Global Ruin MTG Card
2000-10-02 - Number 18
2002-08-14 - Number bk18sb
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Each player chooses from the lands he or she controls a land of each basic land type, then sacrifices the rest.
"The earth shook, the sky rained fire, and it seemed the world was ending." —Benalish refugee
Cards like Global Ruin
Global Ruin is a unique wrinkle in the world of board control in Magic: The Gathering. This spell is often measured against Catastrophe, another powerful card that allows players to choose between destroying all creatures or all lands. The distinct edge Global Ruin holds is its forced balance: players keep up to one land of each basic land type, leading to strategic play around land diversity. Catastrophe, however, offers more control over the destruction effect and does not provide this kind of land safety net.
Another comparable card is Armageddon, which ruthlessly removes all lands from the battlefield without discretion. While Armageddon is a definitive reset, Global Ruin can be seen as a more controlled demolition, allowing for recovery based on one’s deck construction. Then there’s Ravages of War, a card with a similar effect to Armageddon, but often less accessible due to its scarcity and high price, making Global Ruin a more attainable alternative for resource denial strategies.
Ultimately, in the realm of land control cards, Global Ruin presents a demanding yet tactically rich option that can reshape the dynamics of the game, highlighting its unique position among its devastating counterparts.
Cards similar to Global Ruin by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When playing Global Ruin, you can often secure card advantage by affecting each player’s board state significantly, potentially leaving opponents with fewer valuable lands while you strategically retain your own.
Resource Acceleration: Despite Global Ruin not directly accelerating your resources, it can create a relative increase in your mana availability by resetting the board state, especially if you have designed your deck with a mana base less susceptible to its effects.
Instant Speed: While Global Ruin is a sorcery, being so impactful, it can set the tempo of the game as if it had instant speed qualities because players must play around its looming threat, often forcing them to hold back resources or change their strategies entirely.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Global Ruin is a card that demands strategic planning due to its effect that can force players to select and discard lands. Losing critical lands can put you at a severe disadvantage, especially if you’re not properly prepared to mitigate the loss.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost involved in casting Global Ruin includes a specific combination that encompasses multiple colors. This can potentially restrict the card to multi-color decks with a stable mana base, sometimes making it cumbersome for mono or two-color decks to utilize effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of five mana, Global Ruin’s casting cost might be taxing on your resources. This is particularly salient when there are alternative spells available that disrupt opponents at a lower cost, thus affecting its overall efficiency in fast-paced games where maintaining mana economy is key.
Reasons to Include Global Ruin in Your Collection
Versatility: Global Ruin is an impactful wrath card that can fit into Commander decks focused on mana balance or land control tactics. Its ability to influence the board state by forcing the balance of nonbasic lands can be a game-changer in many situations.
Combo Potential: This card holds immense potential for combos in decks that can recover quickly from land destruction or those that have a strategy to capitalize on opponents’ setbacks. It can be paired with cards that benefit from opponents controlling fewer lands or with land recursion mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players heavily rely on nonbasic lands for their mana base, Global Ruin provides a strategic advantage. It’s especially relevant in formats where multicolor decks thrive, ensuring that your gameplay aligns with the current meta and allows you to stay one step ahead.
How to beat
Overcoming Global Ruin can feel like navigating through a carefully laid minefield in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card is a game-changer, reshaping the playing field by compelling each player to choose a land of each basic land type and sacrifice the rest. Players must think tactically, keeping minimal land types in play to lessen the impact when Global Ruin resolves.
One key strategy is to prioritize land diversity in your deck construction, incorporating non-basic lands that offer the flexibility to produce different types of mana. This can mitigate Global Ruin’s effect, allowing you to maintain a more stable board position post-resolution. In addition, countering the spell is a straightforward method—having the right counter-spells ready is crucial for protecting your lands.
Despite its potential havoc, Global Ruin can be turned to your advantage with proper foresight and deck preparation. The card’s symmetrical effect means it can disrupt opponents who are unprepared, so strategic land choice and deck-building become crucial components in mastering MTG games that could feature this formidable card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Global Ruin 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 Global Ruin 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 Global Ruin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2002-08-14. Illustrated by Greg Staples.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 18 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 2 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | bk18sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Greg Staples |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Global Ruin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Global Ruin 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 | If a land counts as multiple basic land types, you can choose it for either or for both of those land types. |
| 2010-08-15 | You sacrifice all lands other than the chosen ones. Since you can only choose lands with basic land types, any non-basic lands that don’t have a basic land type (even if they have some other land type, as in the case of Cloudpost) are necessarily going to be sacrificed. |