Admiral's Order MTG Card


The card provides card advantage by negating key opponent spells at crucial times. Admiral’s Order’s raid mechanic allows mana-saving opportunities and strategic plays. Its instant speed enables flexibility and timely disruption of opponent actions.
Admiral's Order - Rivals of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Raid
Released2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set nameRivals of Ixalan
Set codeRIX
Number31
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySlawomir Maniak

Text of card

Raid — If you attacked with a creature this turn, you may pay rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Counter target spell.

"Damn the cannons, mates. Charge!"


Cards like Admiral's Order

Admiral’s Order is a card that holds its place in the pantheon of counterspells within Magic: The Gathering. It can be compared to the staple Cancel, as both offer the classic ability to counter any spell for three mana. The unique trait of Admiral’s Order is its Raid mechanic, significantly reducing its casting cost if you’ve attacked with a creature during the same turn. This can be a game-saver during combat-heavy plays.

Another close relative in function is Negate, which counters noncreature spells at the cost of two mana—affordable and precise, allowing for strategic planning against noncreature heavy decks. Absorb is another noteworthy peer, offering not only the power to counter spells but also granting lifegain, adding an extra layer of utility for defensive strategies.

Assessing Admiral’s Order in the vast sea of counterspells, it emerges as a highly situational but potent choice for decks that are likely to be aggressive and proactive in combat, striking a fine balance between defensive play and offensive pressure.

Cancel - MTG Card versions
Negate - MTG Card versions
Absorb - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Negate - MTG Card versions
Absorb - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Admiral's Order. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir ControlDimir Control Explorer7V

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Admiral’s Order has the potential to be a game-changing card by negating your opponent’s key spells during a crucial turn. This can lead to a significant swing in your favor, ensuring you maintain the upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: Although Admiral’s Order itself does not directly accelerate resources, its cost reduction clause when a vehicle is attacked can be leveraged to keep mana open for additional plays, indirectly accelerating your resource management.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Admiral’s Order can be cast in response to your opponent’s actions, which is particularly powerful during their most strategic moves. Its instant speed provides the flexibility to disrupt opponent strategies at the most impactful moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While engaging in a crucial turn, holding onto Admiral’s Order can be a delicate balance. This card demands your full attention to counter significant spells, potentially causing you to miss out on playing other cards that could develop your board or address immediate threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Crafting a strategy around this card requires a dedicated commitment to blue mana. Players running multicolor decks might find the blue mana cost restrictive, leading to moments where Admiral’s Order sits idle while awaiting the perfect mana alignment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, including two blue, Admiral’s Order is a significant expense, especially when compared to other counter spells. Savvy players have to evaluate whether the raid benefit is enough to warrant the inclusion of this card over lower-cost alternatives, which could be cast multiple times with the same amount of mana.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Admiral’s Order offers a unique twist to counterplay, making it a flexible addition to blue decks that require defense during crucial turns, particularly during your own turn when casting important spells or attacking with a significant force.

Combo Potential: This card’s cost reduction effect when you have a commanding presence on the battlefield makes it ideal for synergizing with strategies that involve attacking and holding up mana for responses without sacrificing the tempo.

Meta-Relevance: In a game space where instant-speed interaction is key, Admiral’s Order stands out. Its ability to interfere with opponents’ game plans while protecting your own strategies is a substantial asset in various metagames, particularly those heavy with noncreature spells.


How to beat

Admiral’s Order, known for its tactical edge in Magic: The Gathering, throws a wrench into opponents’ plans, especially during the crucial combat phase. This card shines when countering spells that opponents cast during your turn. The reduced cost activation when a prized pirate attacks, making it a mere one mana counter, can catch adversaries off-guard. To effectively outmaneuver this card, consider timing your spells for moments outside the combat phase. Similarly, bait out your opponent’s counter strategy by playing less critical spells first, preserving your substantial plays for after they’ve potentially wasted their Admiral’s Order.

Watch for windows when your opponent is low on mana and vulnerable, reducing their ability to activate Admiral’s Order to its full potential. Playing around with this card’s limitations requires patience and strategic sequencing of your spells. Additionally, leveraging instants that counter Admiral’s Order itself or deploying bait spells to draw it out preemptively can neutralize this formidable control piece. Properly forecasting your opponent’s mana pool and playing habits will be your compass to sailing past the hurdles Admiral’s Order presents in MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you weave through the vast array of MTG spells, understanding the nuances of specific cards like Admiral’s Order can turn the tide of battle in your favor. This counterspell offers a clutch defense against your opponent’s strategies, especially when timed perfectly during the heat of combat. Leveraging its raid cost reduction can be a masterful play that secures victory. We invite you to harness the power of Admiral’s Order alongside other strategies for a collection that is as formidable as it is versatile. Dive deeper into the tactics and improve your deck’s resilience with us. Master the art of disruption and strengthen your MTG prowess today.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Admiral's Order MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Admiral's Order and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Admiral's Order has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-01-19 Raid abilities care only that you attacked with a creature. It doesn't matter how many creatures you attacked with, or which opponent or planeswalker controlled by an opponent those creatures attacked.
2018-01-19 Raid abilities evaluate the entire turn to see if you attacked with a creature. That creature doesn't have to still be on the battlefield. Similarly, the player or planeswalker it attacked doesn't have to still be in the game or on the battlefield, respectively.