Lay Bare MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2010-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Rise of the Eldrazi
Set code	ROE
Number	74
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Chippy

Key Takeaways

Lay Bare provides card advantage by countering crucial enemy spells, tipping resource battles in your favor.
Its instant speed allows strategic gameplay adaptability, utilizing mana resources efficiently and responsively.
While powerful, Lay Bare demands careful resource management due to its specific mana cost and discard requirement.

Text of card

Counter target spell. Look at its controller's hand.

"It's good to learn from your failures, but I prefer to learn from the failures of others." —Jace Beleren

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lay Bare disrupts opponents by countering their key spells, potentially setting them back and giving you the upper hand in the resource battle.

Resource Acceleration: While Lay Bare itself doesn’t directly generate mana, neutralizing opponents’ spells can indirectly conserve your resources and lead to a more efficient mana usage in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Lay Bare provides the strategic advantage of flexibility, allowing you to respond to threats on your opponent’s turn, keeping your options open until you absolutely need to act.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Lay Bare demands discarding a card, which can backfire when your hand is running on empty, removing potential plays or answers for future turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Lay Bare’s casting cost isn’t exactly flexible. Locked into blue mana, it’s less versatile for decks that aren’t heavily invested in that color, potentially creating hiccups in mana curve when needed the most.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: There’s a hefty price to pay for the insight Lay Bare offers. A total cost that’s north of many other similar effects, sometimes other cards might steal the spotlight by providing similar value with less strain on your mana pool.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lay Bare shines in controls decks that need to disrupt opponent’s strategy. Its ability to counter any spell ensures that it is not limited to a single type of threat, making it a useful tool in a variety of situations.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that capitalize on your opponents’ spells being countered, Lay Bare elevates those interactions. It can set the stage for powerful plays, turning a simple counter into a game-changing momentum swing.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment heavy with powerful sorceries and instants, Lay Bare’s capability to neutralize key opponent spells makes it a meaningful addition to combat meta-dominant decks. Its universal applicability makes it a standby in sideboards and main decks alike.

How to Beat

Lay Bare is a notable card in Magic: The Gathering for its counterplay potential. Like its counterparts that nullify an opponent’s spell, Lay Bare operates as a safety net against devastating plays. Players might consider how to handle this reactive card to ensure their pivotal spells make a significant impact on the game.

Employing tactics such as baiting out the counter with less crucial spells could turn the tide, forcing an opponent to decide whether or not to use Lay Bare prematurely. Alternatively, waiting until they’re tapped out of mana capable of casting Lay Bare may allow you to resolve that game-changing spell uninterrupted.

Finally, including cards that can’t be countered, or using spells that strip away an opponent’s hand, like discard mechanics or those that grant your spells uncounterable status, are strategic choices. These can negate Lay Bare’s influence completely. In essence, understanding when and how to safely play your key spells can consistently outmaneuver the countering capability that Lay Bare presents.

Cards like Lay Bare

Lay Bare stands out as a unique spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering, specifically within the category of counterspells. It’s often compared to the staple Counterspell, as both serve the purpose of neutralizing threats by preventing spells from resolving. Lay Bare differentiates itself with its higher mana cost but rewards players with the added visibility of revealing the countered spell, giving strategic insight into the opponent’s deck composition.

Moving to Dissolve adds a layer of utility to the counter strategy. While it shares Lay Bare’s higher mana cost relative to Counterspell, Dissolve compensates by providing Scry 1, allowing for deck manipulation to further refine upcoming draws. Similarly, Cancel, though costlier than the classic single blue mana Counterspell, offers a no-frills approach to spell denial without additional benefits.

Comparing Lay Bare to its peers, its unique reveal effect can unveil valuable information to adjust tactics dynamically, which can be a significant advantage. As players consider their deck’s balance of cost, effect, and utility, Lay Bare earns its spot for those valuing information as a resource in Magic: The Gathering’s intricate dance of strategy and counterplay.

Counterspell - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lay Bare MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Lay Bare and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lay Bare has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lay Bare card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2010-06-15	If the targeted spell is an illegal target by the time Lay Bare resolves, Lay Bare doesn’t resolve. You won’t look at its controller’s hand.