MTG’s newest counterspell is a risky coin flip

This Instant from MTG’s Modern Horizons 3 set brings out the best of Izzet’s color identity, guaranteeing success but leaving the degree up to chance. 

Izzet decks are named for the guild of the same name on the plane of Ravnica, and this counterspell is true to the Izzet spirit in design as well as flavor. Several spells and Planeswalkers that appear in this color – especially those featuring the lightning-wielding current Guildmaster Ral Zarek – utilize coin flips to activate powerful yet unpredictable effects. 

Invert Polarity sees MTG using coin-flipping gameplay on a counterspell for the first time, but thankfully, the spell is reliably useful regardless of which way the coin falls. 

WotC

If the result of the coin toss is called correctly by the caster of Invert Polarity, then they may gain control of a target spell and choose new targets for its effect, stealing the spell away from its original caster. But even if the coin toss is lost, Invert Polarity can still be used to counter the target spell, preventing it from doing harm. 

Invert Polarity is even a step up from some existing retargeting counterspells. For instance, Deflecting Swat is a staple in the Commander format thanks to its powerful effect and potential to be cast for free.  

However, the spell’s downside is that its effect cannot be used to bounce back spells that target ‘opponents’ onto the caster; another player in a multiplayer game who is a valid ‘opponent’ must be chosen. 

Invert Polarity handily gets around this restriction by granting control of the spell it targets before the process of choosing new targets for the initial spell begins. 

Invert Polarity is one of the best examples of creativity on display in Modern Horizons 3. Counterspells have always been a crucial part of MTG gameplay in all formats, and Invert Polarity is a new, fun design space that sticks true to the spirit of one of the game’s most beloved color pairs.