Exhaustion MTG Card
1997-05-01 - Number 54
1998-06-24 - Number 37
1998-10-12 - Number 74
1999-05-01 - Number 42
1999-07-01 - Number 36
2005-07-29 - Number 76
2005-07-29 - Number 76★
2020-09-26 - Number POR-54
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
At the beginning of your opponent's next turn, he or she skips untapping his or her creatures and lands.
Cards like Exhaustion
Exhaustion doesn’t allow your opponent to untap their lands and creatures during their next untap phase, creating strategic gameplay moments in Magic the Gathering. It draws comparisons to cards like Sleep, which also taps all creatures an opponent controls. However, Sleep’s effect ends there, while Exhaustion’s reach extends into the next turn, preventing any untapping from occurring.
When looking at Gigadrowse, it remarkably shares some similarities with Exhaustion, allowing you to tap multiple permanents. The key difference lies in Gigadrowse’s replicability, enabling you to tap as many targets as you have mana to replicate the spell. On the other hand, Stasis is a notorious card that closely mirrors Exodus’s mechanic on a broader scale, freezing untaps for all players until it’s removed, with a required upkeep cost.
Comparing these cards shows that while many can influence untaps and taps, Exhaustion uniquely combines these effects for a temporary yet potent disruption, fitting well into decks that aim to control the pace and flow of the game. Its unique ability to hinder opponents’ resources for an entire turn positions it as a tactical choice in the right situations.
Cards similar to Exhaustion by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Exhaustion. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dimir Combo | Modern | Taking Turns | Last Chance Qualifier Ghent |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Casting Exhaustion can notably disrupt your opponent’s tempo, potentially creating a situation where you’re effectively ahead by a turn. This can give you enough breathing space to establish control and advance your board state while they are restricted in their actions.
Resource Acceleration: While Exhaustion doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, the ability to hinder your opponent can indirectly act as resource acceleration. By keeping your opponent’s lands and creatures tapped, you are more free to commit your own resources to further your game plan without fear of immediate reprisal.
Instant Speed: Although Exhaustion is played at sorcery speed, its impact on the game can be as decisive as that of an instant. It allows you to fully utilize your turn while ensuring that your opponent’s next turn is significantly hampered, which can be just as advantageous as having an actual instant spell at your disposal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When playing Exhaustion, it’s important to be prepared for its downside; specifically, you need to have enough card advantage to compensate for the discard it might entail. If your hand is already running low, casting Exhaustion could put you further behind rather than providing the tempo advantage it’s designed for.
Specific Mana Cost: Exhaustion’s casting requirements demand two blue mana, which makes it less flexible for multicolored decks that might struggle to generate the needed blue mana consistently. This limitation often relegates Exhaustion to predominantly blue strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, some players find that Exhaustion doesn’t always offer a big enough impact to justify its place in a deck. While it can disrupt an opponent’s progression by tapping down their lands, the effect doesn’t have the permanent board impact that other three-mana spells may provide. As a result, it’s sometimes passed over for more impactful cards with comparable or lower mana costs.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Exhaustion is a unique card that can be slotted into various blue-centric decks, particularly those that aim to disrupt opponents’ tempo. By preventing all actions with tapped creatures or lands, it can be a game-changer across multiple turns.
Combo Potential: This card can create powerful synergies in lock-down strategies or with cards that untap your lands, allowing you to use them while leaving your opponent’s resources frozen.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by heavy creature or ramp decks, Exhaustion can significantly hinder your opponents’ plans, effectively giving you an extra turn to press your advantage or set up a winning board state.
How to beat
Exhaustion is a card that can throw off an opponent’s tempo by barring their lands and creatures from untapping in the next untap phase. This can be a strategic setback, especially if you rely on your resources in every turn. When facing off against this spell, it’s vital to have a mix of instant-speed spells and untap effects. These can effectively circumvent the card’s limitations, allowing you to act on your opponent’s turn or reuse your permanents without the need to start fresh each turn.
Control decks equipped with counterspells can prevent Exhaustion from taking effect altogether, maintaining the flow of your game plan. It’s also advantageous to diversify your mana sources. Employing artifacts or creatures that can tap for mana will lessen the impact of land-focused disruption. Lands with the basic land type are particularly vulnerable to Exhaustion, so utilizing nonbasic lands with mana abilities or ones that don’t require tapping can be a clever workaround.
Ultimately, to overcome the hurdle imposed by Exhaustion, flexibility and instant-speed interaction are key. Adapting to the situation by incorporating versatile spells and abilities into your deck can ensure you remain unfazed by such disruptive tactics and keep your strategy moving forward.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Exhaustion MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal Second Age, 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 Exhaustion and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Exhaustion Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 54 | 1997 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 2 | 1998-06-24 | Portal Second Age | P02 | 37 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Kaja Foglio | |
| 3 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 74 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente | |
| 4 | 1999-05-01 | Portal Three Kingdoms | PTK | 42 | 1997 | Normal | White | Qu Xin | |
| 5 | 1999-07-01 | Starter 1999 | S99 | 36 | 1997 | Normal | White | Paolo Parente | |
| 6 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 76 | 2003 | Normal | White | Paolo Parente | |
| 7 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 76★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente | |
| 8 | The List | PLST | POR-54 | 1997 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Exhaustion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Exhaustion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The creatures and lands are only prevented from untapping during the targeted player’s next untap step. They can still can untap during other player’s untap steps. |
| 2009-10-01 | No creatures or lands controlled by the player will untap during their next untap step. This includes those which entered the battlefield after Exhaustion resolved. |