Insidious Will
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target spell.
• You may choose new targets for target spell.
• Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Kaladesh Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #8283
Insidious Will is a four-mana instant that copies, counters, or redirects a spell — three modes that each win games on their own, making it one of the most flexible reactive spells in blue. Baral, Chief of Compliance cuts it to three mana, which is where it stops being a consideration and starts being automatic, and Alania, Divergent Storm decks run it because every copy trigger is free spell equity.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Baral, Chief of Compliance reduces Insidious Will to three mana and replaces itself on a counter, which turns a flex slot into a must-include — the cost reduction alone justifies the slot, and the loot makes it the most efficient answer-or-copy in the deck.
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, Insidious Will earns its slot by covering three distinct threat categories on a single card — you're never dead-drawing a narrow answer. Competitive and high-power tables run it because the copy mode scales with spell value: redirecting a Demonic Tutor or copying a Cyclonic Rift at instant speed ends games. In Legacy and Vintage, four mana is too slow against the formats' one- and two-mana threats, and Insidious Will sees essentially no play there. Modern and Pioneer are more tempo-driven than Commander, so the cost is again the ceiling — it sits firmly in casual or brewers' territory in those formats. Commander is where it lives and where it overperforms.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Kalamax, the StormsireChandra's IgnitionInsidious Will
Infinite damage; Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Gravitic PunchKalamax, the StormsireInsidious Will
Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature; Infinite damage
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Current pricing for Insidious Will isn't pinned in our data, so check Scryfall or your preferred retailer for the exact number before buying. Given its age and niche-but-real Commander demand, it tends to sit in the $1–3 range — worth picking up without much hesitation if you're building blue control.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.