Overwhelming Intellect
Instant
Counter target creature spell. Draw cards equal to that spell's mana value.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Magic Online Theme Decks
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #17203
Overwhelming Intellect counters a creature spell and replaces itself with cards equal to that creature's power — six mana is steep, but the swing in resources can be backbreaking against any creature-heavy threat. Run it in blue decks that expect big creatures across the table and can afford to hold up six mana without falling behind.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Overwhelming Intellect is a Commander card through and through — in a multiplayer pod where someone is inevitably casting a high-power creature, the draw payoff scales absurdly, and six mana is more manageable in a longer game. In Legacy and Vintage, it's strictly too slow; those formats kill with creatures that cost one or two mana, and you'd rather have Counterspell or Force of Will. Modern has similar problems — six mana counterspells simply don't compete when the format closes out by turn four. Oathbreaker is the one non-Commander format where it can occasionally show up, since games are slower and planeswalker-focused shells sometimes need haymaker interaction.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Overwhelming Intellect isn't currently available in this listing, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the latest. It's a niche Commander counterspell with limited cross-format appeal, which typically keeps supply healthy and prices low.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.