Energy Arc MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Energy Arc excels in providing card advantage by redirecting numerous attacks while preserving player’s life and resources.
  2. Its instant speed casting allows for unexpected plays, giving players a robust defense and strategic flexibility.
  3. The requirement to discard a card for full effect can be a strategic setback, demanding careful hand management.

Text of card

Untap any number of target creatures. Those creatures neither deal nor receive damage in combat this turn.

"Relent, and you may transcend your situation." —Gerda Äagesdotter, Archmage of the Unseen


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Playing Energy Arc can potentially redirect multiple attacks with a single card, maintaining your life total while depleting an opponent’s resources without losing card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: By untapping creatures, Energy Arc allows you to reuse abilities or mana generation on the same turn, effectively speeding up your resource acquisition and giving you a decisive tempo boost.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Energy Arc at instant speed offers significant tactical flexibility, enabling surprise defenses and strategic trickery by disrupting your opponent’s attack flow during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Energy Arc’s ability stipulates that players must discard a card to fully benefit from its effect. This can be particularly taxing in game scenarios where hand size is already diminished, or when discarding could deprive you of crucial late-game plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Energy Arc comes with a mana cost that requires both generic and blue mana. This necessity can constrain deck building, as it necessitates a commitment to blue mana sources, potentially limiting the card’s inclusion to blue-centric or two-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost sitting above the curve for its specific effect, Energy Arc might not be the first pick when fine-tuning a deck for efficiency. Other cards in the same mana range could provide more impactful outcomes or interact more synergistically within a given deck archetype.


Reasons to Include Energy Arc in Your Collection

Versatility: Energy Arc offers a unique form of disruption and utility. It can be included in decks that focus on controlling the battlefield, allowing you to untap creatures either to reuse their abilities or simply to keep them ready as blockers.

Combo Potential: This card can pair well with creatures that have tap abilities, essentially providing you with a way to activate them twice in a turn cycle – once on your turn and once during an opponent’s turn after they’ve been untapped by Energy Arc.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where combat plays a significant role, Energy Arc can be a surprise element that shifts combat in your favor or disrupts an opponent’s strategy by negating their combat damage for a turn. It’s a smart addition if combat tricks and creature-based strategies are prevalent.


How to Beat Energy Arc

Energy Arc operates within a unique niche in Magic: The Gathering, offering a blend of protection and political strategy as it lets you untap any number of target creatures and prevent all combat damage they would deal this turn. But how can one strategically dismantle the usage of such a card in-game? The key lies in understanding its timing and capitalizing on windows of vulnerability.

Since Energy Arc only affects creatures that are tapped, the card suggests a defensive stance. Aggressive decks can pressure an Energy Arc user by encouraging them to commit their creatures to the board, effectively nullifying the card’s utility if they don’t have creatures ready to attack or block. Moreover, instant-speed removal spells or abilities that can disrupt the combat phase may render Energy Arc ineffective. Likewise, cards that restrict or counteract untapping can strategically undermine Energy Arc’s purpose and leave the opponent’s creatures vulnerable.

Timing is your friend when facing Energy Arc since it radiates its effect only for a turn. By carefully planning your combat phases and baiting out its use, Energy Arc’s advantage can be short-lived, ensuring your path to victory remains clear.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is akin to navigating an ever-shifting battlefield, and cards like Energy Arc add an element of sophistication to your strategic arsenal. Adaptability is key, and knowing when to integrate such unique cards can be game-changing. If you’re eager to refine your strategy and explore the depths of deck-building possibilities, tapping into the potential of cards like Energy Arc could be the turning point in your gameplay. With the right knowledge and timing, any duel can tilt in your favor. Delve deeper into the art of the craft with us and bring a new level of expertise to your next MTG clash.


Cards like Energy Arc

Energy Arc is an intriguing option for players seeking to untap creatures without engaging in combat in Magic: The Gathering. A comparative card is Maze of Ith, which can untap a single creature and prevent it from dealing damage, but does not necessarily tap other creatures in the process. Energy Arc stands out by allowing the redirection of several potential blockers to a more defensive stance post inflicting damage, providing flexibility during the combat phase.

Another notable counterpart is Reconnaissance, which shares the premise of removing a creature from combat while untapping it. However, Reconnaissance is an enchantment that can be used repeatedly, whereas Energy Arc is an instant that provides a one-time effect but applies to multiple creatures. Additionally, Turnabout is in the conversation; it can untap all creatures you control, among other modes, which can serve a similar defensive purpose or surprise offensive pivot.

Overall, in a comparison of utility and strategic positioning, Energy Arc presents a unique mix of combat trickery and untapping mechanics. It allows for a deft reorientation of creatures from aggressors to defenders, making it an asset in decks that capitalize on versatility and timing.

Maze of Ith - MTG Card versions
Reconnaissance - MTG Card versions
Turnabout - MTG Card versions
Maze of Ith - The Dark (DRK)
Reconnaissance - Exodus (EXO)
Turnabout - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Energy Arc by color, type and mana cost

Prismatic Boon - MTG Card versions
Momentary Blink - MTG Card versions
Overrule - MTG Card versions
Turn to Mist - MTG Card versions
Hindering Light - MTG Card versions
Feeling of Dread - MTG Card versions
Dramatic Rescue - MTG Card versions
Azorius Charm - MTG Card versions
Dovin's Veto - MTG Card versions
Faithful Mending - MTG Card versions
Disorder in the Court - MTG Card versions
Brokers' Safeguard - MTG Card versions
Protect the Negotiators - MTG Card versions
Argivian Welcome - MTG Card versions
Permission Denied - MTG Card versions
Officious Interrogation - MTG Card versions
No More Lies - MTG Card versions
Prismatic Boon - Mirage (MIR)
Momentary Blink - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Overrule - Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)
Turn to Mist - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Hindering Light - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Feeling of Dread - Shadows of the Past (SIS)
Dramatic Rescue - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Azorius Charm - The List (PLST)
Dovin's Veto - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Faithful Mending - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Disorder in the Court - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Brokers' Safeguard - Alchemy: New Capenna (YSNC)
Protect the Negotiators - Dominaria United (DMU)
Argivian Welcome - Alchemy: The Brothers' War (YBRO)
Permission Denied - Jurassic World Collection (REX)
Officious Interrogation - Murders at Karlov Manor Promos (PMKM)
No More Lies - Murders at Karlov Manor (MKM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Energy Arc MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Masters Edition, 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 Energy Arc and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Energy Arc Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by Terese Nielsen.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 1061993normalblackTerese Nielsen
22007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1441997normalblackTerese Nielsen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Energy Arc has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-09-16 Energy Arc can target untapped creatures. The second part of the effect will still affect them.
2007-09-16 The number of target creatures may be zero.

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