Rune Snag
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 
plus an additional for each card named Rune Snag in each graveyard.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Ultimate Masters
- Price
- $0.07
- EDHREC rank
- #27832
Rune Snag is a two-mana counterspell that gets better every copy you've already countered — strong in formats where you run multiples, unreliable everywhere else. In a singleton environment like Commander, the accumulation mechanic never triggers, which makes it a strict downgrade from almost any unconditional two-mana counter.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Modern and Legacy, Rune Snag earns its slot by rewarding decks that run the full four copies — each resolved counter makes the next one harder to beat, which compounds pressure in a long control game. Pauper is where it shines most consistently: the card pool at common rarity is shallow enough that a scaling counterspell carries real weight, and the cheap spells in that format mean opponents frequently can't pay even modest additional costs. Commander is its worst home by a wide margin — singleton rules mean the bonus clause is dead text, and you're competing against Force of Will effects and Counterspell itself for a coveted interaction slot. Vintage has access to strictly better options at every power level, so Rune Snag doesn't show up there in practice.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.07 bulk tier
At $0.07, Rune Snag is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard and postage, not the card. The price reflects its Commander irrelevance honestly; in the formats where it's actually good, demand is real but supply from years of printing keeps the floor flat.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.