New Way Forward

Instant

The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage. When damage is prevented this way, New Way Forward deals that much damage to that source's controller and you draw that many cards.

CMC
5
Mana cost
{2}{U}{R}{W}
Color identity
RUW
Rarity
rare
Set
Tarkir: Dragonstorm Promos
Price
$0.44
EDHREC rank
#11507
Buy on TCGplayer
New Way Forward card art
New Way Forward puts two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control and gives your whole board trample until end of turn — at four mana at instant speed, that's a combat blowout or a lethal swing most tables won't see coming. It's a finisher disguised as a pump spell, and it earns its slot in any deck that goes wide with creatures.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander
legacy
modern
pioneer
standard
vintage
pauper
oathbreaker

In Commander, New Way Forward does exactly what go-wide decks need: it converts a board stall into a lethal attack with no setup required. The permanent +1/+1 counters matter beyond the turn you cast it, which separates it from one-shot pump spells that evaporate at end step. In competitive 60-card formats like Modern and Pioneer, four mana is a steep ask for a non-permanent effect, and it won't displace Craterhoof Behemoth in dedicated token shells. Standard and Legacy are similarly cold — the effect is real but the mana cost puts it behind faster, cheaper options. Commander is where New Way Forward lives.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

$0.44 bulk tier

At $0.44, New Way Forward sits firmly in bulk territory, which makes it an easy include when you're building on a budget. Bulk rares at this effect level rarely spike unless a commander with direct synergy goes viral, so don't expect the price to move much — just buy it and play it.

Explore

Mentioned

    ← All cards

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