Burden of Guilt MTG Card


Offers control by tapping creatures, disrupting enemy strategies and enabling advantageous board states. Efficiently uses mana, allowing flexibility and response readiness while progressing your game plan. Instant-speed activation grants tactical depth, crucial for reacting to threats or disrupting enemy combos.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Text of card

Enchant creature : Tap enchanted creature.

"Grab an axe and defend the gate! Your despair is an extravagance we can ill afford." —Thalia, Knight-Cathar


Cards like Burden of Guilt

Burden of Guilt stands as a unique piece in the enchantment arsenal of Magic: The Gathering. It’s often likened to Pacifism, as both cards serve to control opposing creatures by restricting their combat abilities. However, where Burden of Guilt shines is in its flexibility – it allows players to tap a creature at will by paying one mana. Unlike Pacifism, which offers a static binding effect, Burden of Guilt provides an ongoing tactical advantage.

In comparison, cards like Arrest offer a middle ground. Arrest not only taps a creature but also prevents that creature’s activated abilities, offering a stronger lockdown at a higher mana cost. Yet, it lacks the dynamic control granted by Burden of Guilt’s ability to repeatedly tap the affected creature. Claustrophobia also mimics this immobilisation theme by tapping a creature and preventing it from untapping during its controller’s untap step. It’s a one-time effect with no further mana investment needed, unlike the recurring cost associated with Burden of Guilt.

Considering these alternatives, Burden of Guilt holds its ground by providing players with a methodical approach to managing potential threats on the battlefield, aligning well with strategies that benefit from precise control over combat dynamics.

Pacifism - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Claustrophobia - MTG Card versions
Pacifism - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Claustrophobia - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Burden of Guilt by color, type and mana cost

White Ward - MTG Card versions
Green Ward - MTG Card versions
Holy Strength - MTG Card versions
Lance - MTG Card versions
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Armor of Faith - MTG Card versions
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Mask of Law and Grace - MTG Card versions
White Ward - MTG Card versions
Green Ward - MTG Card versions
Holy Strength - MTG Card versions
Lance - MTG Card versions
Consecrate Land - MTG Card versions
Animate Wall - MTG Card versions
Black Ward - MTG Card versions
Holy Armor - MTG Card versions
Blue Ward - MTG Card versions
Red Ward - MTG Card versions
Land Tax - MTG Card versions
Brainwash - MTG Card versions
Green Scarab - MTG Card versions
Blue Scarab - MTG Card versions
Spirit Link - MTG Card versions
Armor of Faith - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Armor - MTG Card versions
Flickering Ward - MTG Card versions
Limited Resources - MTG Card versions
Mask of Law and Grace - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Burden of Guilt doesn’t necessarily allow you to draw cards, but its ability to keep an opponent’s creature tapped can disrupt their strategies and indirectly lead to card advantage. By neutralizing opposing threats, you ensure your creatures can press an attack or defend effectively, potentially leading to a resource advantage on the board.

Resource Acceleration: Although Burden of Guilt doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, its low casting cost means you can deploy it while still keeping mana available for other spells. This efficient use of resources can give you an edge, ensuring you’re able to respond to multiple threats or further your board position.

Instant Speed: Burden of Guilt operates at sorcery speed, but its activated ability can be used at instant speed. This flexibility allows you to wait until the most opportune moment to tap an opponent’s creature, such as in response to an attack or to disrupt a combo, aligning Burden of Guilt’s utility with the tactical depth often found in instant-speed interactions.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Burden of Guilt requires a precise blend of mana to cast, which could be cumbersome in multicolor decks that might struggle with color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In some instances, the total investment to continuously tap a creature can add up, making it a less mana-efficient option for controlling the battlefield when compared to other cards with similar functions.

Discard Requirement: While the card itself does not have a discard requirement, managing its activated ability does necessitate an ongoing commitment of mana each turn. This can act as an indirect cost, potentially limiting your ability to play other cards or hold up mana for instant-speed interactions.


Reasons to Include Burden of Guilt in Your Collection

Versatility: Burden of Guilt stands out as a cost-effective control tool that’s ideal for decks that need to manage opponents’ creatures without permanently removing them. Its low casting cost allows for quick and flexible adaptation during the game, fitting seamlessly into a variety of deck types.

Combo Potential: This card offers significant synergy possibilities, particularly in decks that capitalize on tapping and untapping mechanics. It can be a key component in combos that aim to lock down potent threats or clear the way for your own creatures to attack unimpeded.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-centric strategies frequently dominating the match scene, having an affordable removal option can be critical. Burden of Guilt provides a recurring solution against formidable creatures, ensuring you maintain board control in a diverse meta.


How to beat

Overcoming the card Burden of Guilt in Magic: The Gathering can be a nuanced task. This enchantment clamps down on a creature, essentially pacifying it by allowing its controller to tap it at will. To navigate past this hurdle, it’s imperative to focus on removal strategies or abilities that can counteract such locking mechanisms. Naturalize and Disenchant, widely known for their ability to destroy enchantments, become valuable tools in liberating your creatures from the grip of Burden of Guilt.

Another effective method is employing creatures with the ability to untap themselves or utilizing cards that can untap another creature, sidestepping the continuous control that Burden of Guilt attempts to enforce. Additionally, strategies utilizing hexproof can be pre-emptively effective by stopping Burden of Guilt from ever latching onto a valuable target. In summary, though Burden of Guilt offers control players a powerful tool to neutralize threats, a well-prepared deck that can address enchantments or protect its creatures can ensure this card doesn’t dictate the flow of the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Burden of Guilt MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and The List, 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 Burden of Guilt and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Burden of Guilt Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2012-02-03. Illustrated by John Stanko.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-02-03Dark AscensionDKA 42003NormalBlackJohn Stanko
22020-09-26The ListPLST DKA-42003NormalBlackJohn Stanko

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Burden of Guilt has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-01-22 Only Burden of Guilt’s controller can activate its ability.