Geistwave
Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. If you controlled that permanent, draw a card.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- The List
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #9031
Geistwave bounces a permanent and replaces itself for two mana — the card draw is what makes it playable rather than forgettable. In Orvar, the All-Form decks it's a staple, since targeting your own permanent with a cantrip spell triggers Orvar to copy that permanent before it returns to hand.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Orvar, the All-Form
Geistwave is one of the cleanest Orvar, the All-Form enablers in the format — two mana gets you a copy of any permanent you control and a card, which means the bounce clause is almost irrelevant to the engine.
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, Geistwave earns its slot almost exclusively in Orvar, the All-Form builds, where it doubles as a clone trigger and a cantrip; outside that shell it's too low-impact at sorcery speed to compete with staple interaction. In Pauper it's a legal option for tempo and flicker strategies, though the common slot is fiercely competitive and most builds prefer instant-speed alternatives. Modern and Pioneer have enough two-mana interaction that Geistwave rarely clears the bar — the bounce-plus-draw package is fine, but it doesn't trade resources favorably enough against the threats those formats present. Legacy and Vintage have no interest.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Geistwave isn't available at the moment — check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for current buylist and market figures. It's a niche role-player rather than a cross-format staple, so expect a budget-friendly tag that reflects its narrow demand.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.