Price$0.29 – $20.70
Buy on TCGplayerAetherize
Instant
LegalRank #314
Return all attacking creatures to their owner's hand.
Why is this card good?
Aetherize is one of the best blue defensive instants in Commander because it punishes the format's central sin: over-committing to a big swing. When an opponent tutors up Craterhoof Behemoth, assembles an Eldrazi army, or alpha-strikes with a tokens board, Aetherize sends the entire attacking force back to hand for just four mana — undoing turns of development at instant speed.
Unlike a Fog, it doesn't just delay; it forces the attacker to recast everything, eats their auras/equipment investment, and resets summoning sickness. It's devastating against go-wide tokens decks and creature-heavy commanders.
Where it wants to live: control, durdle, and group-hug-but-secretly-mean decks that need to survive to a late-game wincon. It's a strong includes in any blue deck light on blockers.
The catch: it's a dead card if you're not the one being attacked, and it can accidentally save tokens decks by bouncing their tokens (those just disappear — wait, that's actually upside). The real downside is it's purely reactive and does nothing proactive. Skip it in aggressive or combo decks that win first.
Related cards
Cyclonic Rift
Blue bounce that resets attackers and more for overload value.
Evacuation
Returns all creatures to hand as a defensive board reset.
Aetherspouts
Nearly identical effect, bouncing or topdecking attackers at instant speed.
Settle the Wreckage
White instant punishing alpha strikes by exiling attackers.
Comeuppance
Redirects combat and noncombat damage from attackers back at sources.
Dawn Charm
Fog mode prevents combat damage as a cheap defensive instant.
Tetzimoc, Primal Death
Not relevant
Devastation Tide
Miracle blue bounce resetting all nonland permanents defensively.
Printings (14)
Played by these commanders
Isperia, Supreme Judge100% of 1
Hakbal of the Surging Soul100% of 1
Mizzix of the Izmagnus100% of 1
Zinnia, Valley's Voice100% of 1
The Swarmlord100% of 2
Anowon, the Ruin Thief100% of 1