Best counter spells in modern
Modern forum
Posted on Nov. 11, 2015, 4:56 a.m. by Mtgangsta
I'm putting together a u/b modern mill deck. I find play testing I need more counter magic early game. I have Remand and then Negate in my sideboard, but I need better. This is my first modern deck I actually will play so I don't know all the cards. Thank for the help.
I also like Izzet Charm for its versatility when playing red - and the downside of swansong can be abused in my deck or bolted -
November 11, 2015 5:54 a.m.
elementalheroflamewingman says... #5
Delay with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is great. Also, Delay is an awesome card in a counter war. Cryptic Command and Remand are pretty much the best counters in modern.
November 11, 2015 6:02 a.m.
ragemaster42 says... #7
as far as counter spells go, if you're splashing red, Counterflux is the best card in a counter war, it's really to bad that Mental Misstep is banned in modern. for some turn one counters, Nix is great for legacy, or if you're up against some silly modern deck that likes 0 drops. Stubborn Denial is great for turn 1, or for later in the game if you can proc the ferocious, it's just a 1 drop counter. Personally, i like running Turn Aside, because who doesn't like protection for their creatures? especially against control decks that run lots of spot removal. And Outwit is super good against red burn and things of the sort. best of luck to you.
November 11, 2015 8:58 a.m.
SoggyGecko says... #8
Mana Leak and Deprive are pretty good too, especially in tempo decks. Also, don't forget about Trickbind.
November 11, 2015 9:04 a.m.
ragemaster42 says... #9
November 11, 2015 9:43 a.m.
lemmingllama says... #10
@ragemaster42 You are looking for Squelch, you cantrip and deny them a land drop.
November 11, 2015 10:12 a.m.
vampirelazarus says... #11
I wouldn't play Deprive...
Anyways, as said, Remand and Cryptic Command are probably your best bets.
I also see Dispel in some sideboards.
November 11, 2015 11:26 a.m. Edited.
MADMatt7777 says... #12
ragemaster42 Stifle isn't modern legal and it's definitely a good thing that Mental Misstep is banned
November 11, 2015 11:40 a.m.
LampeShades says... #13
If it's more early game you need the counters then Mana Leak is probably where its at.
If you're playing black as well and your worried about early game threats, you could try more discard: Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek, Despise, and I really like Lost Hours in a mill deck especially if you are running any Ashiok, Nightmare Weavers.
November 11, 2015 11:45 a.m.
LampeShades says... #14
Deprive is really effective if your are running Hedron Crab.
November 11, 2015 11:46 a.m.
vampirelazarus says... #15
The issue with Deprive is that it sets you back a land drop. Any decks running counters, want to play a land each turn, to build up a mana base.
I'd much rather fetch to trigger Hedron Crab.
November 12, 2015 3:04 p.m.
I was centering the deck around Sphinx's Tutelage and Jace's Erasure so it was creature less and ran a lot of control and draw power but didn't have cards like Glimpse the Unthinkable and Mind Funeral but I may change that lol idk but thank you for all the input
November 12, 2015 4:29 p.m.
Harashiohorn says... #17
No Mention of Disrupting Shoal? "Free" counter-spells are fantastic, and Disrupting shoal is typically easier to stomach than Pact of Negation or Commandeer
November 12, 2015 7:01 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #19
Disrupting Shoal is good, but it requires a lot of blue and it is fairly weak in a longer game. I like it in the various Delver of Secrets Flip variants that are mono blue or splash, but typically it's better to just have a Spell Snare ready.
November 12, 2015 8:35 p.m.
The only playable counters in modern are Spell Snare, Spell Pierce, Mana Leak, Remand, Cryptic Command. With the odd Dispel, Negate, and Counterflux found in sideboards. Anything else is bad for various reasons.
Deprive and Shoal for example are temper disadvantage and card disadvantage respectively. Neither are things a tempo or control deck wants to do at all.
November 13, 2015 1:04 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #21
@ChiefBell Tempo doesn't always mind card disadvantage if it is able to win fast enough. I'd happily use a Disrupting Shoal if I have an active Delver of Secrets Flip or two.
November 13, 2015 1:14 p.m.
Context, context, context. Some of the time you wouldn't mind. A lot of the time you probably would.
guessling says... #2
Besides Remand, I see a lot of Spell Snare (because of the prevalence of 2cmc spells in the format) and in tempoish decks Spell Snare and maybe Mana Leak. In control I see Cryptic Command.
However, I am too cheap so I run the Mana leak and SwanSong or Steel Sabotage depending on what I am worried about as a weakness for my deck, which tends to favor cheap spells even if it drags into control mode.
November 11, 2015 5:12 a.m.