Cast Down MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Efficient removal at just two mana, Cast Down provides significant card advantage during matches.
  2. Instant speed allows real-time responses, enhancing strategic depth and board control in play.
  3. Accuracy is vital; Cast Down targets nonlegendary creatures only, ensuring its strategic application.

Text of card

Destroy target nonlegendary creature.

"Your life is finished, your name lost, and your work forgotten. It is as though Mazeura never existed." —*Chainer's Torment*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Eliminates a key threat from the battlefield without a card-for-card exchange, often leaving you ahead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: At only two mana to cast, it allows for efficient mana usage, helping to preserve resources for other plays in the same turn.

Instant Speed: Its instant nature lets you respond flexibly to threats at any moment, keeping opponents off-balance and potentially saving crucial permanents during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Cast Down does not actually require a discard, if a player were misinformed about such requirements, it could impact their strategy negatively. However, it’s crucial to note that Cast Down has no discard cost, emphasizing the importance of knowing a card’s details.

Specific Mana Cost: Cast Down’s mana cost necessitates one black mana, which means it’s not always accessible for multi-color decks that may not have the consistent mana base needed to cast it when necessary.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its effectiveness in removing nonlegendary creatures, its two mana cost could be considered high when compared to the one-mana removal spells available in MTG, potentially leaving players looking for more mana-efficient options in some scenarios.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cast Down is a highly adaptable removal option that can be slotted into numerous black-centric or multicolored decks. Its low mana cost and instant speed allow players to efficiently deal with a wide range of creature threats.

Combo Potential: While not a combo piece in the traditional sense, Cast Down’s role in clearing the way for your own creature combos to connect with the opponent is undeniable. It aids in maintaining board control which is essential for successful combo execution.

Meta-Relevance: Given its proficiency in removing all but legendary creatures, Cast Down is a mainstay in a format populated by powerful non-legendary threats. It remains a relevant and often necessary inclusion for competitive play within such an environment.


How to beat

Cast Down presents itself as a dominant force in the removal arsenal in Magic: The Gathering. This instant-speed black spell offers a quick and relatively inexpensive way to deal with non-legendary creatures, which makes it a go-to choice in many decks. Despite its effectiveness, it can be outmaneuvered. To overcome Cast Down, consider utilizing a suite of legendary creatures within your strategy. Since they are immune to Cast Down’s reach, legendary creatures not only avoid being targeted but also put pressure on your opponent to find alternative removal solutions.

Another tactic is to incorporate instant-speed abilities or cards that can grant hexproof or indestructibility to your creatures at a moment’s notice. When Cast Down is on the stack, triggering such an ability can nullify its potential, protecting your valuable creature assets. Additionally, decks that can quickly recover from creature loss, such as those featuring strong recurring mechanics or token generation, can effectively dampen the impact of a Cast Down, rendering its single-target removal less crippling. Awareness and preparation are essential in any match-up where Cast Down could pose a threat. Thus, building your deck with this card in mind can give you the strategic upper hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into Magic the Gathering is a intricate dance of strategy and skill. Equip your deck with Cast Down, and you’ll handle non-legendary creatures with the precision of a well-timed spell. Seamlessly integrate this removal card in your black-centric or multi-colored decks to respond to threats swiftly and continue to press your advantage. If you’re interested in optimizing your strategy against a landscape of diverse creatures or seek to refine your removal suite further, explore our deep dive into innovative deck-building techniques and advanced gameplay strategies. Engage with our MTG resources to elevate your game to commanding new heights.


Cards like Cast Down

Cast Down has carved its niche within black removal spells in Magic: The Gathering. It bears semblance to cards like Go for the Throat, which similarly destroys a target creature. Where Cast Down stands out is its ability to take down nonlegendary creatures of any artifact status, whereas Go for the Throat is restricted by its inability to destroy artifact creatures. However, Cast Down is constricted by its inability to target legendary creatures, something that Go for the Throat doesn’t discriminate against.

There’s also Doom Blade, a well-known removal staple that eliminates nonblack creatures, positioning Cast Down as a more versatile option in a multi-colored environment. Ultimate Price also joins the ranks with its targeted removal, but it’s limited to monocolored creatures, making Cast Down decidedly advantageous against multicolored entities. Another comparative card is Victim of Night, which showcases a broader reach than Cast Down, but at the cost of a more demanding mana composition.

Given these considerations, Cast Down effectively balances the spectrum of creature removal with its straightforward mana cost and broad applicability. The card becomes an optimal choice for players seeking efficient and less restrictive creature control in their black-centric decks.

Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Ultimate Price - MTG Card versions
Victim of Night - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Doom Blade - Magic 2010 (M10)
Ultimate Price - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Victim of Night - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cast Down MTG card by a specific set like Media Inserts and Magic Online 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 Cast Down and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Cast Down Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2018-04-27 and 2022-07-07. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-01-02Media InsertsPMEI 302015normalblackIttoku
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 680492003normalblackBastien L. Deharme
32018-04-27Dominaria PromosPDOM 812015normalblackBastien L. Deharme
42018-04-27DominariaDOM 812015normalblackBastien L. Deharme
52020-08-07Double Masters2XM 792015normalblackBastien L. Deharme
62020-09-26The ListPLST DOM-812015normalblackBastien L. Deharme
72020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1122015normalblackBastien L. Deharme
82022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 1192015normalblackTyler Walpole
92022-07-07Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's GateHBG 1482015normalblackTyler Walpole

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cast Down has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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