Deflection
Instant
Change the target of target spell with a single target.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Oversized League Prizes
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #21768
Deflection redirects any spell targeting a single permanent or player to a new target — for four mana at instant speed, you turn an opponent's removal, counterspell, or burn spell into your own weapon. It's narrow enough to bench in most lists, but in blue spell-redirection builds it earns every slot.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Deflection hits its ceiling: four players means a spell aimed at you can be sent at any of three opponents, and political redirects — pointing a Chaos Warp or a Swords to Plowshares at someone else's threat — generate real table equity. In Legacy and Vintage, four mana is a brutal ask in formats where the most dangerous spells resolve on turn one or two, and Fork effects or Twincast do similar work cheaper; Deflection sees essentially no competitive play there. Modern doesn't care either, for the same cost reason. Commander is the only format where Deflection is genuinely worth considering, and even there it competes hard against Ricochet Trap and Redirect.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't available for Deflection right now, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for current buylist and retail numbers. Given its age and narrow application, copies tend to sit in bulk rare territory — worth picking up cheap if blue spell-redirection is your thing, but don't overpay.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.