Rip to Pieces MTG Card


Rip to Pieces - Defeat a God
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released2014-05-25
Set symbol
Set nameDefeat a God
Set codeTDAG
Number11
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byKev Walker

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage by removing threats and disrupting opponent strategies while advancing your board.
  2. Casts at instant speed for flexibility, allowing reactions to threats during the opponent’s turn.
  3. Demands discard, specific mana, and higher investment, which can affect gameplay strategies.

Text of card

At the beginning of combat this turn, each Reveler deals 1 damage to each player and each creature those players control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rip to Pieces grants the player an immediate removal of enemy threats, which can potentially disrupt opponent’s strategies while maintaining your own board presence.

Resource Acceleration: With its relatively low mana cost, Rip to Pieces enables players to deal with threats early on without falling behind in their own board development, allowing for a swift transition to more decisive spells or creatures.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Rip to Pieces at instant speed gives players the flexibility to react during the opponent’s turn, keeping them at an advantage as they can respond to threats or actions directly when it matters most.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Rip to Pieces card necessitates a discard as part of its casting process, leading to potential disadvantages when your hand is already running on empty.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s casting cost leans heavily into red mana, meaning decks not tuned to generate ample amounts of this may find including it cumbersome.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where efficiency is pivotal, the mana investment required to deploy Rip to Pieces could be seen as steep compared to other removal options available in the format.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rip to Pieces offers a unique dual utility, as it allows a player to directly destroy an artifact or deal three damage to any target, making it adaptable to a wide array of situations on the battlefield and easily slotting into various deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: The card’s ability to target creatures or players opens up numerous combo opportunities. When paired with cards that amplify damage or utilize the destruction of artifacts, Rip to Pieces becomes a versatile tool in a player’s arsenal, potentially turning the tide of the game.

Meta-Relevance: Given that artifacts and resilient creatures are often prevalent in the competitive scene, Rip to Pieces maintains relevance. It answers a variety of threats and upholds its importance across different MTG formats—standard, modern or commander—thanks to its direct removal capabilities.


How to beat

Rip to Pieces is a powerful red card that poses a significant threat to creatures and planeswalkers in the game of Magic: The Gathering. To effectively counteract this card, players need to employ smart strategies, one of which includes having a counter spell at the ready. Maintaining mana for spells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can neutralize Rip to Pieces before it causes any damage, especially considering its sorcery speed limitation.

Deck resilience is also a key factor. Players can incorporate indestructible creatures or those with hexproof to their decks to stand strong against targeted removal spells. This is where cards such as Lazotep Plating, which grants hexproof until end of turn and produces a token, can be particularly useful. For planeswalkers, adding extra layers of defense with cards like The Wanderer, which prevents noncombat damage to them, can also prove beneficial when facing a direct threat like Rip to Pieces.

Ultimately, a combination of foresight, protective spells, and resilience-building are your best tools in limiting the impact of Rip to Pieces. It’s a card that demands respect, but with careful planning, its potential disruption can be mitigated, allowing players to maintain control of the board and steer the game towards victory.


Cards like Rip to Pieces

Rip to Pieces is an intriguing spell within Magic: The Gathering’s arsenal of removal cards. It draws a strong parallel with other single-target removal spells like Abrade, which offers utility by dealing damage or destroying an artifact. Rip to Pieces distinguishes itself through its flexibility to either deal damage to a creature or destroy an equipment. This duality is a unique feature that isn’t found in Abrade’s options.

Compared to other spells, such as Smash to Smithereens, the focus shifts slightly. Smash to Smithereens deals damage and destroys an artifact for less mana, but it cannot target creatures, which limits its scope. Rip to Pieces offers broader utility at a different pace with its sorcery speed. Conversely, Lightning Strike is similar in cost and is able to deal damage to any target but lacks the artifact destruction capability that Rip to Pieces brings to the table.

Therefore, within the pantheon of MTG’s damage and destruction spells, Rip to Pieces offers a versatile solution against both creatures and equipment, finding its niche as a sideboard card in matches where artifacts play a significant role.

Abrade - MTG Card versions
Smash to Smithereens - MTG Card versions
Lightning Strike - MTG Card versions
Abrade - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
Smash to Smithereens - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Lightning Strike - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Rip to Pieces 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
Impulsive Return - 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)
Impulsive Return - 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 Rip to Pieces 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 Rip to Pieces and other MTG cards:

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