Harness by Force MTG Card

The Strive mechanic of Harness by Force scales with mana, targeting multiple creatures to change the battlefield dynamic. Provides versatility and combo potential, beneficial for various strategies and metagame shifts within MTG. While strong, it’s mana-intensive, requiring strategic planning to avoid disrupting your own play tempo.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Strive
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Number	100
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Yefim Kligerman

Text of card

Strive — Harness by Force costs more to cast for each target beyond the first. Gain control of any number of target creatures until end of turn. Untap those creatures. They gain haste until end of turn.

Cards like Harness by Force

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, Harness by Force stands out in the roster of creature control spells. Much like the renowned Act of Treason, it grants the power to steal creatures from opponents for a turn, which gives players a temporary advantage on the battlefield. However, Harness by Force spreads its influence further with its Strive mechanic – this allows the spell’s effect to scale, letting players take control of multiple creatures by paying additional mana for each beyond the first.

Comparatively, there’s a card called Mob Rule which can be influential in games with numerous creatures. It shares the ability to shift the tide by choosing creatures of a certain power and gaining control of them until end of turn. Nevertheless, the versatility and the precision targeting of Harness by Force grant it an esteemed spot for players who seek more control over which specific creatures are taken. Additionally, there’s Portent of Betrayal, a similar threat-snatching card, yet it lacks the scalability of Harness by Force and its potential for a sweeping, game-altering move with just a single card.

When evaluating similar spells in Magic: The Gathering, Harness by Force is a robust option for strategies revolving around commandeering opponents’ creatures, making it uniquely powerful in its ability to change the course of a game, especially when properly timed and executed.

Cards similar to Harness by Force by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harness by Force has the potential to significantly shift the board in your favor by taking control of any number of target creatures for just a single turn. This not only disrupts your opponent’s plans but can also turn their assets into your temporary advantage, most importantly during your attack phase.

Resource Acceleration: While Harness by Force itself does not directly accelerate resources, the strategic takeover of creatures can effectively use the opponent’s resources against them. This can free up your mana and resources for other spells and actions, potentially saving your more vital assets for crucial moments in the game.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Harness by Force can’t be cast at instant speed. Instead, its strength is derived from the Strive mechanic, allowing you to target multiple creatures by paying additional mana for each, essentially enabling you to harness a more impactful force when you have excess mana available.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Harness by Force offers control over your opponent’s creatures, it doesn’t do so without a cost. Activating Strive requires additional mana for each target beyond the first, which could lead to discarding potentially valuable cards to fulfill the cost in mana-intensive situations.

Specific Mana Cost: This card is rooted firmly in red mana. For players running multicolored decks, the double red mana cost can pose a constraint, sometimes requiring a more dedicated mana base or causing a hitch in the mana curve during critical gameplay moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When looking at the card’s base cost alongside its Strive mechanic, the investment can be quite high. In a fast-paced game, spending three mana to take temporary control of a single creature might not always be the most efficient use of resources, particularly when facing off against decks designed for speed or early control.

Reasons to Include Harness by Force in Your Collection

Versatility: Harness by Force offers the ability to sway the tide of a game by temporarily seizing control of your opponent’s creatures. Its scalability through Strive allows it to affect multiple targets in a single turn, making it a useful addition to both aggressive and controlling strategies.

Combo Potential: This card shines by opening up opportunities for complex plays. It can act as a catalyst for various sacrifice or power-boosting combos by providing additional creatures to manipulate, potentially paving the way for an unexpected victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame densely populated with creature-based strategies, Harness by Force gains significant value. It not only disrupts your opponents’ plans by commandeering their assets but can turn their own threats against them, often leading to pivotal shifts in board presence and momentum.

How to beat

Harness by Force is a powerful spell that can turn the tides by stealing your opponents’ creatures temporarily. Facing off against this card requires strategic play and a clear understanding of your resources in Magic: The Gathering. To counteract the swing of momentum Harness by Force can provide, it’s essential to have instant-speed removal or bounce spells ready. Utilizing these can disrupt the temporary theft before your opponent can capitalize on it.

Another effective strategy is to protect your most valuable creatures either by giving them hexproof or indestructible abilities, which make them unfavorable or impossible targets for Harness by Force. Deploying cards like Swiftfoot Boots or Heroic Intervention can provide the necessary shields for your creatures. Additionally, keeping mana open for counter spells is a key tactic—deny Harness by Force its casting, and you maintain your battlefield as is.

Leveraging these strategies not only helps in maintaining control of your side of the board but also ensures that the fleeting advantage Harness by Force offers is negated, keeping your game plan on track and safeguarding your path to victory.

BurnMana Recommendations

Harness by Force is a transformative spell capable of reshaping the battlefield, ideal for red mana enthusiasts looking to exploit the game’s momentum. Whether you’re aiming to tip the scales during combat or activate a critical combo play, this MTG card is a strategic boon. Versatile and impactful, it adapts to your game state, offering avenues to outplay opponents in creature-centric metagames. Assessing Harness by Force and cards like it elevates your strategic approach, revealing ways to revitalize your deck’s dynamic. Dive deeper with us and fortify your MTG arsenal for unforgettable victories.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harness by Force MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Harness by Force and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Harness by Force has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Harness by Force card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2014-04-26	Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
2014-04-26	Harness by Force can target any creature, even one that's untapped or one you already control.
2014-04-26	If a spell or ability allows you to cast a strive spell without paying its mana cost, you must pay the additional costs for any targets beyond the first.
2014-04-26	If all of the spell's targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. If one or more of its targets are legal when it tries to resolve, the spell will resolve and affect only those legal targets. It will have no effect on any illegal targets.
2014-04-26	If such a spell is copied, and the effect that copies the spell allows a player to choose new targets for the copy, the number of targets can't be changed. The player may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, the player can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
2014-04-26	The mana cost and mana value of strive spells don't change no matter how many targets they have. Strive abilities affect only what you pay.
2014-04-26	You choose how many targets each spell with a strive ability has and what those targets are as you cast it. It's legal to cast such a spell with no targets, although this is rarely a good idea. You can't choose the same target more than once for a single strive spell.