While counterspells are traditionally associated with blue in Magic: The Gathering, other colors have their own ways of saying “no” to your opponent’s plans. Whether through taxing effects, life payments, or clever redirections, these non-blue spells still find ways to disrupt. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of non-blue counterspells, with each entry providing depth and strategic insight.
Mana Tithe (White)
At first glance, Mana Tithe seems laughable. It counters a spell unless its controller pays 1 mana. Just one! But therein lies the trap. Because it’s white and unexpected, most players won’t see it coming. The surprise factor turns it into a powerful tempo play. Especially effective in early turns, Mana Tithe can shut down a key spell or counter a game-changing play when your opponent has tapped out. It’s not just a meme—it’s an efficient, low-cost way for white decks to interfere with the stack.
Lapse of Certainty (White)
Lapse of Certainty is one of the few cards in white that mimics a traditional blue counterspell. It counters any spell, but instead of sending it to the graveyard, it places it on top of its owner’s library. This doesn’t permanently deal with the threat, but it sets your opponent back a turn, which can be critical in tight games. It also helps in disrupting scry effects or card draw sequences. White control decks often lean on this to maintain momentum without needing to splash blue.
Rebuff the Wicked (White)
Rebuff the Wicked is a reactive white counterspell that protects your permanents. It counters any spell targeting a permanent you control, making it perfect for decks built around one or two key pieces, such as Voltron commanders or combo pieces. Because it costs only one white mana and can be used at instant speed, it often catches removal spells off guard. It’s narrow, but incredibly powerful when used in decks that rely on crucial creatures or artifacts staying alive.
Dash Hopes (Black)
Dash Hopes gives your opponent a grim choice: let their spell be countered or pay 5 life. While 5 life isn’t usually game-ending on its own, in decks that apply pressure early, this tax becomes incredibly punishing. Psychologically, players often misjudge how much their life total matters, leading them to pay the 5 life for non-crucial spells, which adds up quickly. In black-based control or aggro decks, this spell functions as either disruption or a burn spell, both of which are valuable.
Withering Boon (Black)
Withering Boon is essentially a black version of Remove Soul. For just two mana and three life, you can counter any creature spell—something black doesn’t normally do. This is especially useful in Commander, where creatures play a central role and where holding a surprise counter in non-blue colors can shift the game dramatically. While the life cost can be steep over time, the ability to counter game-winning creatures makes Withering Boon worth consideration in many black EDH decks.
Imp’s Mischief (Black)
Imp’s Mischief isn’t a traditional counter, but it can redirect an instant or sorcery spell to a new target. This is extremely useful when your opponent tries to Swords your commander or casts a huge draw spell targeting themselves. For just two mana and a few life points, you turn their plan on its head. In a pinch, it can even redirect an opponent’s counterspell onto one of their own spells. It’s tricky, underplayed, and can lead to some spectacular blowouts.
Pyroblast / Red Elemental Blast (Red)
Both Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast are narrow but hyper-efficient answers to blue spells. For a single red mana, you can counter a blue spell or destroy a blue permanent. In any red deck going up against heavy blue opposition—especially in EDH—these are slam-dunk inclusions. They offer an efficient, almost guaranteed way to stop combo pieces, card draw, or counter wars. Despite being color-hate cards, they’re powerful enough to be main-deck staples in the right meta.
Guttural Response (Red/Green Hybrid)
Guttural Response is a hybrid mana counter that only hits blue instants. While its range is limited, it excels in counterspell wars. Often, a blue mage will tap out to protect their wincon or deny yours—and Guttural Response stops that cold. The hybrid mana cost means it fits in both red and green decks, and it’s an amazing sideboard card in eternal formats or a surprise inclusion in EDH. It’s limited in scope but devastating in the right moment.
Avoid Fate (Green)
Avoid Fate is an obscure green spell that counters an instant or enchantment that targets a permanent you control. It’s narrow but useful in protecting key combo pieces or creatures from removal. Because it’s green, many players don’t expect it, and at just one mana, it’s an efficient safety net. It’s particularly strong in Voltron or enchantress strategies where single-target removal can undo a lot of investment.
Bind (Green)
Bind is another green oddity that allows you to counter an activated ability. This includes abilities from fetch lands, planeswalkers, equipment, or even mana abilities from nonlands. What makes Bind special is that it also draws a card, replacing itself. It’s a meta pick—useless in some games, amazing in others. In a format like Commander, where activated abilities run rampant, Bind can be a very smart inclusion.
Warping Wail (Colorless)
Warping Wail is one of the very few colorless counterspells in Magic. It can counter a sorcery spell, which may seem narrow, but many powerful spells in Commander and other formats are sorceries—like board wipes, extra turns, or combos. It also has other modes, including exiling a small creature or creating a 1/1 Eldrazi token, making it versatile. In colorless or artifact-based decks, this is often an auto-include.
Not of This World (Colorless)
This bizarre, Eldrazi-themed counterspell can be cast for free if it targets a spell that targets a creature you control with power 7 or greater. In decks with big threats—like Eldrazi, dragons, or pumped-up Voltron commanders—this becomes an amazing free counterspell. It’s not reliable in every deck, but in the right list, it’s one of the best protection spells you can find.
Conclusion
While blue will always reign supreme in the realm of counterspells, Magic’s color pie has expanded over the years to offer all colors a taste of the stack. Whether you’re protecting your board, taxing opponents, or redirecting their spells, there are plenty of options to counter without playing blue.
Build wisely, and surprise your blue-playing opponents with a taste of their own medicine.