Impulsive Return MTG Card


Impulsive Return - Defeat a God
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released2014-05-25
Set symbol
Set nameDefeat a God
Set codeTDAG
Number10
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCyril Van Der Haegen

Key Takeaways

  1. Gaining card advantage by reviving creatures potentially shifts game balance in your favor.
  2. Instant speed casting of Impulsive Return grants strategic flexibility during play.
  3. Restrictions like discard and specific mana costs may limit the card’s deck compatibility.

Text of card

Return two cards named Ecstatic Piper from Xenagos's graveyard to the battlefield. At the beginning of combat this turn, Impulsive Return deals damage to each player equal to the number of Revelers on the battlefield.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Impulsive Return offers players a strategic upper hand by retrieving a creature from the graveyard directly onto the battlefield, essentially translating to an extra card in play which can turn the tides in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Efficiently utilizing your graveyard as a resource, Impulsive Return injects energy into your game by reviving potent creatures. This accelerative move bypasses traditional casting costs, saving crucial mana for other spells or abilities.

Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Impulsive Return at instant speed offers significant tactical flexibility. Respond to your opponent’s actions on their turn, surprise them with an unforeseen blocker, or capitalize on the end of their turn to fortify your position without sacrificing momentum.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Impulsive Return comes with a stipulation that requires you to discard a card. This can present a potential setback, especially when your hand is already running low on cards. Forcing a discard could lead to sacrificing crucial strategies or valuable resources that you may need later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Impulsive Return demands a precise mana cost that includes red mana. This requirement can restrict the card’s integration into a variety of deck builds, particularly those that do not operate with a red mana base or those that are not optimized to produce red mana efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its effects, Impulsive Return may not be as mana efficient compared to other options in the game. Players might find alternatives that provide a similar or better impact at a lower mana investment, making Impulsive Return a less tempting choice when curating a deck focused on optimum resource management.


Reasons to Include Impulsive Return in Your Collection

Versatility: Impulsive Return is a dynamic card that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of deck themes. It excels in strategies that value graveyard interaction, providing a unique method for recurring creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards or effects that benefit from sacrificing creatures, Impulsive Return can become a cornerstone in a powerful combo. It can also synergize with effects that trigger upon creatures entering or leaving the battlefield, further amplifying its impact.

Meta-Relevance: In metas characterized by frequent creature removal, Impulsive Return offers a reliable way to regain board presence. It allows players to reactivate their key creatures and maintain momentum against control or removal-heavy decks.


How to beat

Impulsive Return is a versatile card that enables players to reclaim creatures from their graveyard with a bonus action — casting a card with the impulse ability from their exile zone. To counter this, ensuring graveyard management is your strategic priority. Utilize cards like Tormod’s Crypt to eradicate graveyard contents, cutting off your opponent’s Impulsive Return targets. Control decks might favor counter spells such as Dovin’s Veto to prevent Impulsive Return from resolving, severing its effect right at the beginning.

Another course of action is to employ exile effects, like Path to Exile or Ashes to Ashes, to leave opponents with fewer creatures to retrieve. A focus on hand disruption techniques may also be effective; thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek can discard Impulsive Return before it comes into play. Lastly, consider using instant speed removal to address the creatures brought back during an opponent’s turn, minimizing the impact of their revived threats. Every strategy targeting Impulsive Return should adapt to the deck it’s facing, as this card can appear in various MTG strategies.


Cards like Impulsive Return

Impulsive Return finds its place among the intriguing modal spells of Magic. It shares a kinship with Animate Dead, another resurrection-themed card that brings creatures from the graveyard directly onto the battlefield. However, Impulsive Return offers flexibility by allowing an additional option to simply draw a card, giving players situational adaptability that Animate Dead lacks.

Next in line, Unearth stands as a relative, offering a one-time revival chance for low-cost creatures with its cycling ability acting as an alternative for card draw. Although Unearth is limited by the creature’s mana value, Impulsive Return operates without this restriction, albeit with a higher casting cost. Exhume also enters this conversation, enabling both players to resurrect a creature. While this can be a potential downside, Impulsive Return’s targeted nature ensures that only the caster benefits from the graveyard retrieval.

In essence, although each of these cards brings a distinct strategic angle to resurrection spells, Impulsive Return holds a unique position. Its dual functionality enhances player tactics, providing broader opportunities for mid-game revival or cycling for better hand options in MTG.

Animate Dead - MTG Card versions
Unearth - MTG Card versions
Exhume - MTG Card versions
Animate Dead - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Unearth - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Exhume - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Impulsive Return by color, type and mana cost

Grown from the Stump - MTG Card versions
Strike the Weak Spot - MTG Card versions
Noxious Hydra Breath - MTG Card versions
Neck Tangle - MTG Card versions
Distract the Hydra - MTG Card versions
Disorienting Glower - MTG Card versions
Unified Lunge - MTG Card versions
Hydra's Impenetrable Hide - MTG Card versions
Swallow the Hero Whole - MTG Card versions
Torn Between Heads - MTG Card versions
Unquenchable Fury - MTG Card versions
Touch of the Horned God - MTG Card versions
Intervention of Keranos - MTG Card versions
Descend on the Prey - MTG Card versions
Consuming Rage - MTG Card versions
Impulsive Charge - MTG Card versions
Rip to Pieces - MTG Card versions
Impulsive Destruction - MTG Card versions
Xenagos's Scorn - MTG Card versions
Xenagos's Strike - MTG Card versions
Grown from the Stump - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Strike the Weak Spot - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Noxious Hydra Breath - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Neck Tangle - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Distract the Hydra - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Disorienting Glower - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Unified Lunge - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Hydra's Impenetrable Hide - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Swallow the Hero Whole - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Torn Between Heads - Face the Hydra (TFTH)
Unquenchable Fury - Battle the Horde (TBTH)
Touch of the Horned God - Battle the Horde (TBTH)
Intervention of Keranos - Battle the Horde (TBTH)
Descend on the Prey - Battle the Horde (TBTH)
Consuming Rage - Battle the Horde (TBTH)
Impulsive Charge - Defeat a God (TDAG)
Rip to Pieces - Defeat a God (TDAG)
Impulsive Destruction - Defeat a God (TDAG)
Xenagos's Scorn - Defeat a God (TDAG)
Xenagos's Strike - Defeat a God (TDAG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Impulsive Return MTG card by a specific set like Defeat a God, 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 Impulsive Return and other MTG cards:

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