Cleansing Beam MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 118
2011-06-17 - Number 116
2017-06-09 - Number 78
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Radiance |
Text of card
Radiance Cleansing Beam deals 2 damage to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it.
"Justice is toothless without punishment. Righteousness cannot succeed without the suffering of the guilty." —Razia
Cards like Cleansing Beam
Cleansing Beam is an intriguing card in MTG, primarily known for its potential to affect multiple targets. It shares a space with cards like Radiant Flames, which allows for a customizable damage output to each creature on the board. However, Cleansing Beam excels in multi-colored token strategies, as it increases damage to creatures sharing a color.
Another card worth mentioning in this context is Chain Reaction, which calculates damage based on the number of creatures on the field. While both spells can serve as board wipes, Cleansing Beam is particularly potent in a game with decks centered on a common color theme. Then there’s Blasphemous Act, a devastating spell that can clear an entire board regardless of color, which is often more mana-intensive than Cleansing Beam, unless the battlefield is crowded with creatures.
After comparing these spells, it’s clear Cleansing Beam holds its own as a strategic choice in MTG deck building. With its unique interaction with color and ability to potentially dish out vast amounts of damage, it’s a worthy inclusion for players looking to harness the power of damage-based board control.
Cards similar to Cleansing Beam by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Cleansing Beam card can potentially deal damage to multiple creatures with the same color, offering the potential to eliminate several threats at once and therefore swing the balance of card advantage in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While Cleansing Beam doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it does support your mana investment by clearing the board of multiple threats, preserving your own resources for subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: Cleansing Beam’s potential to be cast at instant speed allows for strategic flexibility. You can time your actions precisely, using it to disrupt an opponent’s combat phase or end-of-turn setup, maximizing your tactical advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While not a factor for Cleansing Beam, discarding cards often calls for calculated play as it impacts hand resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Cleansing Beam demands a Red and White mana, making it exclusive to decks that can accommodate such a color combination.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting price of five mana, which includes Red and White specific mana, Cleansing Beam may be a less agile option against lower-cost cards with similar damage output. Such alternatives could offer more adaptability in aggressive strategies or decks with a tighter mana curve.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cleansing Beam has a spot in decks that can manipulate damage increases or reductions. Its ability to scale and affect each creature the same can turn the tide in board states cluttered with opposing creatures.
Combo Potential: The card synergizes well with strategies that capitalize on damage spread across multiple creatures, such as enablers for the “radiance” mechanic or with cards that benefit from creatures being dealt damage.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where multi-colored creatures frequently dominate play, Cleansing Beam can serve as a critical reset tool, effectively dealing with a wide spread of threats and maintaining board control.
How to beat
Cleansing Beam can become a pivotal card when playing against multi-colored creature decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to deal damage to each creature of the color it targets makes it an efficient board sweeper in the right circumstances. Facing this card, the strategy shifts towards diversifying the color of your creatures, avoiding overcommitting creatures of a single color to the battlefield. Introducing colorless creatures or those with protection from red can also nullify the effect of Cleansing Beam.
It’s essential to be conscious of the mana your opponent has available and their potential to cast Cleansing Beam. Counter spells, if in your colors, can serve as a direct answer to this threat, and keeping mana open for them when your opponent reaches five mana could be crucial. Moreover, leveraging instant-speed removal or creature abilities in response to Cleansing Beam — to either save your creatures or at least reap some value before they’re potentially destroyed — can help mitigate losses and maintain board presence.
To effectively navigate around Cleansing Beam, one must maintain a healthy balance on the board, anticipate the potential risks, and utilize the tools at their disposal to either counteract or lessen its impact, ensuring sustained advantage in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cleansing Beam MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Commander 2011, 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 Cleansing Beam and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Cleansing Beam Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2017-06-09. Illustrated by Pat Lee.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 118 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Pat Lee | |
| 2 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 116 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Pat Lee | |
| 3 | 2017-06-09 | Commander Anthology | CMA | 78 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Pat Lee |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cleansing Beam has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cleansing Beam card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2005-10-01 | A creature “shares a color” with any creature that is at least one of its colors. For example, a green-white creature shares a color with creatures that are green, white, green-white, red-white, black-green, and so on. |
| 2005-10-01 | All creatures that share a color are affected, even your own. |
| 2005-10-01 | If it targets a colorless creature, it doesn’t affect any other creatures. A colorless creature shares a color with nothing, not even other colorless creatures. |
| 2005-10-01 | Only one creature is targeted. If that creature leaves the battlefield or otherwise becomes an illegal target, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. No other creatures are affected. |
| 2005-10-01 | You check which creatures share a color with the target when the spell resolves. |