I don't. With the way the game is going (read that as 'being weakened in order to promote longer than 3 turn games') Dark Ritual IS overpowered. Functioning as both a power boost for combo decks (Bargain, Trix) and as a quick way to get out a superior beatdown creature (Negator), Dark Rit is just too powerful in this elim light, counter wimpy environment.
But for all that, is the best answer really banning? I think not. I think bringing back cheaper elim like the STP and the Bolt would be a better idea. Improving the quality of the counterspells available to t2 would help out with the combo decks. Bringing back the red Blasts would have the same effect.
Green's got an answer to Ritualed out Necros already with the Lyrist, and has big enough, cheap enough creatures to stop the bleeding from an early Negator and recover. Straight black will always have some problems with combo, but if their Ritualed out Negator can kill the opponent before the Illusions (or whatever) can hit the table it'd do OK.
And white, of course, has Disenchant, Scour, Light of Day, and Exile available in t2. Granted, it's no STP, but an Exile will deal with the Negator problem, and give you back some life in the process. You've just got to draw it in time.
Of course, your opponent faced the same odds when they drew the Ritual that started the whole thing. I won't tell you just how many Ritual-less draws I've pulled with my all black Extended deck, and I think you know what I'm talking about.
The point is, I think with some minor adjustments to the card pool, and the existing tools at our disposal, the Dark Ritual would once again become balanced but powerful.
And isn't that what we look for in a card?
TomB
CPA Member