Clash of Wills
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 
.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #12782
Clash of Wills is a passable counterspell at two mana, scaling into a hard counter late game when opponents can't pay the tax — but Counterspell and Mana Drain exist at the same price point or lower, and you should run those first. Clash of Wills earns a slot only when you've already filled out the staples and need a fifth or sixth counterspell.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Clash of Wills is a role-player rather than a staple — it competes for counterspell slots against strictly better options, but fills out the curve in spell-heavy blue builds, especially those with cost-reduction commanders. In Legacy and Vintage, the competition is brutal: Force of Will, Daze, and Mana Drain leave almost no room for a conditional counter that opponents can simply pay. Modern and Pioneer are similarly unkind, where the format speed demands answers that don't hand opponents an out. Clash of Wills is most at home in Commander, full stop, and only there once you've slotted every two-mana hard counter available.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Clash of Wills isn't available in the current feed, so check Scryfall for the live number. Historically it sits well under a dollar, which makes it easy to pick up as a budget counterspell — just don't pay more than bulk rare pricing when Counterspell is in the same range.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.