Show of Confidence
Instant
When you cast this spell, copy it for each other instant and sorcery spell you've cast this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. It gains vigilance until end of turn.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Strixhaven: School of Mages
- Price
- $0.14
- EDHREC rank
- #9964
Show of Confidence puts a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for every instant or sorcery in your graveyard, then copies itself for each spell cast before it this turn — a single cast can end up as three or four spells stacking counters simultaneously. Zethi, Arcane Blademaster makes this absurd, turning one exiled Show of Confidence into a repeatable counter engine every combat.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Zethi, Arcane Blademaster
Zethi, Arcane Blademaster exiles Show of Confidence as one of its imprinted instants and replays it every combat step, meaning the graveyard pile and copy triggers compound turn after turn rather than once. At 62% inclusion across Zethi decks, it's effectively a staple.
Feather, the Redeemed
Feather, the Redeemed returns Show of Confidence to hand at end of turn, so you're never actually spending it — you get the full counter and copy sequence every single turn cycle for just one mana.
Sergeant John Benton
Sergeant John Benton's triggered ability rewards casting noncreature spells, and Show of Confidence landing as multiple copies in one turn can chain into multiple Benton triggers off a single card.
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 |
Show of Confidence is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but Commander is where it earns its keep. In 60-card formats it asks too much setup — you need a stocked graveyard and multiple spells in a turn to match what cheaper pump spells do more reliably. In Commander the math flips: spell-slinger decks routinely cast three or four instants in a turn, and the token copy mechanic turns one card into a board-wide counter event rather than a single-target buff. Oathbreaker shares enough of the same density-friendly structure that it's a reasonable include there too.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.14 bulk tier
At $0.14, Show of Confidence is deep bulk — pick it up in any common/uncommon lot or grab a copy while sleeving a Zethi or Feather order. Bulk rare pricing on a 62%-inclusion staple in its primary home means there's no reason to shop around.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.