Disallow MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Disallow’s ability to negate spells and abilities at instant speed offers strategic flexibility during games.
  2. The specific mana cost and discard requirement of Disallow call for thoughtful deck building and play.
  3. Inclusion of Disallow responds to meta shifts, countering combos and crucial opponent triggers effectively.

Text of card

Counter target spell, activated ability, or triggered ability. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)

"How easily your flames are quenched." —Baral, Chief of Compliance


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Disallow offers a distinct edge by negating an opponent’s spell or ability, essentially negating their move and preserving your cards for more impactful plays.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting resources, Disallow aids in resource management by keeping the board state in your favor, preventing opponents from accelerating their own resources.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Disallow is a strategic boon, allowing you to react swiftly to any threats or key plays your opponent makes, often catching them off-guard and shifting the momentum of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Disallow requires you to discard as part of its casting cost, making it a tricky play when your hand size is already reduced. This can put players at a disadvantage, forcing them to give up other potential plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands an exact combination of mana, making it less flexible for multicolored decks that may struggle to provide the required blue mana consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a higher mana cost than some alternative countermagic options, Disallow can be a costly investment, especially considering other spells might accomplish similar results with greater efficiency.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Disallow is a highly adaptable card that can fit seamlessly into a variety of decks, particularly those that could be hindered by opponents’ spells or abilities. Its capability to counter any spell, activated ability, or triggered ability makes it a universal answer to threats.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to counter key pieces of opponents’ combos can disrupt their strategy and provide you with a significant advantage. Conversely, it can protect your own combos by countering any interaction your opponent might attempt.

Meta-Relevance: Due to its broad applicability, Disallow stays relevant regardless of fluctuating meta conditions. It is particularly potent against decks that rely heavily on specific triggers or abilities to win the game.


How to beat

The card Disallow stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a versatile staple in control decks, capable of countering not just spells but also abilities. When facing an opponent wielding such pinpoint counterspell tactics, your strategy shifts to overloading their resources. Playing multiple threats at once can pressure the control player to make difficult decisions, potentially overextending their counters.

Numerous cards in MTG can serve as a counter to Disallow by offering uncounterable spells, like Carnage Tyrant or spells that can’t be countered by spells or abilities. Alternatively, cards like Boseiju, Who Shelters All can make your spells uncounterable, directly negating Disallow’s effectiveness. Additionally, incorporating a denser mix of instant-speed spells in your own arsenal allows you to cast threats during their end phase, leaving your opponent less mana to work with during your turn.

Ultimately, the chess match against a control deck wielding Disallow boils down to smart resource play and timing, baiting out the counter when you can afford it, and going for the win when their guard is down.


Cards like Disallow

Disallow is an intriguing counter spell in MTG, often juxtaposed with other notable cards in its group, such as Cancel. Both Disallow and Cancel prevent a spell or ability from resolving, however, Disallow’s unique strength is its ability to counter abilities as well, providing broader control possibilities. While Cancel stands as a straightforward and easily accessible counter, Disallow’s flexibility to also stifle activations and triggered abilities justifies the slight mana cost increase.

Another peer in this category is Void Shatter. While both cards carry the same mana cost, Disallow comes out ahead due to its ability to nullify on-field abilities, not just spells on the stack. This detail can be game changing, making Disallow a more comprehensive solution for threats. Admittedly, Void Shatter does exiles the countered spell, preventing further graveyard interactions, which could be advantageous in specific scenarios.

Evaluating these comparisons, Disallow holds a distinct place among its peers, providing a versatile solution for disruptive strategies. It’s a testament to its powerful utility in MTG where flexibility can be key to mastering the game’s complex and ever-evolving dynamics.

Cancel - MTG Card versions
Void Shatter - MTG Card versions
Cancel - Time Spiral (TSP)
Void Shatter - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Cards similar to Disallow by color, type and mana cost

Mana Short - MTG Card versions
Psionic Blast - MTG Card versions
Capsize - MTG Card versions
Forbid - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Exclude - MTG Card versions
Crystal Spray - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Ixidor's Will - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Vex - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Venser's Diffusion - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Oona's Grace - MTG Card versions
Mana Short - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Psionic Blast - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Capsize - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Forbid - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Frantic Search - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Exclude - Invasion (INV)
Crystal Spray - Invasion (INV)
Hibernation - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Circular Logic - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Keep Watch - Judgment (JUD)
Archmage's Charm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Commander's Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ixidor's Will - Onslaught (ONS)
Catalog - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Vex - Darksteel (DST)
Thirst for Knowledge - World Championship Decks 2004 (WC04)
Murmurs from Beyond - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Venser's Diffusion - Future Sight (FUT)
Dream Fracture - Eventide (EVE)
Oona's Grace - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Disallow MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt Promos and Aether Revolt Promos, 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 Disallow and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Disallow Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Min Yum.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-01-20Aether Revolt PromosPAER 31p2015normalblackMin Yum
22017-01-20Aether Revolt PromosPAER 31s2015normalblackMin Yum
32017-01-20Aether RevoltAER 312015normalblackMin Yum
42020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 462015normalblackMin Yum

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Disallow 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 Disallow card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2017-02-09 Abilities that create replacement effects, such as a permanent entering the battlefield tapped or with counters on it, can’t be targeted. Abilities that apply “as
-his creature] enters the battlefield” are also replacement effects and can’t be targeted.
2017-02-09 Activated abilities are written in the form “Cost: Effect.” Some keyword abilities, such as equip and crew, are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder texts.
2017-02-09 An activated mana ability is one that adds mana to a player’s mana pool as it resolves, doesn’t have a target, and isn’t a loyalty ability. A triggered mana ability is one that adds mana to a player’s mana pool and triggers on an activated mana ability.
2017-02-09 If you counter a delayed triggered ability that triggers at the beginning of the “next” occurrence of a specified step or phase, that ability won’t trigger again the following time that phase or step occurs.
2017-02-09 Triggered abilities use the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They’re often written as “
-rigger condition],
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities, such as prowess and fabricate, are triggered abilities and will have “when,” “whenever,” or “at” in their reminder text.
2018-01-19 There are many important moments in the story, but the most crucial—called “story spotlights”—are shown on cards. These cards have the Planeswalker symbol in their text box; this symbol has no effect on gameplay. You can read more about these events in the official Magic fiction at http://www.mtgstory.com.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks