Desecration Plague MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Number	120
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ralph Horsley

Key Takeaways

Sacrificing creatures or lands for strategic parity can be advantageous in certain MTG decks.
Instant speed casting offers tactical flexibility, disrupting opponents at critical moments.
Mana cost and discard requirements may limit Desecration Plague’s utility in diverse builds.

Text of card

Destroy target enchantment or land.

"The gods think of us as insects. Perhaps there is wisdom in that." —Perisophia the philosopher

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Desecration Plague offers a unique advantage by forcing each player to sacrifice a creature or a land, effectively disrupting the opponent’s board while maintaining parity. This can lead to gaining an upper hand, especially if your strategy can capitalize on this symmetrical effect.

Resource Acceleration: In cases where Desecration Plague requires you to sacrifice a land, it can be strategically advantageous in decks that benefit from lands in the graveyard, thus accelerating your game plan through potential resource recycling or synergy with land-based mechanics.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Desecration Plague at instant speed provides flexibility, allowing you to wait for the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s strategy, such as in response to an opponent’s creature entering the battlefield or land drop to maximize the card’s potential impact.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: As part of casting Desecration Plague, you may need to discard another card. This could set you back, especially in a game where maintaining a full hand could be pivotal to outmaneuvering your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: The specific mana cost of Desecration Plague means it calls for a certain combination of mana types. Decks not aligned with these mana colors will find it challenging to utilize this card, thereby reducing its versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you consider the mana investment required for Desecration Plague, it’s worth examining if the output matches up. There are spells and creatures with lower mana costs that could potentially yield similar or greater benefits, prompting players to weigh their options carefully.

Reasons to Include Desecration Plague in Your Collection

Versatility: Desecration Plague offers a dynamic solution for decks needing to manage opponent’s enchantments and graveyards, making it a flexible addition to various deck builds.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that capitalize on graveyard play, as removing opponents’ enchantments can enable your own graveyard tactics to flourish.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often includes enchantment-heavy decks, Desecration Plague can serve as a key disruptor, affording you an edge against prevalent strategies.

How to beat

Desecration Plague is one of those MTG cards that can pose a significant threat to your creatures and potentially alter the landscape of a game. This grim card has the capability to systematically wipe out creatures and erode your defenses, all the while heightening the value of death triggers for your opponent. To effectively handle this spell, it’s crucial to have a strategy that’s one step ahead.

Engaging a more aggressive stance with indestructible or hexproof creatures can render the effects of Desecration Plague negligible. Incorporating enchantment removal spells into your deck can also serve as a fail-safe, ensuring that you can quickly neutralize the threat if it lands on the battlefield. Additionally, counter spells are your best friend against Desecration Plague, nipping the problem in the bud before it germinates and gains traction against you. If Desecration Plague does resolve, prioritizing the protection of your key creatures and quickly rebuilding your board presence will also dilute its impact.

Taking these approaches affords you a way to guard your game from such destructive influences, setting you on a path to victory despite the potential setbacks a Desecration Plague might inflict.

Cards like Desecration Plague

Desecration Plague presents an intriguing choice for players seeking impactful enchantment removal in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with cards like Naturalize, which allows players to destroy an artifact or enchantment at a low cost. However, Desecration Plague adds a twist with its potential for recurrent use, something Naturalize doesn’t offer.

When compared to Return to Nature, we notice that while both can target enchantments, Return to Nature adds versatility with its ability to exile cards from graveyards. But it lacks the repeatability that makes Desecration Plague a persistent threat on the battlefield. Replayability in a single card can be pivotal during longer matches where resources are crucial. Another analog is Reclamation Sage, a creature that can destroy an artifact or enchantment on entry. Although it provides a body on the field, it doesn’t have the ongoing effect Desecration Plague offers.

Evaluating each card’s role in deck construction, it’s clear that Desecration Plague stands out for its unique ability to repeatedly handle threats, thus reinforcing its position in strategies that emphasize control and attrition over time.

Cards similar to Desecration Plague by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Desecration Plague 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 Desecration Plague and other MTG cards: