Ashiok's Erasure MTG Card
2020-01-24 - Number 43p
2020-01-24 - Number 43s
2020-01-24 - Number 43
2020-01-24 - Number 304
2002-06-24 - Number 79897
Text of card
Flash When Ashiok's Erasure enters the battlefield, exile target spell. Your opponents can't cast spells with the same name as the exiled card. When Ashiok's Erasure leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to its owner's hand.
Cards like Ashiok's Erasure
Ashiok’s Erasure stands out within the realm of Magic: The Gathering with its unique ability to not only counter a spell but to exile it while it remains on the battlefield. It bears resemblance to other control spells like Dissolve, which also counters target spells and has the added bonus of scrying. However, Dissolve’s effect ends there, unlike Ashiok’s Erasure which continuously prevents the casting of spells with the same name.
Another akin card is Meddling Mage, which also prohibits the casting of certain spells. However, whereas Meddling Mage selects a card upon entering the battlefield, Ashiok’s Erasure requires a spell to be cast, countering and then locking it out as long as it remains in play. Finally, we look at Void Shatter, which does counter and exile a spell, but without the ongoing suppression Ashiok’s Erasure provides.
Ultimately, Ashiok’s Erasure offers a dual benefit as a counterspell with its persistent exile effect that can substantially disrupt opponents’ strategies in Magic: The Gathering. This dual functionality positions it as a card with potency in control decks, suppressing adversaries and shaping the flow of the game.
Cards similar to Ashiok's Erasure by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ashiok’s Erasure provides a twofold advantage. First, it exiles an opponent’s spell, effectively negating it and reducing their resources. Then, as long as Ashiok’s Erasure remains on the battlefield, that card remains exiled, continuing to deprive them of a potentially vital piece of their strategy. This continues to apply pressure and hinders your opponent from fully utilizing their deck’s capabilities.
Resource Acceleration: While Ashiok’s Erasure doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it helps maintain your tempo by disrupting your opponent’s plan. This stalling can be as advantageous as acceleration as it can give you those critical extra turns to deploy your own threats or set up answers without having to worry about what your opponent might have had in store.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of Ashiok’s Erasure can’t be understated. Being able to cast it at instant speed means you can respond to your opponent’s threats in real-time, ensuring that your defenses are as proactive as they are unanticipated. This instant intervention can swing the momentum of the game in your favor, catching your adversary off-guard and leaving them scrambling for a response.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike some other control spells, Ashiok’s Erasure doesn’t directly provide a discard mechanism, which means that it doesn’t help to diminish your opponent’s hand resources. This can be a setback when facing decks with a heavy focus on card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Ashiok’s Erasure requires both blue and colorless mana to cast. This can be a challenge for multi-color decks and may restrict its inclusion mainly to blue or blue-focused control decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two generic and two blue mana, Ashiok’s Erasure is on the higher side compared to other counterspells. This may result in a tempo loss, especially when playing against fast-paced aggro decks that deploy multiple threats in the early game.
Reasons to Include Ashiok’s Erasure in Your Collection
Versatility: Ashiok’s Erasure proves to be a flexible tool in any blue-centric control or midrange deck. Its ability to exile spells provides a unique form of disruption that can interrupt opponents’ plans while skirting traditional removal.
Combo Potential: This enchantment can play a key role in strategies that capitalize on spell casting and nontraditional counters. It works wonders with cards that manipulate exile, offering a combo route for innovative players.
Meta-Relevance: In environments heavy with repeatable instances or must-answer threats, Ashiok’s Erasure shines by selectively neutralizing recurring problems. It can be particularly effective when the game revolves around high-impact individual spells.
How to beat
Ashiok’s Erasure stands out as a unique blue enchantment within the vast array of control cards available to players. This spell not only exiles a target spell as it’s cast but also prevents the opponent from casting spells with the same name as the exiled card for as long as Ashiok’s Erasure remains on the battlefield. Defeating this particular card requires strategic planning and a well-timed response.
Players facing Ashiok’s Erasure can opt for enchantment removal tools such as Naturalize or Disenchant to directly target and eliminate the enchantment, thereby freeing up their spell arsenal. Alternatively, utilizing spells with varied names that achieve similar effects can circumvent the limitations posed by Ashiok’s Erasure, preserving your ability to affect the game state. Instants that can be cast in response, like Negate or Dovin’s Veto, can prevent Ashiok’s Erasure from resolving, thus keeping your key spells safe. Recognizing the value of spell diversity and maintaining access to instant-speed interaction becomes essential in overcoming the disruption Ashiok’s Erasure brings to the table.
In essence, by integrating versatile answers and maintaining a diverse spell repertoire, players can adeptly navigate around Ashiok’s Erasure and continue to advance their gameplay objectives, ensuring minimal disruption from this potent control card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ashiok's Erasure MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Theros Beyond Death 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 Ashiok's Erasure and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Ashiok's Erasure Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by Zezhou Chen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 79897 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen | ||
| 2 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death Promos | PTHB | 43p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen | |
| 3 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death Promos | PTHB | 43s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen | |
| 4 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death | THB | 43 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen | |
| 5 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death | THB | 304 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ashiok's Erasure has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ashiok's Erasure card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-01-24 | If Ashiok’s Erasure has exiled a split card, your opponents can’t cast a spell with the same name as either half of that card. |
| 2020-01-24 | If Ashiok’s Erasure has exiled an adventurer card, your opponents can’t cast spells with the same name as the creature, but may cast their Adventures. |
| 2020-01-24 | If Ashiok’s Erasure leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability has resolved, its last ability triggers and resolves with no effect, then its enters-the-battlefield ability exiles the target spell for the rest of the game. |
| 2020-01-24 | If there is no exiled card (perhaps because the exiled spell was a copy of a spell or was a commander spell that moved to the command zone in the Commander variant), or if the exiled card leaves exile somehow, Ashiok’s Erasure won’t stop players from casting spells. |
| 2020-01-24 | The exiled spell isn’t countered, but it won’t resolve. This works against spells that can’t be countered. |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.