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Memory Lapse

Instant

Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner's library instead of into that player's graveyard.

CMC
2
Mana cost
{1}{U}
Color identity
U
Rarity
common
Set
Pro Tour Collector Set
Price
—
EDHREC rank
#3087
Buy on TCGplayer
Memory Lapse card art
Memory Lapse doesn't counter a spell — it buries it on top of the opponent's library, costing them their next draw and effectively losing them a turn. For two mana at instant speed, that tempo swing is among the most punishing in blue, and commanders like Melek, Izzet Paragon and Haldan, Avid Arcanist // Pako, Arcane Retriever exploit the top-of-library manipulation as a feature, not a side effect.

Best Commanders

Commanders with the highest synergy

01
Haldan, Avid ArcanistPako, Arcane Retriever

Haldan, Avid Arcanist // Pako, Arcane Retriever

60.4% of decks · synergy 0.58

Pako exiles cards from the top of libraries, and Memory Lapse puts a spell back on top of an opponent's — meaning Haldan, Avid Arcanist // Pako, Arcane Retriever can swing in and exile the very card you just denied, turning a counterspell into card advantage.

02
Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

57.1% of decks · synergy 0.55

Xanathar, Guild Kingpin locks opponents out of playing the top card of their library, so Memory Lapse trapping a spell there turns a temporary denial into a near-permanent soft lock for a turn cycle.

03
Etrata, Deadly Fugitive

Etrata, Deadly Fugitive

40.1% of decks · synergy 0.38

Etrata, Deadly Fugitive cares about spell sequencing and evasion, and Memory Lapse buys exactly the tempo window needed to protect a hit or clear the way for another attack — the top-of-library clause is gravy.

04
Rashmi and Ragavan

Rashmi and Ragavan

32.3% of decks · synergy 0.30

Rashmi and Ragavan generate value off the top of libraries, and Memory Lapse steering an opponent's threat back to their top gives Ragavan a shot at exiling it on the next attack, converting disruption into raw resource generation.

05
Lonis, Cryptozoologist

Lonis, Cryptozoologist

20.7% of decks · synergy 0.20

Lonis, Cryptozoologist wants to cast spells and trigger investigate repeatedly, and Memory Lapse is a cheap interactive spell that keeps Lonis active while slowing the scariest thing on the board.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern not legal
pioneer not legal
standard not legal
vintage legal
pauper legal
oathbreaker legal

In Commander, Memory Lapse occupies a specific niche: it's not a hard counter, but the top-of-library punishment hits harder in a slower, multiplayer format where losing a draw step and replaying a tapped-out spell can mean skipping a meaningful turn entirely. Pauper is where Memory Lapse has historically been most contested — at common, two mana for this quality of tempo disruption is well above the format's curve, and it sees real play there. Legacy and Vintage have access to free countermagic and harder answers, so Memory Lapse is fringe at best in those formats, though the top-deck manipulation occasionally slots into specific combo shells. It's not legal in Modern, Pioneer, or Standard, keeping its competitive footprint narrow.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

unknown tier

Pricing data isn't currently available for Memory Lapse, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the live number before buying. It has been reprinted across multiple products, which generally keeps the floor low — this is not a card you should expect to pay a premium for.

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Sources

Mentioned

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Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.