, countering 1 costs or 2 costs.  For effects like Dark Confidant, it also uses both, and causes you to lose life for both values, causing you to loose three life.

Another important thing to note, in the opposite situation, if YOU cast a fused wear//tear, Counterbalance can counter it with a 1 or 2 drop, since it still sees Wear//Tears CMC as '1 and 2' not '3'.

That last bit is incorrect.

15-4-2013   To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in both costs.
So CMC of a cast fused wear/tear IS 3.

I stand corrected!

After looking at the comp rules for Fuse, this is also backed up:

702.101b: A fused split spell has two sets of characteristics and one converted mana cost. The converted mana cost of the spell is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its two mana costs, regardless of color.

[Avodroc13]

So if you cast both halves of a split card and someone tries to shoot it down with a {Counterspell} or something, they are both countered?

[Kaylesh]

So if you cast both halves of a split card and someone tries to shoot it down with a {Counterspell} or something, they are both countered?

Yup. It is considered one spell.

[Maxpayne03]

I have a side question on counterbalance;
If there's a  {Thalia, Guardian of Thraben} in play, say if I cast {Swords to Plowshares}, my opponent trigger his counterbalance; the converted cost to counter my spell is one?

[Kaylesh]

I have a side question on counterbalance;
If there's a  {Thalia, Guardian of Thraben} in play, say if I cast {Swords to Plowshares}, my opponent trigger his counterbalance; the converted cost to counter my spell is one?

Yes, the {counterbalance} looks at the converted mana cost, which is in most cases what's printed on the card. The CMC is still 1, even though cost reductions and increases such as Thalia's or {trinisphere} can change what you pay to cast it.
Even with {omniscience} out, your CMC would be 1, though you cast it for free.

In the case of a spell with X, while on the stack, you use the value you chose for X, otherwise X=0.