Counterspells for Commander
In a four-player game a counterspell has to be worth the card and the tempo, so the ones that rank highest either cost very little, replace themselves, or answer anything.
Run this search live → or edit it: the site reads plain English, so "counterspells for commander under 3 mana" works too.
| Card | Cost | Type | What it does | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Counterspell | {U}{U} | Instant | Counter target spell. | $3.51 |
| 2 | An Offer You Can't Refuse | {U} | Instant | Counter target noncreature spell. Its controller creates two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.") | $3.09 |
| 3 | Arcane Denial | {1}{U} | Instant | Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. | $1.58 |
| 4 | Negate | {1}{U} | Instant | Counter target noncreature spell. | $0.19 |
| 5 | Swan Song | {U} | Instant | Counter target enchantment, instant, or sorcery spell. Its controller creates a 2/2 blue Bird creature token with flying. | $9.65 |
| 6 | Fierce Guardianship | {2}{U} | Instant | If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost. Counter target noncreature spell. | $64.73 |
| 7 | Mana Drain | {U}{U} | Instant | Counter target spell. At the beginning of your next main phase, add an amount of {C} equal to that spell's mana value. | $57.79 |
| 8 | Force of Will | {3}{U}{U} | Instant | You may pay 1 life and exile a blue card from your hand rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Counter target spell. | $59.82 |
| 9 | Dovin's Veto | {W}{U} | Instant | This spell can't be countered. Counter target noncreature spell. | $4.11 |
| 10 | Force of Negation | {1}{U}{U} | Instant | If it's not your turn, you may exile a blue card from your hand rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Counter target noncreature spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard. | $53.31 |
| 11 | Flusterstorm | {U} | Instant | Counter target instant or sorcery spell unless its controller pays {1}. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.) | $8.59 |
| 12 | Pact of Negation | {0} | Instant | Counter target spell. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay {3}{U}{U}. If you don't, you lose the game. | $17.81 |
| 13 | Mental Misstep | {U/P} | Instant | ({U/P} can be paid with either {U} or 2 life.) Counter target spell with mana value 1. | $8.45 |
| 14 | Muddle the Mixture | {U}{U} | Instant | Counter target instant or sorcery spell. Transmute {1}{U}{U} ({1}{U}{U}, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same mana value as this card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Transmute only as a sorcery.) | $2.49 |
| 15 | Spell Pierce | {U} | Instant | Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {2}. | $0.29 |
| 16 | Dispel | {U} | Instant | Counter target instant spell. | $0.35 |
| 17 | Rewind | {2}{U}{U} | Instant | Counter target spell. Untap up to four lands. | $0.43 |
| 18 | Strix Serenade | {U} | Instant | Counter target artifact, creature, or planeswalker spell. Its controller creates a 2/2 blue Bird creature token with flying. | $3.12 |
| 19 | Unwind | {2}{U} | Instant | Counter target noncreature spell. Untap up to three lands. | $1.38 |
| 20 | Three Steps Ahead | {U} | Instant | Spree (Choose one or more additional costs.) + {1}{U} — Counter target spell. + {3} — Create a token that's a copy of target artifact or creature you control. + {2} — Draw two cards, then discard a card. | $5.76 |
| 21 | Siren Stormtamer | {U} | Creature — Siren Pirate Wizard | Flying {U}, Sacrifice this creature: Counter target spell or ability that targets you or a creature you control. | $0.37 |
| 22 | Flare of Denial | {1}{U}{U} | Instant | You may sacrifice a nontoken blue creature rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Counter target spell. | $3.55 |
| 23 | Drown in the Loch | {U}{B} | Instant | Choose one — • Counter target spell with mana value less than or equal to the number of cards in its controller's graveyard. • Destroy target creature with mana value less than or equal to the number of cards in its controller's graveyard. | $1.90 |
| 24 | Mystic Confluence | {3}{U}{U} | Instant | Choose three. You may choose the same mode more than once. • Counter target spell unless its controller pays {3}. • Return target creature to its owner's hand. • Draw a card. | $1.05 |
| 25 | Long River's Pull | {U}{U} | Instant | Gift a card (You may promise an opponent a gift as you cast this spell. If you do, they draw a card before its other effects.) Counter target creature spell. If the gift was promised, instead counter target spell. | $0.33 |
| 26 | Izzet Charm | {U}{R} | Instant | Choose one — • Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {2}. • Izzet Charm deals 2 damage to target creature. • Draw two cards, then discard two cards. | $0.18 |
| 27 | Stubborn Denial | {U} | Instant | Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {1}. Ferocious — If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, counter that spell instead. | $4.07 |
| 28 | Cryptic Command | {1}{U}{U}{U} | Instant | Choose two — • Counter target spell. • Return target permanent to its owner's hand. • Tap all creatures your opponents control. • Draw a card. | $8.18 |
| 29 | Sublime Epiphany | {4}{U}{U} | Instant | Choose one or more — • Counter target spell. • Counter target activated or triggered ability. • Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. • Create a token that's a copy of target creature you control. • Target player draws a c… | $0.32 |
| 30 | Archmage's Charm | {U}{U}{U} | Instant | Choose one — • Counter target spell. • Target player draws two cards. • Gain control of target nonland permanent with mana value 1 or less. | $1.92 |
30 of 521 cards the search scored for "counterspells for commander". Ordered by how much each card is played, among the cards that matched. Prices and legality come from Scryfall; the list was last refreshed on 2026-09-23.
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