Deny Existence
Instant
Counter target creature spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Shadows over Innistrad
- Price
- $0.08
- EDHREC rank
- #19277
Deny Existence counters a spell and exiles it instead of sending it to the graveyard — a meaningful upgrade over a vanilla Cancel against reanimator, graveyard recursion, and any commander that wants to die and come back. Two mana, instant speed, unconditional: it's a clean rate for blue decks that want cheap interaction.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Deny Existence punches above its weight specifically because commanders going to the graveyard is the default — exile shuts off the recast entirely and forces the tax. Pauper is the format where it sees the most competitive daylight, filling out blue control shells that need cheap unconditional counters at the common slot. In Modern and Legacy it's outclassed by Counterspell and harder permission, so Deny Existence is a sideboard consideration at best there. Pioneer has similar options at the same cost with fewer restrictions, which keeps it fringe. Across all formats, the exile clause is the entire argument for running it over a generic two-mana counter.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.08 bulk tier
At $0.08, Deny Existence is deep bulk — it costs less than a sleeve and is widely available in any commons box. Bulk counterspells at this price point don't move, so there's no urgency and no risk; just pick one up when you need it.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.