Three Steps Ahead

Card text

Spree (Choose one or more additional costs.)

+ {1}{U} - Counter target spell.

+ {3} - Create a token that's a copy of target artifact or creature you control.

+ {2} - Draw two cards, then discard a card.

She'd planned for every eventuality, with the obvious exception of failure.

Market price

Latest aggregated market price for the normal finish of this printing: $6.34 (as of 2026-11-03).

The figure covers this printing only; other printings carry their own price on their own page.

Format legality

Legality of Three Steps Ahead by format. Formats in which it is not legal are not listed.

Other printings of Three Steps Ahead

Three Steps Ahead has been printed in 3 sets. The other printings are listed newest first, with the rarity and release year of each.

Official rulings

The 8 most recent official rulings for Three Steps Ahead, newest first.

• 2024-04-12 You can’t choose the same mode more than once.
• 2024-04-12 Each additional cost and associated mode in the text box is also preceded with a + indicator. These symbols also have no rules meaning and serve only to remind players that the listed costs are additional costs.
• 2024-04-12 The token copies exactly what was printed on the original permanent and nothing else (unless that permanent is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
• 2024-04-12 No player can cast spells or activate abilities in between the modes of a resolving spell. Any abilities that trigger won’t be put onto the stack until the spell is done resolving.
• 2024-04-12 If the copied permanent is a token, the token that’s created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token.
• 2024-04-12 If a mode requires a target, you can select that mode only if there’s a legal target available. Ignore the targeting requirements for modes you don’t choose.
• 2024-04-12 If the first and/or second modes are chosen, then Three Steps Ahead has one or more targets. If so, and all its targets are illegal as it tries to resolve, Three Steps Ahead won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. If at least one target is still legal, the spell will resolve and modes with legal targets (and the third mode, if chosen) will have their effects.
• 2024-04-12 If an effect allows you to cast a spell with spree “without paying its mana cost,” you must still choose at least one mode and pay the associated additional costs.

Similar cards

Other instant cards with a blue colour identity, ranked by how often they appear in Commander decks.

• Counterspell