Reprisal MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Reprisal targets high-power creatures, enabling strategic removal without resource loss.
  2. Instant speed usage disrupts opponents, bolstering defense with timely action.
  3. While efficient, Reprisal’s specificity in targeting may limit its versatility.

Text of card

Bury target creature with power 4 or greater.

"The meek shall fight as one, and they shall overcome even the greatest of foes." —Halvor Arensson, Kjeldoran Priest


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Reprisal doesn’t directly provide card advantage in the usual sense but it does offer a strategic benefit by removing major threats from the gameplay, maintaining your board presence without losing your own resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Reprisal does not directly accelerate resources, effectively removing a large creature can save the mana typically needed for a more costly removal spell. This indirectly ensures your mana is available for other pivotal plays, thereby maximizing efficiency.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Reprisal allows for reactive plays during your opponent’s turn. This flexibility can disrupt your opponent’s strategy at a crucial moment, whether they’re attacking or committing to a game-changing play, giving you a strong defensive edge.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some other removal spells, Reprisal doesn’t ask you to discard, but it’s limited in that it can only target creatures with power 4 or greater, potentially leaving smaller threats on the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Reprisal requires white mana, which means it might not fit into all decks, especially those that run multiple colors and prioritize flexibility over targeted removal.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not overly expensive, in a fast-paced game, spending two mana could be considered a relatively high cost for a removal spell that has narrow targeting criteria, given that there is a range of lower-cost or more versatile removal options available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Reprisal serves as a powerful tool in decks looking to handle larger creatures on the battlefield. Its ability to destroy any creature with power 4 or greater for just two mana makes it a flexible sideboard option or even a main deck choice in creature-heavy formats.

Combo Potential: While Reprisal might not directly combo with other cards, it efficiently removes key threats, potentially disrupting an opponent’s combo or paving the way for your own strategic plays to go unhindered.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where large creatures dominate the scene, Reprisal becomes an essential answer. It’s particularly relevant when the meta shifts towards big-creature decks, providing a cost-effective solution to keep pace with the competitive landscape.


How to beat

Reprisal is an intriguing card in the MTG arsenal, primarily designed to deal with large creatures. It targets creatures with four or more power and destroys them, which can be a blow to many deck strategies that rely on hefty creatures to dominate the battlefield. To precisely counter this card, it’s essential to diversify your creature base. Incorporate creatures with varied power levels, especially those below the four-power threshold, ensuring they remain immune to Reprisal’s effect.

Another strategy involves utilizing hexproof or indestructible creatures, which can provide a protective shield against such targeted removal spells. Alternatively, capitalizing on instant-speed spells that buff your creatures in response to Reprisal can save them from destruction, turning the tables and potentially leaving your opponent at a disadvantage. It’s also beneficial to have counter spells at hand if you’re playing colors that allow it, ready to cancel out Reprisal and maintain your board presence. Wisely navigating around Reprisal involves a blend of strategy, anticipation, and a well-constructed deck that does not overcommit to vulnerable targets.


Cards like Reprisal

Reprisal is a classic removal tool found in Magic: The Gathering, designed to eliminate threats with high power. Its closest comparison is perhaps with cards like Smite the Monstrous. Both serve as efficient answers to large creatures, yet while Reprisal requires the target creature to have power 4 or greater, Smite the Monstrous raises the bar, only targeting those with power 5 or greater. This small variance can be crucial in many scenarios, giving Reprisal an edge in a wider array of situations.

Another card worth mentioning is Sunlance, which, while it hits any creature regardless of its power for 3 damage, does not guarantee the destruction of larger threats as Reprisal does. Sunlance also can’t bypass creatures with damage prevention or indestructibility, whereas Reprisal circumvents these by not dealing damage but rather destroying based on a power threshold.

To cap off, Reprisal’s unique positioning within destruction spells comes from its balance of cost-efficiency and power-centric removal. It stands out among its counterparts with the ability to disrupt power-focused decks, granting players a decisive edge at a pivotal moment. For those constructing a deck with removals, the power precision of Reprisal could be a game changer.

Smite the Monstrous - MTG Card versions
Sunlance - MTG Card versions
Smite the Monstrous - Innistrad (ISD)
Sunlance - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Cards similar to Reprisal by color, type and mana cost

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Divine Offering - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
Lightning Blow - MTG Card versions
Sacred Boon - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Remedy - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Shield - MTG Card versions
Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
Shield Wall - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Razor Barrier - MTG Card versions
Test of Faith - MTG Card versions
Echoing Calm - MTG Card versions
Bathe in Light - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Divine Offering - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Alabaster Potion - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Lightning Blow - Ice Age (ICE)
Sacred Boon - Ice Age (ICE)
Invulnerability - Tempest (TMP)
Remedy - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Rhystic Shield - Prophecy (PCY)
Samite Ministration - Invasion (INV)
Shield Wall - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Life Burst - Odyssey (ODY)
Shelter - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Equal Treatment - Torment (TOR)
Aura Extraction - Onslaught (ONS)
Raise the Alarm - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Razor Barrier - Mirrodin (MRD)
Test of Faith - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Echoing Calm - Darksteel (DST)
Bathe in Light - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Dawn Charm - Commander Legends (CMR)

Where to buy

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

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Printings

The Reprisal Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2014-05-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 13a1993normalblackRandy Asplund-Faith
21996-06-10AlliancesALL 13b1993normalblackRandy Asplund-Faith
31999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 371997normalwhiteRandy Asplund-Faith
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 33★1997normalblackCiruelo
52001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 331997normalwhiteCiruelo
62002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 bk33sb1997normalgoldCiruelo
72008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 291997normalblackRandy Asplund-Faith
82011-04-01Duel Decks: Knights vs. DragonsDDG 272003normalblackCiruelo
92014-05-02Journey into NyxJOU 232003normalblackRaymond Swanland

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reprisal has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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