Callous Dismissal MTG Card

Provides valuable tempo by returning a nonland permanent and creating a 1/1 token. Limited to sorcery speed, but enhances strategic plays in your main phases. Specific mana cost may restrict its inclusion in some multicolor decks.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Amass
Released	2019-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	War of the Spark
Set code	WAR
Number	44
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mathias Kollros

Text of card

Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. Amass Zombies 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also a Zombie. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token first.)

"They make it clear we are nothing to them." —Lavinia

Cards like Callous Dismissal

Callous Dismissal serves as a versatile tool in the arsenal of blue spells in MTG. It shares a kinship with bounce spells like Unsummon, which also returns a target creature to its owner’s hand, but Callous Dismissal adds an additional layer of utility with its ability to create a 1/1 blue Army creature token through the Amass mechanic. Unsummon does not offer this extra board presence, focusing solely on the immediate tempo gain.

Another comparable card is Blink of an Eye which doesn’t just return creatures but can also target nonland permanents. While slightly steeper in cost, especially with its kicker option, it compensates players with the potential to draw a card, unlike the fixed outcome of Callous Dismissal’s token generation. Conversely, Disperse is similar in scope to Blink of an Eye, yet lacks the card draw ability, aligning it more closely with Callous Dismissal’s straightforward disruption.

When it comes to strategic selection, Callous Dismissal asserts itself as a hybrid choice, balancing creature bounce with a token creating aspect, enhancing its applicability in various game scenarios and providing incremental advantages.

Cards similar to Callous Dismissal by color, type and mana cost

Fae of Wishes // Granted - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Callous Dismissal. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	Bant Control	Gladiator		Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 11 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Callous Dismissal provides utility by bouncing an opponent’s creature or planeswalker. This disruption can set your opponent back while enhancing your board position, sometimes indirectly generating card advantage by undoing your opponent’s previous plays.

Resource Acceleration: The spell’s secondary effect creates a 1/1 Zombie army token upon resolution. This token serves as a resource for both offensive and defensive strategies, effectively accelerating your board presence without dedicating additional cards or mana.

Instant Speed: Though Callous Dismissal operates at sorcery speed, its ability to alter board state during your main phases allows for strategic planning. It can pave the way for your attacks or remove a newly cast threat before it has a chance to impact the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable for Callous Dismissal, as it does not require card discarding, enhancing gameplay versatility.

Specific Mana Cost: Callous Dismissal requires one generic and one blue mana, making it less flexible for multicolor decks that may not prioritize blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though the mana cost is not particularly high, in fast-paced games, spending two mana to return a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand with only a single Amass token as a side effect might be less efficient compared to other lower-cost interactive spells in the format.

Reasons to Include Callous Dismissal in Your Collection

Versatility: Callous Dismissal is a utility spell that helps control decks bounce opposing threats while also advancing board presence with a small army token. This card easily integrates into various blue-centric decks aiming to manage the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: The Amass token from Callous Dismissal can synchronize with strategies emphasizing token generation or using tokens to fuel sacrifice synergies, adding a layer of strategic depth to gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with a focus on aggressive creature-based strategies, Callous Dismissal serves as a pivotal tempo swing, clearing the path for your win conditions or setting back your opponent’s development, making it a timely inclusion in certain deck builds.

How to Beat Callous Dismissal

Callous Dismissal serves as a useful utility spell, offering players the dual benefit of nonpermanent removal while also creating a creature token. Unlike unconditional removal spells, this sorcery bounces an opponent’s nonland permanent to their hand, providing temporary relief on the battlefield. To maneuver around its effect, maintain pace by leveraging spells that can be played at instant speed. This keeps your key pieces safe from sorcery-speed interaction.

Eternalize and embalm abilities provide a strategic advantage as creature cards can return transformed from the graveyard, nullifying the temporal setback of Callous Dismissal. Cards with flash also pose a threat as they can be played after Callous Dismissal resolves, quickly reestablishing board presence. Additionally, using cheap counterspells can effectively negate the disruption caused by this spell, ensuring your critical permanents remain on the field.

Understanding the tempo sway inherent in Callous Dismissal enables prepared players to anticipate and counter its impact. Through strategic planning and the correct deployment of instant-speed actions and resilient creatures, one can mitigate the card’s influence and maintain the desired state of play within the game of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Callous Dismissal MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark, 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 Callous Dismissal and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Callous Dismissal has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-05-03	Army is a new creature type. It’s possible to control a nontoken Army (perhaps a creature with the changeling ability) and, through combinations of other cards, it’s possible to control multiple Army tokens. When instructed to amass, you may put +1/+1 counters on any of your Army creatures, and you may choose a different one each time.
2019-05-03	If you don’t control an Army, the Zombie Army token that you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.
2019-05-03	Some spells that amass may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell tries to resolve, it doesn’t resolve. You won’t amass.