Counterspell is one of the most iconic counterspells in Magic: The Gathering history. First printed in Alpha, counterspell has been a staple of blue decks in various formats over the years. However, counterspell is notably absent from the Modern format. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons why counterspell is not legal in Modern.
What is Counterspell?
Counterspell is a classic blue instant that simply counters target spell. First printed in 1993 in Alpha, counterspell costs 1U and features the text “Counter target spell”. The effect is simple but extremely powerful – for just two mana, you can counter any opposing spell.
Counterspell became a staple of control and tempo decks across multiple formats. It provides flexible, efficient, and reliable countermagic. In the early years of Magic, counterspell was a format defining card and often considered one of the most powerful spells in the game.
Why Was Counterspell so Good?
There are several key reasons why counterspell has been such an iconic and powerful card:
- Efficient mana cost – At just 1U, counterspell is very easy to cast in the early game. Many other counterspells cost significantly more mana.
- Unconditional – Counterspell counters any spell, unlike more narrow counterspells with additional targeting restrictions or conditions.
- Instant speed – Being an instant allows counterspell to be used reactively whenever needed.
- Flexible – Counterspell can counter opponent’s threats or protect your own spells from removal.
- Reliable – With no additional conditions, counterspell will simply always counter a spell when cast.
For just two mana, counterspell provides a powerful yet simple effect that has been a staple of blue decks across multiple Magic formats. The efficiency and flexibility of counterspell has made it one of the most iconic spells in Magic’s history.
Why Isn’t Counterspell Legal in Modern?
So if counterspell is such an iconic and powerful card, why doesn’t it see play in Modern? The reason is simple – Counterspell is not included on the Modern legal card list.
Modern is a non-rotating format established in 2011 that only allows cards printed in Standard legal sets starting from Eighth Edition onwards. Counterspell was last printed in Ninth Edition. Any reprints of counterspell in supplementary products like Duel Decks are also not Modern legal.
As a result, under the Modern card legality rules, counterspell is not eligible for deck construction in the format. While counterspell has been reprinted in various Masters sets featuring reprints, these supplemental products are not Standard legal and therefore do not add cards to Modern.
Modern Power Level Concerns
In addition to card legality, there are power level concerns that contribute to counterspell’s exclusion from Modern. When Modern was created, Wizards of the Coast deliberately excluded many older overpowered cards that would warp the format.
As one of the most efficient counterspells ever printed, there were concerns that counterspell may simply be too strong for Modern’s desired power level. A two mana unconditional hard counter that is so flexible and easy to cast could keep more expensive but narrow counterspells like Mana Leak or Dissipate out of the format.
Design Space Limitations
From a design perspective, counterspell also heavily restricts future card design space. Any card designed with the possibility of being countered by a two mana counterspell in the environment must be evaluated very conservatively.
This could prevent Wizards from comfortably printing exciting but vulnerable threats and spells out of concerns they might be too easily invalidated by ubiquitous counterspells.
What Counterspells Are Legal in Modern?
While counterspell itself is not allowed in Modern, there are still a variety of counterspells legal in the format:
Mana Leak
Mana Leak is likely the closest analog to counterspell in Modern. Costing 1U like counterspell, Mana Leak counters a spell unless its controller pays 3 mana. This provides early game countermagic that becomes less reliable in the late game.
Remand
At 2U, Remand is more expensive than Mana Leak but offers flexibility. Rather than countering a spell outright, it counters a spell and returns it to its owner’s hand. This delays a threat while replacing itself by drawing a card.
Logic Knot
Logic Knot provides a counterspell that starts at 5 mana, but can be cast for cheaper by exiling cards from graveyards. This allows it to function as an early game counterspell that becomes worse as the game goes long.
Cryptic Command
At 4 mana, Cryptic Command is much more expensive than counterspell but offers tremendous flexibility with four modes. Countering a spell is just one of Cryptic Command’s powerful options.
How Has the Absence of Counterspell Impacted Modern?
While counterspell has not been in Modern since the beginning, its absence has certainly influenced the evolution of the format over the past decade. Here are some of the key impacts:
Increased Diversity of Counterspells
With counterspell absent, it opened up design space for a wider variety of counterspells to see play. Cards like Mana Leak, Remand, and Cryptic Command have become Modern staples that may have been pushed out by counterspell otherwise. Each has strengths and weaknesses compared to counterspell.
Faster Pace of Games
Games in Modern tend to be slightly faster without a highly efficient two mana catch-all counterspell dominating the format. Decks can play powerful but vulnerable threats and expect them to resolve more often compared to an environment with ubiquitous counterspells.
Greater Viability of Combo/Unfair Decks
Some combo and unfair deck strategies likely benefit from the absence of counterspell and have greater viability than if it were legal. Without counterspell, these decks have more openings to “go off” uninterrupted.
Control Decks Less Dominant
While still viable, dedicated hard control decks are likely weaker in Modern than if they had access to four counterspell. Control has to work harder to lock down games without a two mana catch-all answer.
Could Counterspell Ever Be Unbanned in Modern?
Many Magic players have speculated whether counterspell could someday be removed from the Modern banned list, given how much the format has evolved and power levels have increased. However, Wizards has provided no indication that unbanning counterspell is on their radar.
Modern is currently in a good place with a diverse and thriving metagame. As a result, it seems unlikely counterspell will become legal in Modern any time soon, if ever. Counterspell’s power level still risks warping the format towards blue control decks.
Additionally, any unbanning would have to be tested extensively first through formats like Pioneer that include more recent card pools and allow counterspell currently. For now, counterspell remains an iconic legacy of Magic’s early history but not suitable for Modern’s desired gameplay environment.
The Legacy of Counterspell
While not Modern legal, counterspell remains one of the most iconic cards in Magic’s history. It established the versatility and power of countermagic spells. To this day, counterspell serves as a benchmark that other counterspells are compared against.
And counterspell continues to see play in formats like Legacy and Vintage where extremely efficient answers are necessary to keep up with fast combo decks. Even two decades later, counterspell remains a staple in Magic’s oldest eternal formats.
So while counterspell itself won’t be countering any spells in Modern, its legacy lives on through all the counterspells it has inspired across Magic’s history. And counterspell remains a nostalgic favorite for many veteran Magic fans.
Conclusion
Counterspell is not legal in Modern for a few key reasons:
- It was last printed in Ninth Edition, before Modern’s cutoff
- Concerns about its power level warping the format
- Restricting future design space
This has resulted in a more diverse counterspell metagame with new staples like Mana Leak and Remand rising up. The absence of counterspell has also enabled faster game paces in Modern.
While an unbanning seems unlikely, counterspell remains one of Magic’s most iconic spells. It established blue’s mastery of countermagic and still sees plenty of play today in Legacy and Vintage.