Despondency MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Despondency grants recurring value by entering and leaving the battlefield multiple times, which provides deck thinning and repeatable triggers for enter-the-battlefield or enchantment-related effects.

Resource Acceleration: This enchantment can enable faster development of your board state by untapping enchanted land through other synergistic interactions, effectively turning your land into a more productive resource.

Instant Speed: Although Despondency itself is not an instant, its low casting cost complements a strategy that aims to keep mana available for instant-speed responses, seamlessly integrating with a reactive playstyle.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Despondency requires you to discard a card which might put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already scarce in options. This can hinder your ability to react to your opponent’s moves or diminish your overall strategic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Despondency’s casting cost includes black mana, making it less flexible for decks that don’t run on a black mana base. This can limit the versatility of the card and potentially restrict it to specific archetypes only.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though its mana cost might not seem too steep, when compared to other enchantments or spells within the same mana range, Despondency might not provide as much value or impact on the game. Players might opt for alternatives that offer a more significant effect for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Despondency in Your Collection

Versatility: Despondency is a subtle yet flexible enchantment that can be slipped into a variety of blue and black decks. Its ability to return to a player’s hand when the enchanted creature dies makes it an excellent tool for controlling the board and maintaining card advantage.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield effects or sacrifice synergies. It enables recurring triggers and can be a cornerstone in decks that capitalize on such interactions.

Meta-Relevance: As the game shifts and new strategies emerge, Despondency maintains its significance. It’s particularly useful in metas saturated with creature-based decks, providing a recurring method to keep opposing forces at bay while setting up for a decisive strike.

How to Beat Despondency

Despondency is a quirky aura card in Magic: The Gathering that can bog down your game plan by reducing a creature’s power and untap abilities. Encountering this can be a setback, especially if it’s attached to one of your key creatures. However, there are smart counters to consider in such situations. Cards that serve as catch-all solutions like Disenchant or Naturalize are great options, as they allow you to target and destroy enchantments directly, freeing your creature from the grip of Despondency. Direct creature protection spells like Apostle’s Blessing or Ranger’s Guile can also be useful as preemptive measures to sidestep such debilitating auras, keeping your creatures untapped and ready for combat or defense.

You may also opt for enchantment-centric decks that include cards like Tranquility or Back to Nature not only to deal with Despondency but a wide array of enchantments that might threaten your gameplay. It’s crucial to understand that while Despondency can be a thorn in your side, with an arsenal of versatile removal or protection spells, you can easily turn the tides in your favor. Adaptability and prediction are your best allies in Magic: The Gathering, ready your deck to conquer modifiers like Despondency, and maintain the flow of your strategic game.