The 20 Best 3-Mana Counterspells in Magic Ranked

Last updated on October 28, 2024

Force of Negation | Illustration by Greg Hildebrandt

Hello planeswalkers! I don’t know if this happens to you often, but I always have a great counter to someone’s comments… hours afterward. I’d gladly pay 3 mana every time for a good counter when needed. Luckily, MTG has plenty of 3-mana counterspells that we can all use when we need them.

You may be thinking: “Why don’t I just use the multitudes of 2-mana counterspells instead?” That’s a great question that we’ll address today while we take a look at the best 3-mana counterspells and where they fit into the Magic landscape.

What Are 3-Mana Counterspells in MTG?

Fierce Guardianship | Illustration by Randy Vargas

Simply put, 3- mana counterspells are any spell that costs exactly 3 mana (at least its original mana value) and uses the word “counter.” These may counter different kinds of spells and have various types of casting costs, but generally, they’ll be useful by your third turn.

There are several different strategies for controlling a game and countering what your opponent does. I won’t be looking at spells that remove cards from the stack like Aven Interrupter or 3-mana cards that let you counter later like Mage's Attendant. These cards can be quite valuable in control decks, but I’ll keep my focus on 3-mana spells that can counter something on the stack at instant speed.

#20. Perplex

Perplex is an interesting 3-mana Dimir () counterspell because it gives your opponent an out from the counter. On turn 3, there aren’t many players that would be willing to ditch their hands for one spell, but as the game goes on, this Dimir card loses some value. That’s where the transmute ability comes in so that you can tutor another 3-mana card from your deck that may suit you better.

#19. Soul Manipulation

“Birth and death are both reversible.” – Nicol Bolas.

Soul Manipulation isn’t only an advantage-shifting counterspell but also great flavor text. This Dimir modal spell can counter a creature spell and bring one of your creatures back to your hand from your graveyard. This advantage shift can be crucial if you’re playing against another creature deck.

#18. Tishana’s Tidebinder

One of Magic's best merfolks, Tishana's Tidebinder works slightly differently than many of the cards on this list. For one, you can get a flash creature out of it (which may not be the best because of removal). When this creature enters, you can counter an activated ability or a triggered ability and stop any future abilities from the targeted permanent. This blue creature is great for countering planeswalkers and all the permanents that build on triggers.

#17. Green Slime

Green Slime is an interesting piece of artifact and enchantment hate.

Normally, when you remove a permanent after a trigger or activated ability goes on the stack, the trigger or ability still resolves. With this green creature, the trigger or ability is countered, and you destroy the artifact or enchantment. This may be too specific of an artifact/enchantment hate at times, but at least the foretell cost cheapens the spell for later.

#16. Dissipate

Playing against a graveyard deck can be the ultimate buzzkill when you’re playing your counter deck. You stop a threat with your counterspell just for your opponent to bring it back later.

Dissipate takes care of this problem by exiling the countered card. Paying for this blue counterspell is a good deal for assuring that a card won’t have a chance to come back!

#15. Counterflux

Counterflux can work as a 3-mana counterspell while being uncounterable itself. Where this Izzet card shines though is in its overload ability: It works as a stack clearer. When your opponents invest too much strategy or too many cards into the stack, you can counter “each” of them. This card may not be a staple, but it has value in Izzet decks.

#14. Whirlwind Denial

Whirlwind Denial is great for shutting an opponent’s stack down! This blue instant is a nice way to take care of those opponents who like to use a ton of activated abilities or are playing a storm deck.

#13. Absorb

What’s not to love about a counterspell and lifegain mix? Absorb is an Azorius () response to aggressive decks. It isn’t as effective as a card like No More Lies, but the lifegain can help you survive another turn or even support a card like Essence Channeler.

#12. Ionize

Let’s pile on the pain with Ionize. This Izzet counterspell works great in a noncreature pinging deck because you can neutralize your opponent’s strategy and deal damage from this spell and hopefully other triggers. Pairing this 3-mana counterspell with cards like Firebrand Archer and Thermo-Alchemist is a solid move.

#11. Didn’t Say Please + Thought Collapse

Didn't Say Please lets you counter a spell and annoy your opponents by repeating the card title to them. If no one has done this to you, count yourself lucky! It’s not as effective as 2-mana counterspells, but it can counter plenty of threats and help to mill your opponents. Thought Collapse works the exact same, but you don’t get to say: “You didn’t say please!”

#10. Render Silent

If I know anything about Azorius decks, it’s that they can counter with the best of them. Render Silent is a 3-mana counterspell that’ll halt an opponent from building a single-turn strategy. It should be able to buy you enough time to properly defend yourself or turn around and steal a win.

Warning, this Azorius card won’t stop your opponent's other instants that may already be on the stack before it resolves.

#9. Dissolve + Sinister Sabotage

I knew I’d have to shout out the base 3-mana counterspell, Cancel. However, if you need slightly more value with your counterspells, you can use Dissolve and Sinister Sabotage. These 3-mana counterspells can counter any kind of spell and let you scry/surveil the top card of your deck.

#8. Disallow + Voidslime

Disallow and Voidslime give you options to stop anything your opponent might be trying to do. They can counter any kind of spell, which is great enough, and they can also stop a triggered or activated ability. These blue cards aren’t flashy or especially cost-effective, but they’ll do the job you need them to and deserve a spot in some sideboards.

#7. Saw It Coming

Saw It Coming is my kind of MTG cockiness wrapped up in a card. It works like a blind rattlesnake, daring your opponent to try something. Many players know what foretell cards could work in which decks, but the secretive nature should still be an advantage. So cast your 3-mana counterspell for 2 mana on a different turn and tell your opponent you “saw it coming!”

#6. Archmage’s Charm

Charms are useful because of their versatility. Archmage's Charm is a wonderful blue instant to draw cards, steal a token from an opponent, or counter a spell. This card gives you plenty of great options for responding to your opponents’ strategies. Because of the casting cost, I’d advise that you save this card for mono- or heavy-blue decks.

#5. Unwind

Are you worried about casting a counterspell for 3 mana because it’ll throw off your curve? Worry not, because Unwind lets you counter a noncreature spell and recuperate the 3 mana you spent for another sort of instant play. This counterspell is perfect for flash, control, and draw decks, especially when it’s paired with a card like Haughty Djinn.

#4. Three Steps Ahead

I know what you’re thinking: “Trevor, Three Steps Ahead doesn’t have a mana value of 3.”

I hear you, but to counter a spell you must pay at least 3 mana with this card. The counterspell will most likely be your choice for this blue card, but the other options can be great in certain builds and even better if you have the mana to do multiple choices.

#3. Fierce Guardianship

One of the Commander free spells, Fierce Guardianship is what we can expect from a solid 3-mana counterspell. It costs a little bit more than some of the 2-mana ones, but it has some sort of stipulation that can make it cheaper and more usable. Fierce Guardianship is of course perfect for a Commander deck because it's a great free spell once you control a commander. This is a great defense against those pesky removal spells and board wipes that try and slow down your commander’s strategy.

#2. Flare of Denial

Flare of Denial is a Cancel variant that can be cast for free if you sacrifice a nontoken blue creature. It should be noted that blue creatures tend not to benefit too much from sacrificing and death triggers, but the upside of countering an opponent’s spell for free is just too tantalizing.

#1. Force of Negation

The top of these rankings are about the counterspells that potentially require no mana to cast. Force of Negation gives you the option of ditching a blue card from your hand to cast it for free. This fits quite well into blue control decks that can gain some sort of board or draw advantage early.

Are 3-Mana Counterspells Good?

The answer, as is usual with most MTG cards, is they can be great in the right situations and decks. I think many of the 2-mana counterspells are more valuable and playable in most decks. Three-mana counterspells have their value in Constructed, and especially Commander decks.

The 3-mana counterspells that rank the best are the ones that can reduce their cost. Fierce Guardianship is a great counterspell for Commander decks that can’t roster multiple copies of 2-mana counterspells.

Because 3-mana counterspells aren’t inherently as valuable as 2-mana ones, they often have extra effects or options. Three Steps Ahead and Archmage's Charm give you versatility, while Ionize and Didn't Say Please give you extra effects that might fit into your strategy well.

The 3-mana counterspells I selected all have value in some sort of Constructed deck. Don’t automatically dismiss the 3-mana counterspells for the 2-mana ones, and just focus on which counterspells fit your strategy the best.

Wrap Up

Unwind | Illustration by Anna Steinbauer

There’s no counter for a thoughtful and well-developed plan. I hope I’ve given you some ideas of how 3-mana counterspells can help you to victory. They may not be as widely desired as 2-mana counterspells, but in the right hands, they should help you to counter your opponents’ strategies.

Make sure to check out all the other wonderful articles on Draftsim, and if you haven’t already, check out Arena Tutor. If you want to join in the conversation, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter/X, or join the official Discord channel.

Thank you for your time and may you top deck the cards you need!