Stroke of Midnight MTG Card


Stroke of Midnight offers significant card advantage by reclaiming creatures, keeping your hand stocked for ongoing pressure. Enhancing resource acceleration, the card can rapidly return high-value creatures to play, accelerating your game tempo. Its instant speed play provides flexibility, allowing players to react and adapt strategically during crucial game moments.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Destroy target nonland permanent. Its controller creates a 1/1 white Human creature token.

The assembled partygoers fell silent and stared. As the helmet came to a clattering stop, the only sound was Ash's distant footsteps.


Cards like Stroke of Midnight

Stroke of Midnight is a unique entrant into the library of cards within the MTG universe. This card echoes the traits of previously seen instant spells like Cinder Wind or Far // Away, with its ability to impact the board with immediacy. Comparing it to Cinder Wind, both cards allow for an instant reaction to an opponent’s actions. However, Stroke of Midnight requires a more specific set of circumstances to be met, such as the time of day in-game.

There’s also an interesting contrast when looking at Far // Away, as it combines the power of forcing a player to sacrifice a creature and the chance to bounce another to the hand. Yet, Stroke of Midnight’s power hinges on the stroke of midnight game condition, adding a flavorful twist to its spellcasting. Additionally, similar to spells like Moonmist that also interact with the game’s day and night mechanic, Stroke of Midnight demands strategic play, as timing can profoundly influence its effectiveness. Unlike Moonmist, which transforms all humans and prevents damage from non-werewolf creatures, Stroke of Midnight extends its influence with direct creature removal.

In sum, while there are several cards with resonant features, Stroke of Midnight stands out with its unique dependence on the day and night mechanic and impactful board presence, providing MTG players with a thematic and strategic tool to enhance gameplay.

Far // Away - MTG Card versions
Moonmist - MTG Card versions
Far // Away - MTG Card versions
Moonmist - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Stroke of Midnight. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WBRWBR StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 29, 2024
Mono-White AggroMono-White Aggro GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 15 2024
Azorius ControlAzorius Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Mono-White ControlMono-White Control GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024
Boros ControlBoros Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Bant ControlBant Control GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Orzhov MidrangeOrzhov Midrange StandardOrzhov MidrangeTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 11, 2024
Azorius FlashAzorius Flash GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 09 2024
Esper ControlEsper Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stroke of Midnight is a powerful option for players seeking to sustain a solid hand size. By returning a creature card from your graveyard to your hand, you maintain pressure on your opponents without losing momentum, effectively tipping the card quantity in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Notably, Stroke of Midnight can be key to getting back high-value creatures that generate additional resources or provide mana ramp. This swift recovery can be a game-changer, facilitating a faster advancement in your board state and potential for an overwhelming lead.

Instant Speed: The adaptability of playing Stroke of Midnight at instant speed cannot be overstated. This versatility allows strategic players to navigate their turns with more information, responding to threats or advantageous end-of-turn scenarios, maximizing their position before their own turn unfolds.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To play Stroke of Midnight, you need to discard a card from your hand, which can be a significant drawback when your hand is already running thin. This cost can deplete vital resources, especially in a tight game where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Stroke of Midnight requires a fixed three black mana to cast, which can be restrictive for multicolored decks not heavily focused on black mana. This specificity can hamper deck flexibility, necessitating a strong mana base in the correct color to be effective.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of six, including the three black mana, Stroke of Midnight is considered expensive for the effect it brings to the battlefield. There are alternative lower cost cards that could offer similar or better effects, making the card less appealing for players aiming for an efficient mana curve in their deck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Stroke of Midnight offers flexibility, as it can be a crucial piece in decks focusing on both tempo and control. Its utility shines in matches where you need to suddenly shift the balance in your favor.

Combo Potential: This card enables powerful interactions with graveyard-based strategies, offering fuel for reanimation tactics or spell recursion. Its synergy with cards that benefit from spell casting or instant and sorcery retrieval is significant.

Meta-Relevance: Given that many current decks focus on optimising play for crucial turns, Stroke of Midnight can disrupt opponents’ strategies while bolstering your own. Its potential to swing a tight game cannot be underestimated in ever-shifting competitive play.


How to beat

Stroke of Midnight, with its powerful ability to turn the tide in a duel, may seem daunting, but it can be outplayed. As with many cards in Magic: The Gathering, timing and anticipation are crucial. Cards with counterspell abilities are a straightforward method—deny its casting and maintain the upper hand. Cards such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto are excellent to have at the ready, as they can negate this card’s casting before its effects are felt.

Another approach involves removing key graveyard cards that your opponent may target with the ability of Stroke of Midnight. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt allow you to clear the graveyard, thus removing potential targets before Stroke of Midnight can be resolved. Discard strategies can also be useful, forcing your opponent to part with the card before they even get a chance to cast it. Thoughtseize or Duress are classic examples that can strip this card from your opponent’s hand, mitigating the threat preemptively.

Ultimately, while Stroke of Midnight could swing the game, being prepared with the right answers ensures that you keep control of the match. Understanding when and how to play disruption, the key to neutralizing threats, will serve you in every game of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring MTG is an endless adventure, and adding Stroke of Midnight to your arsenal only deepens the strategic layers of your deck-building. With its capacity for card advantage and resource acceleration at crucial game moments, this spell can be a linchpin in your graveyard-centric strategies. The instant speed and synergy with the day and night mechanic provide a dynamic edge, and understanding its place in the meta is vital. Dive deeper with us and discover how to optimize Stroke of Midnight’s potential, navigate its constraints, and integrate it seamlessly into your deck for game-winning plays. Elevate your strategy now.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stroke of Midnight MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine and Wilds of Eldraine, 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 Stroke of Midnight and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Stroke of Midnight Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-09-08 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by Julia Metzger.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 332015NormalBlackJulia Metzger
22023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 3752015NormalBlackJulia Metzger

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stroke of Midnight has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-09-01 If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Stroke of Midnight tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. No player creates a Human token. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), its controller does create a Human token.