<p>Indeed you can stop it with spells that can counter spells like Counterspell or Negate.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T10:19:26.723Z
2014-02-23T10:19:26.723Z
Ivo
<p>You can interact with <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thoughtseize">Thoughtseize</a> just like any other card. In particular:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Yes, you can counter it. Use <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Negate">Negate</a>, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dissolve">Dissolve</a>, et cetera.</p>
<p>Note that this doesn't really help that much against the first-turn Thoughtseize unless you've got access to a counterspell that doesn't cost any mana, like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mental%20Misstep">Mental Misstep</a> or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Force%20of%20Will">Force of Will</a>. The closest thing you've got in Born of the Gods Standard is <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Swan%20Song">Swan Song</a> when you're on the play.</p>
<p>In my experience, the best answer to a first-turn Thoughtseize is to choose initial hands that won't be crippled by it. And, yeah, that's a rather big imposition. That's what makes the card so powerful.</p>
</li>
<li><p>You can invalidate its target.</p>
<p>Thoughtseize says &quot;<strong>Target player</strong> reveals his or her hand.&quot; If it can't target you, it can't be cast on you. The gold standard for effects like this is <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Leyline%20of%20Sanctity">Leyline of Sanctity</a>, which is actually faster than Thoughtseize if you get it in your opening hand.</p>
<p>There are no such cards currently in Born of the Gods Standard. :(</p>
</li>
<li><p>You can take your best cards out of your hand.</p>
<p>This happens quite a lot in Legacy:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;Thoughtseize you.&quot;<br />
&quot;In response, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brainstorm">Brainstorm</a>.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Then you put the cards you need most <em>on top of your library</em>, so they're hidden from Thoughtseize but you can draw them next turn.</p>
<p>There are no such cards currently in Born of the Gods Standard. :(</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Thoughtseize is a powerful card (basically the best of its kind) and it's seldom easy to deal with. For higher-level strategy tips, I recommend starting with <a href="https://www.starcitygames.com/article/26855_Thoughtseize-You.html" rel="noreferrer">Reid Duke's excellent Thoughtseize guide</a> — this'll help you understand what your opponent's going to be trying to do.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T16:55:46.783Z
Thanks but I'm confused... Can you elaborate a bit on why "this doesn't really help that much against the first-turn Thoughtseize"?  Do you mean that if I respond with an instant to Thoughtseize and it's the other player's turn, the effect of his/her card always happens first?
Mike B
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T17:00:34.123Z
@MikeB No, I mean the first turn of the game. Like this: We start our match. I play a Swamp and Thoughtseize you. You look at your hand: ooh, a Negate! You look at your board: 0 lands to cast it with. Well, dang. And then the Thoughtseize takes your Elspeth because you can't counter it without mana.
Alex P
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-24T22:08:04.273Z
It's worth noting that Thoughtseize is most powerful (and some might argue only powerful enough to be worth the time and mana) on turn 1.
corsiKa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T15:45:40.620Z
2014-02-23T17:05:43.467Z
2014-02-23T17:05:43.467Z
Alex P
<p>Sorry if this is an obvious question but I didn't see it asked before and I'm very new to Magic The Gathering. </p>

<p>Is there a way to block sorcery spells in MTG that threaten to view my hand?  For example Thoughtseize from "Theros".  For some reason I don't seem to have a good defense against that.  Can I counter it with a standard "non-creature" counter spell or is something different required?  </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-24T03:10:02.710Z
If you cast One With Nothing, your opponent will not be able to discard any of your cards. #TechniallyRightIsTheBestKindOfRight
Acccumulation
<magic-the-gathering>
Is there a way to block MTG sorcery spells that view my hand?
Mike B
# Is there a way to block MTG sorcery spells that view my hand?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-23)

Sorry if this is an obvious question but I didn't see it asked before and I'm very new to Magic The Gathering.

Is there a way to block sorcery spells in MTG that threaten to view my hand? For example Thoughtseize from "Theros". For some reason I don't seem to have a good defense against that. Can I counter it with a standard "non-creature" counter spell or is something different required?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you cast One With Nothing, your opponent will not be able to discard any of your cards. #TechniallyRightIsTheBestKindOfRight  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-02-23. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

You can interact with [Thoughtseize](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thoughtseize) just like any other card. In particular:

* Yes, you can counter it. Use [Negate](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Negate), [Dissolve](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dissolve), et cetera.

  Note that this doesn't really help that much against the first-turn Thoughtseize unless you've got access to a counterspell that doesn't cost any mana, like [Mental Misstep](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mental%20Misstep) or [Force of Will](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Force%20of%20Will). The closest thing you've got in Born of the Gods Standard is [Swan Song](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Swan%20Song) when you're on the play.

  In my experience, the best answer to a first-turn Thoughtseize is to choose initial hands that won't be crippled by it. And, yeah, that's a rather big imposition. That's what makes the card so powerful.
* You can invalidate its target.

  Thoughtseize says "**Target player** reveals his or her hand." If it can't target you, it can't be cast on you. The gold standard for effects like this is [Leyline of Sanctity](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Leyline%20of%20Sanctity), which is actually faster than Thoughtseize if you get it in your opening hand.

  There are no such cards currently in Born of the Gods Standard. :(
* You can take your best cards out of your hand.

  This happens quite a lot in Legacy:

  > "Thoughtseize you."  
  > "In response, [Brainstorm](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brainstorm)."

  Then you put the cards you need most *on top of your library*, so they're hidden from Thoughtseize but you can draw them next turn.

  There are no such cards currently in Born of the Gods Standard. :(

Thoughtseize is a powerful card (basically the best of its kind) and it's seldom easy to deal with. For higher-level strategy tips, I recommend starting with [Reid Duke's excellent Thoughtseize guide](https://www.starcitygames.com/article/26855_Thoughtseize-You.html) — this'll help you understand what your opponent's going to be trying to do.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks but I'm confused... Can you elaborate a bit on why "this doesn't really help that much against the first-turn Thoughtseize"?  Do you mean that if I respond with an instant to Thoughtseize and it's the other player's turn, the effect of his/her card always happens first?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 No, I mean the first turn of the game. Like this: We start our match. I play a Swamp and Thoughtseize you. You look at your hand: ooh, a Negate! You look at your board: 0 lands to cast it with. Well, dang. And then the Thoughtseize takes your Elspeth because you can't counter it without mana.  
> **username_4**: It's worth noting that Thoughtseize is most powerful (and some might argue only powerful enough to be worth the time and mana) on turn 1.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-02-23. Score: 0

Indeed you can stop it with spells that can counter spells like Counterspell or Negate.


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