1. Bind
Coming in as our first green counterspell, Bind only costs two mana, one being green and the other colorless.
Most counterspells for this amount of mana typically only have one ability; however, Bind has two. Moreover, counterspells would naturally negate your opponent’s spells, but this card prohibits activated abilities. This means you would play it when your opponent tries to pay and trigger an ability from one of their cards.
Not only that, but its second ability lets you draw a card. Typically, draw a card type spells come from blue, but it is nice to see this ability from green.
Released in the early 2000s, Bind had no Pro Tour Top 8 finishes. However, it did have two Grand Prix Top 8 finishes.
2. Lifeforce
Going way back to 1994 is when this card was released. It had a handful of competitive placements but has not seen much action since then, although it is still a great card. It had two Top 8 Pro Tour finishes through its run, but sadly no Grand Prix finishes.
Technically a green enchantment that costs two green mana, you would think that it is not a counterspell. However, its ability helps us out with that.
It’s triggered ability if you pay two green mana states, “Destroy a black spell that is being cast, and it may be played as an interrupt.”
Take note that this ability can’t be played as an Instant, which means you can only play it in your turn if your opponent tries to play a black spell. However, the most incredible draw with this card is that because it is an enchantment and the counter ability is a triggered ability that you pay for; you can use it multiple times (as many times as you need if you pay the mana cost).
3. Avoid Fate
Coming out of the Time Spiral set released in 2006, Avoid Fate is a Common but effective card that one should not dismiss even though it has not seen any Grand Prix or Pro Tour Top 8 finishes.
Costing only one green mana, it begs the question of whether it is better than some of the cheaper blue counterspells out there, which are staples, such as Disrupt, Negate, or Miscalculation.
Its ability reads “counter target instant or Aura spell that targets a permanent you control.” Aura spells like Instants target players or objects. An example of an Aura spell is an enchantment.
This means that for one green mana, you can effectively stop pretty much any card of any color your opponent has thrown at you.
Although it is not legal in Standard, it had quite the reputation in Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander, and Pauper formats.
4. Heroic Intervention
Released in 2017 and then again in the core set 2021, Heroic Intervention is one of those cards that your opponent hates to see. Although it has not seen too much action on the Pro Tour, this card was in a deck played by Romain Fouchier that came in second at the French Nationals Side Event in 2018.
This rare Instant that costs two mana (one green and one colorless) has the ability to give permanents you control Hexproof and indestructible until the end of turn.
Hence it does not necessarily counter most of your opponent’s spells. However, if they cast a spell that targets one of your creatures, then you are set no matter what your opponent has.
It is a fantastic card that is legal in most formats such as Commander, Legacy, Vintage, Modern, and Brawl.
5. Veil of Summer
Veil of Summer is a relatively new card coming from MTG’s Core Set 2020. Since then, it has had many professional placements, with the most notable one being in a deck placed 1st at the 2019 Bologna Grand Prix played by Marc Vogt.
It only costs one green mana and is similar to our previous card. It does not actually negate your opponent’s spell but rather bolsters your own cards (specifically from black and blue).
Being an Instant, its ability reads, “Draw a card if your opponent has cast a blue or black spell,” as well as spells you control can’t be countered this turn, and you and your permanents you control gain Hexproof from blue and black until end of turn.
As you can imagine, this card would sit great in your sideboard, destroying your opponents when faced with those mana combinations. Not only do you get to protect your permanents, but it allows you to draw an extra card, effectively giving you the upper hand.
Although it is not legal in Standard or Brawl, this card is a lovely add-on to Commander, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage decks.
6. Guttural Response
Guttural response is a great card because it is a green counterspell and because it is a red counterspell. Hence you can have more wiggle room if you are thinking of playing a red/green deck.
Moreover, it only costs one green or one red mana. The only factor you will need to consider is that it only counters blue instant spells, so the situation you would need it for would be niche. Nevertheless, you could place it in your sideboard and bring it out when you face an opponent with that mana type.
Not seeing any top 8 finishes on the Pro Tour or the Grand Prix, this card is still a cheap go-to when faced against blue control.
It is legal in Modern, Vintage, Legacy, Commander, and Penny Dreadful, although not in Standard or Brawl.