Dissolve
Instant
Counter target spell. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Friday Night Magic 2014
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #6024
Dissolve counters any spell and replaces itself with a scry 1, making it one of the cleanest three-mana counterspells in the format. The cost is real — three mana is slow enough that tempo-focused blue decks often reach for cheaper options first — but in Commander, the card selection almost always justifies the slot. Baral, Chief of Compliance cuts the cost to two, at which point Dissolve is simply correct.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Baral, Chief of Compliance reduces Dissolve to two mana and replaces the looting trigger on every counter, turning a solid spell into an engine piece. At 37% inclusion across Baral decks, it's close to a staple.
Kenessos, Priest of Thassa
Kenessos, Priest of Thassa is a Merfolk spellslinger commander that wants interaction woven into its spell chain, and Dissolve's scry keeps the top of the library clean for creature hits. The 35% inclusion rate reflects how naturally it fits the gameplan.
Galadriel of Lothlórien
Galadriel of Lothlórien cares about scrying and placing counters, so Dissolve earns double duty — protecting the board while feeding the scry trigger. That overlap lifts it above generic counterspells in her 99.
Elrond, Master of Healing
Elrond, Master of Healing rewards casting instants and sorceries with healing triggers, and Dissolve slots in as cheap interaction that advances the deck's incidental lifegain count. The scry 1 adds consistency to a strategy that wants specific cards at specific moments.
Talrand, Sky Summoner
Every instant Talrand, Sky Summoner casts makes a 2/2 Drake, so Dissolve becomes removal that also produces a blocker or attacker. The 13% inclusion rate is lower than the others here, but that's a function of Talrand's enormous deck pool — the card still earns its place.
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, Dissolve is a reliable role-player: unconditional counterspells are always playable, and the scry 1 meaningfully smooths draws in a 100-card singleton format where consistency is at a premium. In competitive constructed formats like Modern and Legacy, it doesn't make the cut — Counterspell, Force of Will, and Mana Drain all exist, and three mana is simply too expensive when the game is decided by turn four. Pioneer offers a friendlier environment where three-mana counters see occasional fringe play, but Dissolve still competes with cheaper options. Pauper is where Dissolve most reliably shows up in 60-card contexts, since the common-card restriction removes most of its faster competition. Across every format, the card is never wrong — just sometimes outclassed.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Dissolve has been reprinted frequently enough that copies are widely available and inexpensive — expect to find it well under a dollar at most local game stores and online vendors. At that price point, there's no reason to hesitate; it's one of the easier pickups for any blue Commander deck that wants a clean, unconditional counter.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Baral, Chief of Compliance
- Kenessos, Priest of Thassa
- Galadriel of Lothlórien
- Elrond, Master of Healing
- Talrand, Sky Summoner
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.