Repulse MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. A strategic tool that can tilt the balance of the game while refreshing your resources through card draw.
  2. Requires careful deck construction due to its blue mana cost and impacts tempo by resetting creatures.
  3. An instant-speed response that offers both disruption and the opportunity for tactical card advantage.

Text of card

Return target creature to its owner's hand. Draw a card.

"You aren't invited."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Repulse is a powerhouse when it comes to maintaining the flow of your hand. By returning a creature to its owner’s hand and drawing a card, you essentially deny your opponent a resource while replenishing your own, keeping you ahead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Repulse may not produce mana or tokens directly, it effectively sets your opponent back by forcing them to spend mana to replay their creature. This tempo play can accelerate your board state while they recover.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of instant-speed spells is what defines high-strategy play in Magic. With Repulse, you have the power to disrupt your opponent’s strategy at the most opportune moment, whether it’s during their attack phase or in response to an ability, all while gaining the benefit of drawing a card.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although not a direct con of Repulse itself, it’s important for players to consider the card advantage loss when using a bounce spell. Repulse returns a creature to its owner’s hand without any discard, but it doesn’t inherently provide card advantage, essentially exchanging one for one unless paired with card draw mechanics.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Repulse includes one blue mana. This requirement confines it to blue-centric or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatile inclusion in various deck archetypes that do not run blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Repulse costs three mana, which may be considered steep for a bounce effect. Some players may opt for lower-cost bounce spells, despite Repulse’s added benefit of allowing the caster to draw a card. This mana investment is particularly notable in formats where efficiency and speed are crucial, and where other bounce options can be found at one or two mana costs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Repulse offers a flexible response allowing for quick adaptation during gameplay, ideal for blue decks looking to maintain tempo and control. Its ability to bounce a creature while drawing a card ensures that it can be useful in various situations, safeguarding your strategy and disrupting your opponent’s board.

Combo Potential: For players keen on crafting intricate combos, Repulse shines by creating openings for your win-conditions to resolve. It can reset your own creatures with valuable enter-the-battlefield effects or save them from removal, while also keeping your hand filled for sustained pressure.

Meta-Relevance: Its position in the meta is significant as it’s a tool against creature-heavy decks. In a game state dominated by aggressive creatures or pivotal creatures with powerful effects, Repulse can effectively mitigate threats and grant you the time required to stabilize or pivot towards victory.


How to beat Repulse

Repulse is an intriguing instant-speed card in Magic: The Gathering that offers a mix of disruption and card draw. While its primary function is to return a creature to its owner’s hand, it also allows the player to draw a card, which can provide a significant tempo swing and card advantage. To effectively beat Repulse, it’s crucial to anticipate the disruption it brings to your battlefield strategy.

One approach is to play creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects. This way, even if your creature is returned to your hand, you get to reutilize its beneficial effect when you recast it. Additionally, you could focus on low-cost creatures to mitigate the tempo loss from a Repulse. Another tactic is to deploy hexproof or shroud creatures onto the battlefield, as Repulse cannot target them, thereby nullifying its potential impact on your game plan.

Taking advantage of these strategies can diminish the effectiveness of Repulse, allowing you to maintain control and advance your board presence in spite of your opponent’s attempts to disrupt your plays. By understanding the nuances of the card and adapting your gameplay accordingly, Repulse becomes far less intimidating, enhancing your ability to secure victory on the MTG battlefield.


Cards like Repulse

Repulse is a staple interaction spell in the game of Magic: The Gathering, offering players not only a bounce effect but also the advantage of card draw. A close cousin to Repulse within the bounce spell family is Unsummon. Unsummon allows for a more efficient mana investment by only costing a single blue mana but foregoes the card draw that Repulse provides, making it less advantageous in situations where card advantage is crucial.

Another spell in comparison is Into the Roil. While it shares the card draw aspect when kicked, it brings versatility to the mix, allowing players to handle any nonland permanent, not just creatures. Despite its higher cost when kicked, the flexibility it provides can be a game-changer. Looking at Cyclonic Rift, although at a different power level due to its overload ability, it observes a basic similar principle of returning creatures to hand. But instead of drawing a card, it can reset the board in your favor, particularly in late-game scenarios.

Ultimately, Repulse is a well-rounded option for control decks looking for tempo plays with the added value of card draw, standing its ground as a reliable and affordable blue spell in the vast universe of interaction cards in Magic: The Gathering.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Into the Roil - Zendikar (ZEN)
Cyclonic Rift - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Repulse by color, type and mana cost

Mana Short - MTG Card versions
Psionic Blast - MTG Card versions
Capsize - MTG Card versions
Forbid - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Exclude - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Ixidor's Will - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Oona's Grace - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Deluge - MTG Card versions
Stoic Rebuttal - MTG Card versions
Mana Short - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Psionic Blast - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Capsize - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Forbid - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Frantic Search - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Exclude - Invasion (INV)
Hibernation - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Circular Logic - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Keep Watch - Judgment (JUD)
Archmage's Charm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Commander's Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ixidor's Will - Onslaught (ONS)
Catalog - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Thirst for Knowledge - World Championship Decks 2004 (WC04)
Murmurs from Beyond - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Dream Fracture - Eventide (EVE)
Oona's Grace - Eventide (EVE)
Cancel - Ixalan (XLN)
Deluge - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Stoic Rebuttal - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Repulse MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and World Championship Decks 2002, 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 Repulse and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Repulse Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by Aaron Boyd.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12000-10-02InvasionINV 701997normalblackAaron Boyd
22002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 rl70sb1997normalgoldAaron Boyd
32002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 cr701997normalgoldAaron Boyd
42008-11-07Duel Decks: Jace vs. ChandraDD2 252003normalblackAaron Boyd
52011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 582003normalblackAaron Boyd
62014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. ChandraJVC 252015normalblackAaron Boyd
72016-08-26Conspiracy: Take the CrownCN2 1192015normalblackAaron Boyd
82019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4662015normalblackAaron Boyd
92020-09-26The ListPLST CN2-1192015normalblackAaron Boyd
102022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 362015normalblackAaron Boyd
112023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 1072015normalblackAaron Boyd

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Repulse has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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