Down // Dirty MTG Card


Down // Dirty - Dragon's Maze
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Fuse
Released2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set nameDragon's Maze
Set codeDGM
Number126
Frame2003
Layoutsplit
Borderblack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Down // Dirty offers card recovery and opponent hand disruption, crucial for maintaining resource control.
  2. Its specific mana requirement and discard condition may limit its utility in some decks.
  3. Despite its cost, its versatility makes it relevant in diverse game states and strategies.

Text of card

Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The split card Down // Dirty offers distinct tactical benefits in gameplay. With Dirty, you have the ability to return a card from your graveyard to your hand, effectively increasing your resources and maintaining your grip on the duel by drawing from past plays.

Resource Acceleration: On the flip side, Down enables you to force an opponent to discard two cards at random when it’s cast. This disrupts their strategy and potentially accelerates your position as they lose resources, giving you an indirect speed boost in the race to victory.

Instant Speed: Though each half of this card operates at sorcery speed, having access to both options provides strategic depth. You choose the right action for any given situation, allowing for reactive plays to the constantly shifting battlefield of a Magic the Gathering match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When utilizing the fusion ability of Down // Dirty, you are mandated to discard a card which may not be ideal when your hand is already running low on playable options.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirements for Down // Dirty demand a precise combination of black and green mana, thus potentially restricting the card’s utility to decks that comfortably produce both colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a combined cost of five mana for both halves utilized together, it faces competition from other cards at a lower cost bracket which offers similar or superior returns on strategic investment.


Reasons to Include Down // Dirty in Your Collection

Versatility: Down // Dirty offers dual utility in a single card, providing the options of card retrieval or forcing opponent discard. This adaptability can be a game-changer in matches where resource management is key.

Combo Potential: With its ability to return cards from your graveyard, Down // Dirty can synergize with strategies that rely on specific card combinations or recur valuable pieces for repeated use.

Meta-Relevance: Down // Dirty proves its worth in environments saturated with creature-based strategies or games that drag on, allowing you to maintain card advantage against opponents while disrupting their plans.


How to Beat Down // Dirty

Down // Dirty, two spells in one card, presents Magic: The Gathering players with a multifaceted strategy to tackle. To effectively counter this card, understanding both halves is crucial. Down, for instance, requires strategic creature defense or the capability to quickly replace fallen creatures to mitigate its impact. Sideboarding in spells that protect your creatures or using cards that benefit from being in the graveyard can turn the tide in your favor.

On the flip side, Dirty offers opponents a way to disrupt your hand, so maintaining a hand-size balance is key. Cards like Relic of Progenitus that can exile a graveyard or Thoughtseize to preemptively remove threats from the opponent’s hand before they can cast Dirty can prove integral in maintaining control over the game.

Winning against Down // Dirty often means having a versatile defense ready to adapt to either of its effects. This card, while potentially disruptive, can be mitigated through thoughtful deck building and game play decisions, ensuring that its dual nature doesn’t dictate the pace of the match.


Cards like Down // Dirty

In the realm of MTG, Down // Dirty offers a unique twist to the repertoire of modal spells. Much like its peers, it allows players a choice, which can be pivotal during gameplay. For instance, Let’s compare it to a card like Grisly Salvage. Both cards offer the ability to dig through the deck; however, Grisly Salvage focuses on the creature and land cards, while Down // Dirty offers versatility with card retrieval and hand disruption.

Beside it on the rack of multifaceted spells is Autumn’s Veil. Granted it serves a different purpose by protecting spells and creatures from blue and black ones, it still gives an idea of how flexible Down // Dirty is. Unlike Down // Dirty, Autumn’s Veil doesn’t affect the opponent’s hand or recover a player’s lost treasures, but it does provide immediate defense for just one green mana.

So when evaluating the utility and flexibility in card choices, Down // Dirty is a commendable candidate, providing not just one but two avenues for controlling the game—either disrupting your opponent’s hand or reclaiming a precious card from your graveyard, which can be a game changer in the dynamic world of MTG.

Grisly Salvage - MTG Card versions
Autumn's Veil - MTG Card versions
Grisly Salvage - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Autumn's Veil - Magic 2011 (M11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Down // Dirty MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Down // Dirty and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Down // Dirty has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Down // Dirty card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2013-04-15 If a player names a card, the player may name either half of a split card, but not both. A split card has the chosen name if one of its two names matches the chosen name.
2013-04-15 If you cast a split card with fuse from your hand without paying its mana cost, you can choose to use its fuse ability and cast both halves without paying their mana costs.
2013-04-15 If you’re casting a split card with fuse from any zone other than your hand, you can’t cast both halves. You’ll only be able to cast one half or the other.
2013-04-15 On the stack, a split spell that hasn’t been fused has only that half’s characteristics and converted mana cost. The other half is treated as though it didn’t exist.
2013-04-15 Some split cards with fuse have two halves that are both multicolored. That card is multicolored no matter which half is cast, or if both halves are cast. It’s also multicolored while not on the stack.
2013-04-15 Some split cards with fuse have two monocolor halves of different colors. If such a card is cast as a fused split spell, the resulting spell is multicolored. If only one half is cast, the spell is the color of that half. While not on the stack, such a card is multicolored.
2013-04-15 To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in both costs.
2013-04-15 When a fused split spell resolves, follow the instructions of the left half first, then the instructions on the right half.
2013-04-15 When resolving a fused split spell with multiple targets, treat it as you would any spell with multiple targets. If all targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve and none of its effects happen. If at least one target is still legal at that time, the spell resolves, but an illegal target can’t perform any actions or have any actions performed on it.
2013-04-15 You can choose the same object as the target of each half of a fused split spell, if appropriate.

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