Propaganda MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 12 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Propaganda impacts game pacing by taxing opponents’ creature attacks for mana.
  2. It serves as a defensive measure, preserving mana for other strategic uses.
  3. Despite being an enchantment, its effect resembles an instant, continuously influencing the game.

Text of card

Each turn, each creature cannot attack you unless its controller pays an additional for that creature.

"You've failed Gerrard. You've failed the Legacy. You've failed yourself. I can do no more." —Volrath, to Karn


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Propaganda is a pivotal enchantment that can effectively dictate the pacing of the game. By compelling opponents to pay additional mana for each creature they want to attack with, you safeguard your life points and potentially force them to overcommit their resources, giving you an advantageous position.

Resource Acceleration: While Propaganda doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, it helps conserve them by reducing the need to cast creatures or spells for defense. This passive defense mechanism allows you to allocate mana towards more strategic plays or advancing your board state.

Instant Speed: Although Propaganda operates at enchantment speed, its impact is felt immediately. Once on the battlefield, it’s an ever-present threat that must be considered by opponents at every phase of their turn, making it akin to having an instant’s effect on the game state at all times.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Propaganda does not necessitate discarding cards, having it on the field doesn’t protect your hand or alleviate the pressure from discard strategies deployed by opponents. This leaves a gap in defenses that could be exploited.

Specific Mana Cost: Propaganda’s necessity for blue mana can be restrictive for non-blue or multicolored decks. Its placement in a deck requires careful mana base planning to ensure its playability, especially in the early game where its effect is most impactful.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s cost sits at three mana, which although not exorbitant, is a significant early-game investment for an effect that doesn’t immediately alter the board state. Other three-mana spells could advance your game plan more directly, making Propaganda a potentially slower option in fast-paced metas.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Propaganda is a staple in blue control decks, offering a reliable means of deterring attacks by taxing opponents. Its ability to seamlessly slot into various strategies makes it a flexible addition to your collection.

Combo Potential: While Propaganda itself does not directly engage with combos, it serves as an enabler by keeping your life total stable. This protection allows players to assemble their combo pieces without the pressure of incoming creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta densely populated with aggressive creature decks, Propaganda is particularly potent. It stands as a formidable deterrent, giving you the upper hand against opponents who rely on swarm tactics.


How to beat

Propaganda is a notably formidable enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, placing a unique tax on opponents who wish to attack you. With a two-blue mana cost, its ability is straightforward but powerful, potentially deterring multi-creature onslaughts. Comparing it to other taxing cards like Ghostly Prison or Norn’s Annex, the blue-centric Propaganda becomes essential in blue control decks to fortify defenses without using actual creature cards.

To effectively navigate around Propaganda’s obstacle, players can employ various strategies. One method is utilizing enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize to directly eliminate the card itself. In matchups that rely on creature-based combat, it is crucial to include such tools in your deck. Players can also sidestep Propaganda’s tax by leveraging creature abilities that don’t require them to attack, such as tapping to deal damage or utilizing cards that penalize opponents with effects that bypass the combat phase altogether.

Overall, while Propaganda provides a solid defense in MTG control strategies, understanding and integrating counters within your deck can ensure you’re not caught off guard by this strategic enchantment. With the right approach, Propaganda’s influence on the game can be mitigated, allowing for a full assault against your opponent’s life total.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastery in MTG often comes down to the strategic layering of your deck and understanding how to optimize each card’s potential. Propaganda serves as a prime example of a defensive enchantment that can pivot the momentum of a match in your favor, helping to protect your hit points while you build toward victory. Whether you’re facing fast-paced decks or trying to secure your combo pieces, incorporating cards like Propaganda can strengthen your defensive line. Discover how this card can be a silent champion in your arsenal by enhancing strategic depth and resource management. Deepen your knowledge and tactics—head over to learn more about fortifying your MTG gameplay with Propaganda.


Cards like Propaganda

Propaganda is a unique enchantment in MTG that taxes opponents for each creature they attack you with. A similar enchantment is Ghostly Prison which shares the same effect, but its lore and visual portrayal differ, giving Propaganda its distinct identity within the blue color pie. When players evaluate their defensive strategies, Ghostly Prison often comes into the conversation alongside Propaganda.

Another card that mirrors the tax effect is Sphere of Safety, which can potentially tax opponents even more based on the number of enchantments you control. Although Sphere of Safety offers greater protection scalability, its higher mana cost compared to Propaganda makes it a little slower to hit the battlefield. Moreover, players tend to prefer Propaganda for its stability and consistency in decks not heavily focusing on enchantments.

Collectively, while each enchantment offers a nuanced approach to taxing opponents’ attacks, Propaganda stands out for its ability to integrate effectively into various blue-based control decks. Its steady cost and immediate impact make it a go-to card for players looking to keep their defenses up while they set up their game plan.

Ghostly Prison - MTG Card versions
Sphere of Safety - MTG Card versions
Ghostly Prison - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Sphere of Safety - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Propaganda by color, type and mana cost

Feedback - MTG Card versions
In the Eye of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Undertow - MTG Card versions
Mana Vortex - MTG Card versions
Energy Flux - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Trance - MTG Card versions
Soul Barrier - MTG Card versions
Puppet Master - MTG Card versions
Intruder Alarm - MTG Card versions
Equilibrium - MTG Card versions
Mana Breach - MTG Card versions
Checks and Balances - MTG Card versions
Douse - MTG Card versions
Charisma - MTG Card versions
Traveler's Cloak - MTG Card versions
Shifting Sky - MTG Card versions
Threads of Disloyalty - MTG Card versions
Pemmin's Aura - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Study - MTG Card versions
Memory Erosion - MTG Card versions
Feedback - Fifth Edition (5ED)
In the Eye of Chaos - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Undertow - Legends (LEG)
Mana Vortex - The Dark (DRK)
Energy Flux - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Mesmeric Trance - Ice Age (ICE)
Soul Barrier - Ice Age (ICE)
Puppet Master - Chronicles (CHR)
Intruder Alarm - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Equilibrium - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Mana Breach - Exodus (EXO)
Checks and Balances - Unglued (UGL)
Douse - Urza's Saga (USG)
Charisma - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Traveler's Cloak - Invasion (INV)
Shifting Sky - Planeshift (PLS)
Threads of Disloyalty - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Pemmin's Aura - Scourge (SCG)
Rhystic Study - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Memory Erosion - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Propaganda MTG card by a specific set like Tempest 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 Propaganda and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Propaganda Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 801997normalblackJeff Miracola
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 552003normalblackJeff Miracola
32013-11-01Commander 2013C13 532003normalblackClint Cearley
42015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 312015normalblackJeff Miracola
52016-11-11Commander 2016C16 942015normalblackClint Cearley
62019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4622015normalblackClint Cearley
72020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1232015normalblackClint Cearley
82020-09-26The ListPLST C16-942015normalblackClint Cearley
92021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 912015normalblackClint Cearley
102022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7302015normalblackClint Cearley
112023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2192015normalblackErikas Perl
122023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8102015normalblackErikas Perl

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Propaganda has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 If there are multiple attacks in a turn, then you have to pay for each attack.
2004-10-04 If there is more than one Propaganda on the battlefield, the cost is cumulative.
2004-10-04 Paying this cost is not an instant or any other kind of ability, it is an additional cost on the declaration of the attacker.
2004-10-04 The payment is made during the declare attackers step at the same time you are declaring the attacker.
2007-02-01 In the Two-Headed Giant format, you still only have to pay once per creature.
2014-02-01 Unless some effect explicitly says otherwise, a creature that can't attack you can still attack a planeswalker you control.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks