1 – 20 of 312 cards where the text includes “counter target” and the text includes “spell” and the card types include “instant”
Abjure {U}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a blue permanent.
Counter target spell.
Mirri’s hackles rose as Ertai continued expounding his virtues. “If that arrogant brat doesn’t shut up soon,” she growled to herself, “I’m going to have to kill him.”
Illustrated by Ted Naifeh
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Absorb {W}{U}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. You gain 3 life.
“Your presumption is your downfall.”
Illustrated by Andrew Goldhawk
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
Absorb Energy {1}{U}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. Cards in your hand that share a card type with that spell perpetually gain “This spell costs {1} less to cast.”
Illustrated by Steve Argyle
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Not Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Not Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Not Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Not Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Abstruse Interference {2}{U}
Instant
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {1}. You create a 1/1 colorless Eldrazi Scion creature token. It has “Sacrifice this creature: Add {C}.” ({C} represents colorless mana.)
Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
| Faces, Tokens, & Other Parts |
|---|
| Eldrazi Scion Token, TOGW #6 |
| Abstruse Interference, OGW #40 |
| Prints | USD | EUR | TIX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oath of the Gatewatch | $0.03 | €0.13 | 0.03 |
Access Denied {3}{U}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. Create X 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature tokens with flying, where X is that spell’s mana value.
The Saiba Futurists guard their secret experiments with ever-evolving networks of cutting-edge defensive technology.
Illustrated by Johan Grenier
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
| Faces, Tokens, & Other Parts |
|---|
| Access Denied, NEC #47 |
| Thopter Token, TNEC #12 |
| Prints | USD | EUR | TIX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Online Promos | 1.20 | ||
| Neon Dynasty Commander #11 | $1.19 | €0.49 | 1.57 |
| Neon Dynasty Commander #47 | $0.69 | €0.60 | |
| View all prints → | |||
Admiral's Order {1}{U}{U}
Instant
Raid — If you attacked this turn, you may pay {U} rather than pay this spell’s mana cost.
Counter target spell.
“Damn the cannons, mates. Charge!”
Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
Annul {U}
Instant
Counter target artifact or enchantment spell.
“Many giants have tried to crush me with their hammers. You’ll never stop me with that little toy.”
—Stigur of the Omenseekers
Illustrated by Caio Monteiro
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
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 artifact: Add one mana of any color.”)
Elspeth wanted answers. Xander needed a spy. Their paths were destined to cross.
DailyMTG Story Spotlight
Illustrated by Dallas Williams
- Standard
- Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
| Faces, Tokens, & Other Parts |
|---|
| An Offer You Can't Refuse, SNC #464 |
| Treasure Token, TSNC #17 |
| Prints | USD | EUR | TIX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secret Lair Showdown | $8.44 | ||
| Streets of New Capenna #51 | $4.15 | €2.82 | 0.01 |
| Streets of New Capenna #464 | $4.75 | €3.12 | |
| View all prints → | |||
Anticognition {1}{U}
Instant
Counter target creature or planeswalker spell unless its controller pays {2}. If an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard, instead counter that spell, then scry 2.
“I think not.”
—Flekon the Mindcensor
Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
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.
Illustrated by Xi Zhang
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
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.
Illustrated by Alayna Danner
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Artifact Blast {R}
Instant
Counter target artifact spell.
The first line of defense against Urza and Mishra, the Artifact Blast achieved widespread fame until an unlucky mage discovered it was useless on the devices the brothers had already created.
Illustrated by Mark Poole
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
Artistic Refusal {4}{U}{U}
Instant
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature’s color.)
Choose one or both —
• Counter target spell.
• Draw two cards, then discard a card.
Errant wouldn’t allow anything to stop her from decorating the streets of New Capenna.
Illustrated by Olivier Bernard
- Standard
- Legal
- Alchemy
- Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Assert Authority {5}{U}{U}
Instant
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs {1} less to cast for each artifact you control.)
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard.
Illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Assimilate Essence {1}{U}
Instant
Counter target creature or battle spell unless its controller pays {4}. If they do, you incubate 2. (Create an Incubator token with two +1/+1 counters on it and “{2}: Transform this artifact.” It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)
“You have no viable escape vector. Cease your resistance and accept perfection.”
Illustrated by Konstantin Porubov
- Standard
- Legal
- Alchemy
- Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
| Faces, Tokens, & Other Parts |
|---|
| Assimilate Essence, MOM #47 |
| Incubator // Phyrexian Token, TMOM #18 |
| Prints | USD | EUR | TIX |
|---|---|---|---|
| March of the Machine | $0.01 | €0.09 | 0.03 |
Avoid Fate {G}
Instant
Counter target instant or Aura spell that targets a permanent you control.
Illustrated by Phil Foglio
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
Bag Check {1}{U}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell, then ask a person outside the game if that spell looks dangerous to them. If they say yes, draw a card, then discard a card.
“As long as there’s no outside food, you’re good to go.”
Illustrated by Tyler Walpole
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Not Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Not Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Not Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Not Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Bane's Contingency {1}{U}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. If that spell targets a commander you control, instead counter that spell, scry 2, then draw a card.
“My whims dictate the fate of nations. Your pitiful mortal magic is no more significant than a gnat buzzing in my ear.”
Illustrated by Hector Ortiz
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Not Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
Bant Charm {G}{W}{U}
Instant
Choose one —
• Destroy target artifact.
• Put target creature on the bottom of its owner’s library.
• Counter target instant spell.
Bant is a world where death and chaos hold no sway.
Illustrated by Randy Gallegos
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Not Legal
- Explorer
- Not Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Not Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Not Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Not Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Not Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Legal
Bar the Gate {2}{U}
Instant
Counter target creature or planeswalker spell. Venture into the dungeon. (Enter the first room or advance to the next room.)
“This path is closed to you!”
Illustrated by Johannes Voss
- Standard
- Not Legal
- Alchemy
- Not Legal
- Pioneer
- Legal
- Explorer
- Legal
- Modern
- Legal
- Historic
- Legal
- Legacy
- Legal
- Brawl
- Legal
- Vintage
- Legal
- Timeless
- Legal
- Commander
- Legal
- Pauper
- Legal
- Oathbreaker
- Legal
- Penny
- Not Legal
| Faces, Tokens, & Other Parts |
|---|
| Bar the Gate, AFR #47 |
| Dungeon of the Mad Mage, TAFR #20 |
| Lost Mine of Phandelver, TAFR #21 |
| Tomb of Annihilation, TAFR #22 |
| Prints | USD | EUR | TIX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | $0.03 | €0.09 | 0.03 |