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Deflecting Swat
Price$68.61 – $99.55
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Deflecting Swat

{2}{R}

Instant

Legal Salt 1.72EDHREC #80

If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost.

You may choose new targets for target spell or ability.

Why is this card good?

Deflecting Swat is one of the best red protection/interaction spells in the format, largely because it's free. If you control your commander, you cast it for zero mana — that's huge tempo, letting you protect a key piece while still advancing your turn. The flexibility is what makes it shine. Redirect a removal spell back at the caster's own creature, steal a Praetor's Counsel target, flip an opponent's board wipe... no, it doesn't counter, but it changes any target. Save your commander from spot removal, redirect a Beast Within at someone else, or hijack a tutor's "you" effects. Who wants it: any red deck with a commander you want to protect — combo decks, voltron, Niv-Mizzet "pinger" builds, and high-power tables where free interaction is currency. When to skip it: colorless/commander-less strategies obviously can't trigger the free cast, and in casual pods you may rarely have worthwhile targets. But in red? Near-auto-include.

Related cards

Deflecting PalmWR

Red instant redirecting combat damage back at attacker.

Bolt BendR

Free redirect spell when controlling high power, similar protection role.

RedirectU

Blue instant changing targets of a spell, same effect.

MisdirectionU

Free counter-style redirect, alternative cast option.

Fierce GuardianshipU

Free commander-based protection counterspell, same cycle.

CommandeerU

Free spell that steals target, commander-deck protection.

Ricochet TrapR

Cheap red instant to change a spell's target.

Printings (6)

tleAvatar: The Last Airbender Eternal · #311R$76.49Buy
sldSecret Lair Drop · #1552R$79.08Buy
cmmCommander Masters · #532R—Buy
cmmCommander Masters · #698R$99.55Buy
cmmCommander Masters · #214R$70.99Buy
c20Commander 2020 · #50R$68.61Buy

Played by these commanders

Kalamax, the Stormsire100% of 1

Combos (8)

Rulings (3)

  • 2020-04-17

    If the target spell has damage divided as it was cast (like Mythos of Vadrok), the division can't be changed although the targets receiving that damage still can. The same is true of spells that distribute counters.

  • 2020-04-17

    If you choose new targets for the target spell, the new targets must be legal.

  • 2020-04-17

    If the target spell has a variable number of targets, you can't change how many targets it has.

Discussion (0)