Intervention Pact MTG Card

Intervention Pact offers card advantage by negating damage without immediate hand depletion. Its instant speed allows for surprising defensive maneuvers, safeguarding critical game elements. Requires careful resource management due to the next upkeep cost, impacting strategic planning.

Mana cost
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2007-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Future Sight
Set code	FUT
Number	8
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Kendall

Text of card

Intervention Pact is white. The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay . If you don't, you lose the game.

Cards like Intervention Pact

Intervention Pact stands out in the Magic: The Gathering universe as a purely defensive spell. This white Instant card prevents all damage a single source would deal to a player this turn, closely mirroring other prevention effects in the game. Like other members of the Pact cycle, Intervention Pact has no initial cost, but requires a payment in the next upkeep phase lest you lose the game.

Comparatively, the older card, Healing Salve, offers a prevention choice along with a light healing option and is an ancestor to this type of effect. While less conditional, it lacks the free-casting surprise element of Intervention Pact. We also see a resemblance with cards like Ethereal Haze or Holy Day, which prevent all combat damage for a turn at a minimal cost. Yet, they miss out on the game-swinging potential of Intervention Pact, which can target any damage source, not just combat-related.

In the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, Intervention Pact’s no upfront cost and post-usage payment balance offers a unique strategic advantage. It may be risky, but it also has the power to turn a game around when timed perfectly. Each card serves a player’s tactical needs in their way, but Intervention Pact can be a game-changer in the face of overwhelming threats.

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Intervention Pact. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	The EPIC Gamble	Legacy	The EPIC Gamble	Legacy League 2024-05-20
	Ad Nauseam	Modern	Ad Nauseam	Modern League 2023-12-01

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Intervention Pact offers a unique twist to the concept of card advantage. Unlike traditional card draw, this spell responds directly to a threat by preventing damage from a single source, essentially nullifying an opponent’s card without expending one from your hand immediately.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or resources, Intervention Pact can be a pivotal tool in maintaining stability on your board. It delays the payment of its mana cost until your next turn, giving you a window to leverage your mana pool for other vital plays and pivoting to a better position without compromising your defenses.

Instant Speed: The power of Intervention Pact is amplified by its instant speed, allowing you to adapt to the battlefield dynamically. It can be a safety net for surprise attacks, or strategically timed plays, making it an ideal card for protecting key creatures or even preserving your life total during a critical turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Though not imposing a discard per se, Intervention Pact relies on a subsequent payment in your next upkeep, which could equivalently strain your resources if not properly managed or anticipated.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise white mana during your next upkeep to prevent its loss. This specific mana cost can restrict the card’s inclusion to decks that are capable of producing white mana reliably.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the necessity to set aside white mana for the next turn, the effective cost seems comparatively high when planning your strategy. Other cards might offer protection or life gain without the associated mana cost commitment on the following turn.

Reasons to Include Intervention Pact in Your Collection

Versatility: Intervention Pact offers a unique defensive tactic for decks, safeguarding key creatures or your life total in critical turns. This flexibility to respond to an array of threats without spending mana on your turn adds a layer of strategy to your game.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly with other ‘Pact’ cards or with effects that prevent paying its next-turn cost. The surprise element of casting it for free before your turn can enable game-winning combos, making it a clever inclusion for decks running cards like Hive Mind.

Meta-Relevance: In a competitive environment filled with aggressive strategies, being able to nullify a potentially lethal attack without immediate mana investment can shift the game in your favor. As more players include high-impact creatures and direct damage spells in their decks, Intervention Pact’s role becomes increasingly critical.

How to beat

Intervention Pact is a unique card in Magic: The Gathering, offering a surprise form of protection. This zero-cost white instant allows a player to negate damage from a single source for a turn, with the catch that they must pay {W}{W}{W} during their next upkeep or lose the game. To outmaneuver this potentially game-saving card, you should adopt a strategy that stresses the opponent’s mana. Pressure them to deplete their resources before they draw into their upkeep. This way, they may not have the available mana to pay for the Impact’s cost, resulting in a swift defeat for them.

Furthermore, you can rely on spells that restrict the opponent’s ability to gain life or benefit from delaying tactics. Cards like Skullcrack or Leyline of Punishment can prevent the life-gain clause of Intervention Pact from taking effect, nullifying its utility. Alternatively, instant-speed removal or disruption in response to the Pact being played could prevent its successful resolution. Lastly, a well-timed counter spell when the upkeep trigger is on the stack could be devastating, making it critical to keep up mana and remain vigilant for the opportunity to strike.

Ultimately, beating Intervention Pact demands a blend of careful planning, resource control, and strategic timing, emphasizing the importance of versatile plays in Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Intervention Pact MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight, 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 Intervention Pact and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Intervention Pact has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-05-01	The delayed triggered ability will trigger regardless of whether any damage is actually prevented.
2013-06-07	Although originally printed with a characteristic-defining ability that defined its color, this card now has a color indicator. This color indicator can’t be affected by text-changing effects (such as the one created by Crystal Spray), although color-changing effects can still overwrite it.