Isolate MTG Card

Core Set 2019 (M19)
2018-07-13 - Number 17

Core Set 2019 Promos (PM19)
2018-07-13 - Number 17s

Isolate - Pioneer Challenger Decks 2021 (Q06)

Pioneer Challenger Decks 2021 (Q06)
2021-10-15 - Number 3

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage by efficiently removing single-mana threats without losing hand resources.
Instant speed allows for flexible, reactionary plays during critical points in a match.
Restriction to permanents with mana cost one limits versatility, fitting specific deck builds.

Text of card

Exile target permanent with converted mana cost 1.

Threefold were his crimes, doubled were his pleas, singular was his fate.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Isolate gives you the upper hand by removing key low-cost creatures or enchantments your opponent controls, indirectly preserving the cards in your hand by dealing with threats efficiently.

Resource Acceleration: While Isolate doesn’t directly accelerate resources, by targeting and exiling a mana dork or a crucial low-cost artifact, it can slow down an opponent’s resource development, effectively tilting the resource balance in your favor.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Isolate at instant speed provides flexibility, allowing you to disrupt your opponent’s plays during their turn, or even in response to an activation or trigger, maximizing the potential impact on the game’s flow.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Isolate does not directly require a discard, but in a sense, it demands a one-for-one trade, which can be disadvantageous in matchups where each card in hand is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Isolate’s costing requires a single white mana, which, while seemingly convenient, pigeonholes it into white-centric or white splash decks, reducing its universal applicability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Isolate’s mana cost is low at one white mana, when considering its narrow application—exiling a target permanent with converted mana cost of one—it might not be the most mana-efficient answer in your deck, especially if the current meta game features few targets for this card.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Isolate is a single white mana instant that excels in its ability to remove key one-mana threats across a variety of decks. Its low cost and instant speed make it a flexible choice for players looking to enhance their defensive capabilities without sacrificing tempo.

Combo Potential: While Isolate may not be a combo enabler in the traditional sense, its ability to disrupt opponents’ early-game combos or key setup pieces can be instrumental in securing a win. Being able to interrupt a critical component of an opponent’s strategy can tilt the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where low-cost creatures, enchantments, or artifacts dictate the pace of the game, Isolate becomes an essential tool. It keeps aggro decks in check and prevents the setup of more complex board states in the early game, making it a strategic addition to your collection.

How to beat

Isolate might seem like a minuscule threat given its single white mana cost, but its ability to exile a target permanent with mana value 1 can disrupt early game strategies effectively in Magic: The Gathering. Beating Isolate requires careful consideration of the cards played. It’s most effective against aggressive decks that rely on a quick build-up of one-cost permanents.

Avoiding an early game setback from Isolate can be as simple as diversifying mana costs within your deck, ensuring you’re not overly susceptible to single-target removal spells. Alternatively, cards with enter-the-battlefield effects or those that provide value even when removed from the battlefield can negate Isolate’s potential impact. Instant-speed spells and abilities that boost the mana value of your permanents above Isolate’s reach are also key in rendering the card ineffective.

Strategically, pacing your plays to bait out an Isolate before deploying more valuable one-mana permanents can conserve your momentum on the battlefield. Knowing when to hold back and when to apply pressure against an opponent wielding Isolate can mean the difference between an early disadvantage and maintaining a strong board presence.

Cards like Isolate

Isolate has carved a unique niche for itself within the realm of removal in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out due to its remarkably low cost and its specific targeting of permanents with a converted mana cost of 1. This specificity draws parallels to other pinpoint removal spells, such as Path to Exile, which can exile any creature for a single white mana but gives an opponent a land in return.

Comparing further, Swords to Plowshares is another efficient removal spell, also exiling creatures regardless of their mana cost, but at the cost of granting the opponent life. Despite these alternatives, Isolate’s precision against low-cost targets without compensating opponents makes it distinctive. Additionally, we find cards like Disenchant, which offer the flexibility to remove artifacts or enchantments. However, Disenchant can’t match the low mana threshold that Isolate boasts.

While each removal spell offers various advantages, Isolate’s value lies in efficiently dealing with early game threats, a strategy that’s indispensable in fast-paced matches where every mana point is critical.

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Isolate by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Isolate MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019 and Core Set 2019 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 Isolate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Isolate Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-07-13 and 2021-10-15. Illustrated by Victor Adame Minguez.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2018-07-13	Core Set 2019	M19	17	2015	Normal	Black	Victor Adame Minguez
2	2018-07-13	Core Set 2019 Promos	PM19	17s	2015	Normal	Black	Victor Adame Minguez
3	2021-10-15	Pioneer Challenger Decks 2021	Q06	3	2015	Normal	Black	Victor Adame Minguez

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Isolate 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 Isolate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.