Outmaneuver

Instant

X target blocked creatures assign their combat damage this turn as though they weren't blocked.

"Push one goblin into sight, an' run a lot. That's tactics."
-Jula, goblin raider

Rain of Filth

Instant

Until end of turn, lands you control gain "Sacrifice this land: Add to your mana pool."

"When I say it rained, it was not small drops, but a thick, greasy drool pouring from the heavens."
-Urza, journal

Rescind

Instant

Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Scrap

Instant

Destroy target artifact.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Shower of Sparks

Instant

Shower of Sparks deals 1 damage to target creature and 1 damage to target player.

The viashino had learned how to operate the rig through trial and error-mostly error.

Stroke of Genius

Instant

Target player draws X cards.

After a hundred failed experiments, Urza was stunned to find that common silver passed through the portal undamaged. He immediately designed a golem made of the metal.

Sunder

Instant

Return all lands to their owners' hands.

The flow of time was disrupted; like a flooding river it rose from its banks. Tolaria was drowned in an instant that stretched toward infinity.

Symbiosis

Instant

Two target creatures each get +2/+2 until end of turn.

Although the elves of Argoth always considered them a nuisance, the pixies made fine allies during the war against the machines.

Turnabout

Instant

Choose artifact, creature, or land. Tap all untapped permanents of the chosen type target player controls, or untap all tapped permanents of that type that player controls.

The best cure for a big ego is a little failure.

Waylay

Instant

Put three 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield. Exile them at the beginning of the next cleanup step.

"You reek of corruption," spat the knight. "Why are you even here?"

Denied!

Instant

Play Denied only as any opponent casts target spell. Name a card, then look at all cards in that player's hand. If the named card is in the player's hand, counter target spell.

"Don't worry about it. It happens to every mage sooner or later."

Double Dip

Instant

Choose another player. Gain 5 life now and an additional 5 life at the beginning of the next game with that player.

In a duel and taking a lickin' . . .

Double Take

Instant

Choose another player. Draw two cards now and draw an additional two cards at the beginning of the next game with that player.

"But next time we meet, . . ."

Get a Life

Instant

Target player and each of his or her teammates exchange life totals.

Gimme five! (Or whatever you got.)

Goblin Tutor

Instant

Roll a six-sided die for Goblin Tutor. On a 1, Goblin Tutor has no effect. Otherwise, search your library for the indicated card, reveal that card to all players, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.

2 Any Goblin Tutor

3 Any enchantment

4 Any artifact

5 Any creature

6 Any sorcery, instant, or interrupt

Growth Spurt

Instant

Roll a six-sided die. Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is equal to the die roll.

MORE TO LOVE: Friendly, nature-loving, Bunyonesque SEM seeks SEF looking for a huge commitment.
. . . seeks atog prince

Sex Appeal

Instant

Prevent up to 3 damage total to any number of creatures and/or players. If there are more players in the room of the opposite sex, prevent up to 3 additional damage total to any number of creatures and/or players.

Team Spirit

Instant

All creatures controlled by target player and his or her teammates get +1/+1 until end of turn.

Due to some late-night partying, the chicken missed the group photo.

Allay

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Destroy target enchantment.

Culling the Weak

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Culling the Weak, sacrifice a creature.

Add to your mana pool.

"The blood of the weak shall be the ink with which we scribe great Yawgmoth's glorious name."
-Stronghold architect, journal

Fighting Chance

Instant

For each blocking creature, flip a coin. If you win the flip, prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by that creature this turn.

A stroke of luck can smite an army.

Forbid

Instant

Buyback-Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Counter target spell.

Hatred

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Hatred, pay X life.

Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.

"I will flay the skin from your flesh and the flesh from your bones and scrape your bones dry. And still you will not have suffered enough."
-Greven il-Vec, to Gerrard

Kor Chant

Instant

All damage that would be dealt this turn to target creature you control by a source of your choice is dealt to another target creature instead.

The true treasure no thief can touch.

Price of Progress

Instant

Price of Progress deals damage to each player equal to twice the number of nonbasic lands that player controls.

Man versus nature is not a fair fight.

Reaping the Rewards

Instant

Buyback-Sacrifice a land. (You may sacrifice a land in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

You gain 2 life.

Resuscitate

Instant

Until end of turn, creatures you control gain ": Regenerate this creature."

"It is the art of convincing someone to live."
-Orim, Samite healer

Scare Tactics

Instant

Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.

"Fear rules those weak enough to accept it."
-Greven il-Vec

Shattering Pulse

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Destroy target artifact.

Slaughter

Instant

Buyback-Pay 4 life. (You may pay 4 life in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Sonic Burst

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Sonic Burst, discard a card at random.

Sonic Burst deals 4 damage to target creature or player.

Music scythes the savage beast.

Change of Heart

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Target creature can't attack this turn.

Constant Mists

Instant

Buyback-Sacrifice a land. (You may sacrifice a land in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.

Crossbow Ambush

Instant

Creatures you control gain reach until end of turn. (They can block creatures with flying.)

There is no drake that flies faster than a crossbow bolt.
-Vec saying

Leap

Instant

Target creature gains flying until end of turn.

Draw a card.

Mirri leapt quickly and silently. The guard died likewise.

Mask of the Mimic

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Mask of the Mimic, sacrifice a creature.

Search your library for a card with the same name as target nontoken creature and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.

Mind Games

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Tap target artifact, creature, or land.

Provoke

Instant

Untap target creature you don't control. That creature blocks this turn if able.

Draw a card.

Mirri did not have time to think, only to react.

Rebound

Instant

Change the target of target spell that targets only a player. The new target must be a player.

Insult, like an arrow, is beyond control once loosed.

Scapegoat

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Scapegoat, sacrifice a creature.

Return any number of target creatures you control to their owner's hand.

"Enjoy your deception, Vuel," Gerrard said as Volrath's features melted from the dead shapeshifter. "I'll count this one as practice."

Temper

Instant

Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. For each 1 damage prevented this way, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.

"I don't need a plan, just a goal. The rest will follow on its own."
-Gerrard

Anoint

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.

Blood Frenzy

Instant

Cast Blood Frenzy only before the combat damage step.

Target attacking or blocking creature gets +4/+0 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at the beginning of the next end step.

"When Torahn bellows, none survive-not even the warrior whose horns he rides."
-Talruum adage

Capsize

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

Corpse Dance

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Return the top creature card of your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature gains haste until end of turn. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.

Diabolic Edict

Instant

Target player sacrifices a creature.

Greven il-Vec lifted Vhati off his feet. "The fall will give you time to think on your failure."

Dismiss

Instant

Counter target spell.

Draw a card.

"There is nothing you can do that I cannot simply deny."
-Ertai, wizard adept

Elvish Fury

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Ertai's Meddling

Instant

X can't be 0.

Target spell's controller exiles it with X delay counters on it.

At the beginning of each of that player's upkeeps, if that card is exiled, remove a delay counter from it. If the card has no delay counters on it, he or she puts it onto the stack as a copy of the original spell.

Imps' Taunt

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Target creature attacks this turn if able.

Interdict

Instant

Counter target activated ability from an artifact, creature, enchantment, or land. That permanent's activated abilities can't be activated this turn. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)

Draw a card.

Intuition

Instant

Search your library for three cards and reveal them. Target opponent chooses one. Put that card into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.

Invulnerability

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage.

Kindle

Instant

Kindle deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is 2 plus the number of cards named Kindle in all graveyards.

Hope of deliverance is scorched by the fire of futility.

Meditate

Instant

Draw four cards. You skip your next turn.

"Part of me believes that Barrin taught me meditation simply to shut me up."
-Ertai, wizard adept

Reality Anchor

Instant

Target creature loses shadow until end of turn.

Draw a card.

"See how you like it."
-Ertai, wizard adept

Reap

Instant

Return up to X target cards from your graveyard to your hand, where X is the number of black permanents target opponent controls as you cast Reap.

"Let Volrath choke on his crop of hatred."
-Eladamri, Lord of Leaves

Reckless Spite

Instant

Destroy two target nonblack creatures. You lose 5 life.

"My plan's elegance leads my enemies to believe it is spite that fuels me."
-Volrath

Respite

Instant

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn. You gain 1 life for each attacking creature.

"If they board us we're finished," warned Orim. Crovax nodded. "And if they don't . . . what then?"

Searing Touch

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Searing Touch deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

Serene Offering

Instant

Destroy target enchantment. You gain life equal to its converted mana cost.

"A sacrifice made in peace is worth a dozen made in panic."
-Orim, Samite healer

Shadow Rift

Instant

Target creature gains shadow until end of turn. (It can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.)

Draw a card.

Spontaneous Combustion

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Spontaneous Combustion, sacrifice a creature.

Spontaneous Combustion deals 3 damage to each creature.

"Heat of battle" is usually a metaphor.

Verdigris

Instant

Destroy target artifact.

"Only the most sophisticated inventions can survive nature's unsophisticated motivations."
-Hanna, Weatherlight navigator

Whim of Volrath

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Change the text of target permanent by replacing all instances of one color word with another or one basic land type with another until end of turn. (For example, you may change "nonred creature" to "nongreen creature" or "plainswalk" to "swampwalk.")

Whispers of the Muse

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Draw a card.

"I followed her song only to find it was a dirge."
-Crovax

Worthy Cause

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

As an additional cost to cast Worthy Cause, sacrifice a creature.

You gain life equal to the sacrificed creature's toughness.

Abeyance

Instant

Until end of turn, target player can't cast instant or sorcery spells, and that player can't activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.

Draw a card.

"I'm too modest a wizard to reveal the full extent of my abilities."
-Ertai, wizard adept

Abjure

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Abjure, sacrifice a blue permanent.

Counter target spell.

Mirri's hackles rose as Ertai continued expounding his virtues. "If that arrogant brat doesn't shut up soon," she growled to herself, "I'm going to have to kill him."

Argivian Find

Instant

Return target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.

"We often bury our pasts, and then someone comes along and digs them up."
-Gerrard of the Weatherlight

Blossoming Wreath

Instant

You gain life equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.

"I place this wreath for you, my kin. Even in death, you give me strength to avenge you."
-Mirri of the Weatherlight

Boiling Blood

Instant

Target creature attacks this turn if able.

Draw a card.

Your father has no horns!
Your mother wears a bell
You drink the milk of goats!
-Talruum taunts

Choking Vines

Instant

Cast Choking Vines only during the declare blockers step.

X target attacking creatures become blocked. Choking Vines deals 1 damage to each of those creatures. (This spell works on unblockable creatures.)

Debt of Loyalty

Instant

Regenerate target creature. You gain control of that creature if it regenerates this way.

"I killed him because I had to," Starke lied to Gerrard. "But now I pledge my loyalty to you."

Desperate Gambit

Instant

Choose a source you control and flip a coin. If you win the flip, the next time that source would deal damage this turn, it deals double that damage instead. If you lose the flip, the next time it would deal damage this turn, prevent that damage.

Disrupt

Instant

Counter target instant or sorcery spell unless its controller pays .

Draw a card.

Oh, I'm sorry-did I break your concentration?

Firestorm

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Firestorm, discard X cards.

Firestorm deals X damage to each of X target creatures and/or players.

"Glok loved storms! He'd sit an' watch an' laugh through the whole thing. I miss him."
-Squee, goblin cabin hand

Guided Strike

Instant

Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.

Draw a card.

"If you can kill your enemy with the first stroke, you save yourself the labor of the second."
-Gerrard of the Weatherlight

Lava Storm

Instant

Lava Storm deals 2 damage to each attacking creature or Lava Storm deals 2 damage to each blocking creature.

They say lava conquers all.

Spinning Darkness

Instant

You may exile the top three black cards of your graveyard rather than pay Spinning Darkness's mana cost.

Spinning Darkness deals 3 damage to target nonblack creature. You gain 3 life.

Urborg Justice

Instant

Target opponent sacrifices a creature for each creature put into your graveyard from the battlefield this turn.

"It is a narrow line between justice and vengeance."
-Crovax

Blessed Wine

Instant

You gain 1 life.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Out there, there are spirits, but here, there is wine."
-Blessing for the bounty of Kjeld

Broken Visage

Instant

Destroy target nonartifact attacking creature. It can't be regenerated. Put a black Spirit creature token with that creature's power and toughness onto the battlefield. Sacrifice the token at the beginning of the next end step.

Deflection

Instant

Change the target of target spell with a single target.

Up and down,
over and through,
back around-
the joke's on you.

Dwarven Catapult

Instant

Dwarven Catapult deals X damage divided evenly, rounded down, among all creatures target opponent controls.

"Often greatly outnumbered in battle, dwarves relied on catapults as one means of damaging a large army."
-Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV

Enervate

Instant

Tap target artifact, creature, or land.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Worlds turn in crucial moments of decision. Make your choice."
-Gustha Ebbasdotter,
Kjeldoran royal mage

Flare

Instant

Flare deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

The secret of destruction is simple: everything burns.

Force Spike

Instant

Counter target spell unless its controller pays .

"Unknown spears / Suddenly hurtle before my dream-awakened eyes . . . ."
-William Butler Yeats,
"The Valley of the Black Pig"

Foxfire

Instant

Untap target attacking creature. Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to and dealt by that creature this turn.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Only the foolish fear foxfire."
-Kolbjörn,
Elder Druid of the Juniper Order

Heal

Instant

Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Sometimes even the smallest boon can save a life."
-Halvor Arenson, Kjeldoran priest

Hydroblast

Instant

Choose one - Counter target spell if it's red; or destroy target permanent if it's red.

"Heed the lessons of our time: the forms of water may move the land itself and hold captive the fires within."
-Gustha Ebbasdotter,
Kjeldoran royal mage

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.

"Oh, I had a conscience once. But alas, I seem to have forgotten where I put it."
-Chandler

Panic

Instant

Cast Panic only during combat before blockers are declared.

Target creature can't block this turn.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

Pyroblast

Instant

Choose one - Counter target spell if it's blue; or destroy target permanent if it's blue.

"Just the thing for those pesky water mages."
-Jaya Ballard, task mage

Sacred Boon

Instant

Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. At the beginning of the next end step, put a +0/+1 counter on that creature for each 1 damage prevented this way.

"Divine gifts are granted to those who are worthy."
-Halvor Arenson, Kjeldoran priest

Shield Wall

Instant

Creatures you control get +0/+2 until end of turn.

The strongest walls are made not of stone or steel but of the focused strength of warriors.

Shrink

Instant

Target creature gets -5/-0 until end of turn.

"May you decrease like coal upon the hearth . . . Evaporate like water in a pail, Become as little as a linseed-grain . . . And so diminish that you come to nothing."
-Anglo-Saxon curse

Stampede

Instant

Attacking creatures get +1/+0 and gain trample until end of turn.

"When are beasts like a river?"
-The One Thousand Questions

Truce

Instant

Each player may draw up to two cards. For each card less than two a player draws this way, that player gains 2 life.

Not all victories require defeat.
-Onean idiom

Updraft

Instant

Target creature gains flying until end of turn.

Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I."
-Sir Walter Scott, "The Lady of the Lake"