Counterbalance
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, counter that spell if it has the same mana value as the revealed card.
- Set
- Coldsnap (CSP #31)
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Mana value
- 2
- Released
- 2006-07-21
- Artist
- John Zeleznik
- EDHREC rank
- #3,302
- Colour identity
- Finishes
- Nonfoil, Foil
- Served from
- Local database
Commander bracket
Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules
EDHREC
Combos
Not part of any combo on Commander Spellbook.
Format legality
Rulings
- 2006-07-15
If an opponent casts a spell with X in its mana cost, the mana value of that spell takes the value of X into account. If you reveal a card with X in its mana cost, X is 0. For example, if your opponent casts Blaze with X=1, Counterbalance will counter that spell if you reveal a card with mana value 2, but it won't counter that spell if you reveal a Blaze of your own.
- 2017-04-18
If an opponent casts half of a split card (for example, Hit), it won't be countered if you reveal that same split card. The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves, but the mana value of Hit is determined using only that half's mana cost.