Dreadful Apathy MTG Card
2020-01-24 - Number 11
2022-12-02 - Number 179
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block. : Exile enchanted creature.
Those whose lives were uninspired are doomed to the wretched tedium of Phylias in death.
Understanding the Versatility of Dreadful Apathy
Dreadful Apathy stands out within the realm of enchantment removal options in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with cards like Pacifism, as both place constraints on targeted creatures, preventing them from attacking or blocking. Although Dreadful Apathy’s initial effect mirrors Pacifism, it boasts an additional ability allowing players to exile the affected creature outright.
Cards like Dreadful Apathy
In the spectrum of removal enchantments, Dreadful Apathy could be paralleled with cards such as Banishing Light. Both can neutralize threats on the battlefield, though Banishing Light offers broader targets, extending removal capabilities beyond creatures. Yet, it lacks the modular use that Dreadful Apathy provides. Another comparable enchantment, Oblivion Ring, functions like Banishing Light by removing any nonland permanent. Despite this scope, the cost is higher compared to the affordable casting of Dreadful Apathy.
Examining its more aggressive counterparts, Trap Essence stands as a budget-friendly preventive measure, but it doesn’t offer the permanence of removal like Dreadful Apathy. Bonds of Faith also presents a dichotomy where certain creatures could be boosted instead of restrained if they’re within the Human tribe, making it a versatile choice but situationally less reliable for removal.
Conclusively, for MTG players looking for efficient and versatile creature control, Dreadful Apathy serves as a noteworthy option. Its dual functionality provides a strategic edge in managing threats effectively at a lower cost.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dreadful Apathy offers solid removal, handling pesky creatures effectively. While not directly providing card advantage in terms of drawing cards, removing key creatures can indirectly sway the game’s momentum in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While Dreadful Apathy itself does not directly contribute to resource acceleration, its low mana cost allows you to keep resources open for other plays, maintaining efficiency in your mana curve.
Instant Speed: Dreadful Apathy’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, which provides flexibility. It grants the power to remove a creature at a crucial time, such as during the combat phase or in response to an opponent’s spell, disrupting their plans.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Dreadful Apathy does not force a discard, its gameplay impact might leave you with fewer options against opponents’ adaptive strategies, essentially discarding your tactical advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Dreadful Apathy demands two white mana, which restricts deck-building flexibility and requires a commitment to white mana sources within your deck’s color scheme.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of two and a half mana, its ability to pacify a creature without outright destruction may be less economical when considering removal spells or enchantments that are permanent solutions to threats.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Dreadful Apathy offers a level of flexibility that’s vital in many white decks. It excels in controlling opponents’ creatures and is a reliable enchantment for various defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: Utilize Dreadful Apathy to complement your deck’s creature-control combos. Its ability to exile creatures synergizes well with effects that capitalize on opponents losing creatures or with mechanics that trigger upon enchantments entering the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, so do the creatures that dominate the battlefield. Dreadful Apathy remains relevant by neutralizing potent threats in creature-centric formats, making it a strategic addition to combat current meta trends.
How to beat
Dreadful Apathy is an enchantment card that often finds its way into white control decks within Magic: The Gathering. This deceptively simple card allows players to neutralize an opponent’s creature without destroying it, offering a way to circumvent abilities that trigger upon a creature’s death. This can be particularly troublesome if you rely on a key creature for your strategy.
To overcome Dreadful Apathy, consider utilizing enchantment removal spells that most colors in MTG can access. Naturalize or Disenchant are classic examples that can handle this passive threat efficiently. Alternatively, cards with Hexproof or Shroud can offer a preemptive defense by preventing Dreadful Apathy from targeting your key creatures in the first place. In more aggressive decks, diversifying threats can also dilute the impact of Dreadful Apathy by spreading out its potential targets, making it less crippling if one creature is neutralized. Lastly, remember that once Apathy’s second ability is used, the window to remove the enchantment and save your creature is small, so timely removal is crucial.
Outmaneuvering Dreadful Apathy requires a blend of proactive and reactive strategies. Incorporating versatile responses in your deck can turn what might be a game-ending enchantment into a minor setback, reinforcing the complexity and depth of Magic: The Gathering’s gameplay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dreadful Apathy MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Dreadful Apathy and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Dreadful Apathy Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Mark Zug.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death | THB | 11 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Zug | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 179 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Zug |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dreadful Apathy has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dreadful Apathy card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-01-24 | If Dreadful Apathy leaves the battlefield while its last ability is on the stack, the permanent that’s exiled is the one Dreadful Apathy enchanted before leaving the battlefield, even if that permanent is no longer a creature. |
| 2020-01-24 | The creature that’s exiled is the creature Dreadful Apathy enchants as its last ability resolves. |