Lyev Decree MTG Card


Lyev Decree - Dragon's Maze
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Detain
Released2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set nameDragon's Maze
Set codeDGM
Number3
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byKev Walker

Key Takeaways

  1. Lyev Decree offers card advantage and potential game-tilting spell disruption at instant speed.
  2. It provides strategic play enhancement but requires precise mana and a discard when cycled.
  3. A versatile addition to decks, it’s adaptable and remains meta-relevant, influencing board state control.

Text of card

Detain up to two target creatures your opponents control. (Until your next turn, those creatures can't attack or block and their activated abilities can't be activated.)

The Azorius have so many codes and statutes that you're always in violation of one of them.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Lyev Decree, it can counter a target spell unless its controller pays an additional cost. This potential disruption not only saves you from an opposing threat but can also leave them a card short, subtly tipping the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing resources, Lyev Decree’s ability to delay or prevent a spell from resolving can keep your resources intact while taxing your opponent’s. That strategic delay can accelerate your game plan as it hinders theirs.

Instant Speed: Lyev Decree’s casting flexibility as an instant means you have the power to respond effectively during your opponent’s turn. This allows you to adapt to the unfolding game and use your mana more efficiently, often catching opponents off-guard and protecting your board state or interests.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lyev Decree demands a card discard when cycling, potentially causing a setback when your hand is limited.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s white mana requirement restricts it to certain builds, diminishing its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana value, Lyev Decree may not be the most mana-efficient choice for tempo or control strategies seeking to maximize board impact with every mana spent.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lyev Decree shines in its ability to adapt to various playing styles. The card offers the flexibility to support a range of deck strategies, particularly those emphasizing control and tempo plays. It is an excellent tool for tempo decks seeking to delay opponent strategies and protect their gameplan.

Combo Potential: With its capability to detain not just one but potentially multiple nonland permanents, Lyev Decree ramps up combo possibilities. It seamlessly integrates into decks that capitalize on keeping the board clear of threats or combining with cards that thrive on tapping or untapping mechanics for ongoing control.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluidity of the MTG meta, having Lyev Decree in your collection can be a strategic move. Its relevance grows in an environment teeming with decks that rely on critical nonland permanents. Being able to effectively neutralize key pieces can shift the game’s momentum in your favor.


How to beat

Lyev Decree shines as a versatile tool in the Magic: The Gathering control decks’ arsenal, offering players the ability to detain target creature or enchantment an opponent controls. This detention means the affected card won’t be able to attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be played, which can turn the tide of a match by neutralizing a significant threat without permanently removing it from the battlefield.

Overcoming Lyev Decree’s impact involves tactics that focus on card superiority and strategic foresight. One effective method is to ensure a diverse field of threats, so detaining one doesn’t halt your momentum. You can also employ instant-speed removal or bounce effects after Lyev Decree has targeted a card, thereby negating its effect and conserving your resources. Lastly, utilizing creatures with enter-the-battlefield abilities can ensure value even if they are detained later, maintaining an advantage over the opponent.

Remember, adaptability is key. Being able to predict and counteract a Lyev Decree can be the difference between victory and defeat, showing that while powerful, it can be mitigated with smart play and a well-constructed deck.


Cards like Lyev Decree

Lyev Decree is an intriguing tactical spell in the landscape of MTG. It bears similarities to cards like Revoke Existence, as both share the powerful ability to exile target artifacts or enchantments. Yet, Lyev Decree outshines with its additional potential to detain smaller nuisances, preventing creatures with four or less power from attacking or blocking. This duality offers strategic flexibility not seen in Revoke Existence.

Comparably, there’s Declaration in Stone, another removal that excels at clearing multiple creatures at once. Although it doesn’t target artifacts or enchantments, it wipes out creatures in one fell swoop and provides clues, contrasting with the detain ability of Lyev Decree which can tackle various permanent types but only one at a time. Then we have Silkwrap, a card that exile’s target creature with power three or less until Silkwrap leaves the battlefield. While this is similar to the detain portion of Lyev Decree, it is limited only to creatures and does not touch upon artifacts or enchantments.

When evaluating removal options in MTG, Lyev Decree provides a unique blend of versatility and board control, making it a solid choice for players who value flexibility in dealing with a range of threats.

Revoke Existence - MTG Card versions
Declaration in Stone - MTG Card versions
Silkwrap - MTG Card versions
Revoke Existence - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Declaration in Stone - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)
Silkwrap - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)

Cards similar to Lyev Decree by color, type and mana cost

Balance - MTG Card versions
Martyr's Cry - MTG Card versions
Gift of Estates - MTG Card versions
Starlight - MTG Card versions
Renewing Dawn - MTG Card versions
Tariff - MTG Card versions
Pegasus Stampede - MTG Card versions
Planar Birth - MTG Card versions
Flicker - MTG Card versions
Steadfastness - MTG Card versions
Sacred Nectar - MTG Card versions
False Dawn - MTG Card versions
Morningtide - MTG Card versions
Academic Probation - MTG Card versions
Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions
Servo Exhibition - MTG Card versions
Revoke Existence - MTG Card versions
Glare of Heresy - MTG Card versions
Return to the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Martial Coup - MTG Card versions
Balance - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Martyr's Cry - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Gift of Estates - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Starlight - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Renewing Dawn - Portal (POR)
Tariff - Weatherlight (WTH)
Pegasus Stampede - The List (PLST)
Planar Birth - Urza's Saga (USG)
Flicker - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Steadfastness - Starter 1999 (S99)
Sacred Nectar - Ninth Edition (9ED)
False Dawn - Apocalypse (APC)
Morningtide - Torment (TOR)
Academic Probation - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Gather the Townsfolk - Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)
Servo Exhibition - Friday Night Magic 2017 (F17)
Revoke Existence - Double Masters (2XM)
Glare of Heresy - Theros (THS)
Return to the Ranks - Magic 2015 (M15)
Martial Coup - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lyev Decree 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 Lyev Decree and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lyev Decree has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lyev Decree 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 Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form “
-ost:
-ffect].” No one can activate any activated abilities, including mana abilities, of a detained permanent.
2013-04-15 If a creature is already attacking or blocking when it’s detained, it won’t be removed from combat. It will continue to attack or block.
2013-04-15 If a noncreature permanent is detained and later turns into a creature, it won’t be able to attack or block.
2013-04-15 If a permanent’s activated ability is on the stack when that permanent is detained, the ability will be unaffected.
2013-04-15 The static abilities of a detained permanent still apply. The triggered abilities of a detained permanent can still trigger.
2013-04-15 When a player leaves a multiplayer game, any continuous effects with durations that last until that player’s next turn or until a specific point in that turn will last until that turn would have begun. They neither expire immediately nor last indefinitely.

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