Urgent Exorcism MTG Card


Urgent Exorcism - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Number40
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Instant speed of Urgent Exorcism allows for flexible and strategic plays during critical game moments.
  2. Removing spirits or enchantments can tilt the game’s momentum in your favor when played right.
  3. The card’s specific mana cost and lack of acceleration may limit its integration in diverse decks.

Text of card

Destroy target Spirit or enchantment.

"To show geists pity is to prolong their agonies. Whether they know it or not, they seek the Blessed Sleep, and we are to give it to them." —Mikaeus, the Lunarch


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Urgent Exorcism stands out as a powerful card due to its ability to deal with two types of threats: spirits and enchantments. By removing a difficult spirit or clearing away a game-altering enchantment, you maintain the flow of the game in your favor, effectively dealing with potential threats before they can become a nuisance.

Resource Acceleration: Although Urgent Exorcism doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration like other spells, it helps you mitigate potentially costly threats without a significant mana investment. This allows you to utilize your mana pool with greater efficiency, maintaining pace with an opponent or setting up for a more powerful play on your next turn.

Instant Speed: The true strength of Urgent Exorcism lies in its instant speed. This flexibility permits players to react to threats immediately, preserve mana for end-of-turn plays, or bluff holding a counterspell. Instantly disrupting an opponent’s strategy can shift the momentum of the match, often making the timing of Urgent Exorcism as critical as the effect itself.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Urgent Exorcism necessitates sacrificing another card from your hand to play, limiting your hand size and potentially hindering your strategy if you’re already dealing with a dwindling array of options.

Specific Mana Cost: The required mana for Urgent Exorcism is precisely tailored to fit a white mana deck. This may not synergize with multi-color or other strategy-centric decks that do not heavily feature white mana, reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a necessity for both white mana and an additional generic mana, its casting cost can be steep for the immediate benefit it offers. When compared to other removal options available within the diverse card pool, its cost-effectiveness comes into question, especially in fast-paced games where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Urgent Exorcism stands out for its ability to deal with two types of threats – creatures with Spirits or enchantments. This dual utility makes it an adaptable inclusion in sideboards, especially in formats where these card types are prevalent.

Combo Potential: In decks that manipulate the graveyard or use self-mill strategies, Urgent Exorcism can be a tactical way to eliminate enchantment-based recursion targets for opponents or disrupt Spirit combos.

Meta-Relevance: Given its targeted removal capabilities, Urgent Exorcism shines in metas heavy with enchantment strategies or populated by Spirit-tribal decks. It offers a quick, cost-effective answer to some of the common threats faced in certain game environments.


How to beat

Addressing the challenge of Urgent Exorcism in MTG games requires a nuanced approach. This card, known for its precise effect of destroying a spirit or an enchantment, can feel unsettlingly restrictive. The key to beating Urgent Exorcism lies in diversification. In deck construction, prioritize a variety of threats beyond just enchantments and spirits, such as creatures, artifacts, or planeswalkers, to circumvent the limitations imposed by this card.

Deck resilience is also critical. Including cards that can regenerate or those that have indestructible qualities will mitigate the impact of targeted destruction effects like Urgent Exorcism. Furthermore, playing cards with flash enables you to outmaneuver the timing of this instant, making it less effective or even useless. Keep in mind, the effectiveness of Urgent Exorcism is proportional to the predictability of your strategy; thus, fostering unpredictability in your plays can greatly diminish its potential. Adaptability during gameplay, and not just during deck building, becomes the cornerstone of neutralizing Urgent Exorcism’s influence on the battlefield.

In essence, the way to beat Urgent Exorcism is through strategic deck variety, embracing resilience, and employing tactics that introduce an element of surprise. This approach ensures that your strategy remains robust and less vulnerable to such targeted removal cards.


Cards like Urgent Exorcism

Urgent Exorcism stands out in the realm of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarity to cards such as Disenchant, which is a staple in MTG for its straightforward ability to remove artifacts or enchantments. Urgent Exorcism offers a narrower target range by focusing solely on spirits and enchantments, which can be quite beneficial in a meta-game where such threats are prevalent. Its instant speed allows players to react swiftly during any phase of the game.

Comparing it further, Ray of Distortion can also dismantle enchantments alongside artifacts, but this flexibility comes at a higher mana cost and is optimally used with its flashback ability for repeated use. Another card worth noting is Erase, a single target exiling spell exclusively for enchantments. It’s cost-efficient but lacks the versatility to deal with creature-based threats that Urgent Exorcism addresses.

Conclusively, assessing the efficiency and utility of Urgent Exorcism within Magic: The Gathering, it represents a specialized choice for players looking to tailor their deck against particular in-game scenarios, combining the practical instant speed with the ability to disrupt both enchantments and spirit creatures effectively.

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Ray of Distortion - MTG Card versions
Erase - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Ray of Distortion - Odyssey (ODY)
Erase - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Urgent Exorcism by color, type and mana cost

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Lightning Blow - MTG Card versions
Divine Offering - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Remedy - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Shield - MTG Card versions
Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
Shield Wall - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Test of Faith - MTG Card versions
Echoing Calm - MTG Card versions
Bathe in Light - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Graceful Reprieve - MTG Card versions
Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Lightning Blow - Ice Age (ICE)
Divine Offering - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Alabaster Potion - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Invulnerability - Tempest (TMP)
Remedy - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Rhystic Shield - Prophecy (PCY)
Samite Ministration - Invasion (INV)
Shield Wall - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Life Burst - Odyssey (ODY)
Shelter - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Equal Treatment - Torment (TOR)
Aura Extraction - Onslaught (ONS)
Raise the Alarm - Mirrodin (MRD)
Test of Faith - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Echoing Calm - Darksteel (DST)
Bathe in Light - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Dawn Charm - Commander Legends (CMR)
Graceful Reprieve - Morningtide (MOR)
Last Breath - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Urgent Exorcism MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Urgent Exorcism and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Urgent Exorcism has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

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