Spectral Deluge MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Foretell
Released	2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Kaldheim Commander
Set code	KHC
Number	7
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kieran Yanner

Key Takeaways

Spectral Deluge provides major card advantage by selectively clearing non-blue creatures.
Its cost reduction scales with Islands, making it resource-efficient at instant speed.
Ideal for controlling gameplay; challenges emerge with a restrictive mana cost.

Text of card

Return each creature your opponents control with toughness X or less to its owner's hand, where X is the number of Islands you control. Foretell (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spectral Deluge is designed to clear the battlefield of creatures that are not of the color blue. This can turn the tides in your favor by removing multiple threats from your opponent while potentially leaving your field undisturbed, thus creating significant card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This card can be a game-changer especially if you have a high number of Islands in play. Its cost reduction ability allows you to cast it for less mana, effectively accelerating your available resources to deploy other powerful spells or maintain control efficiently.

Instant Speed: The sheer flexibility of Spectral Deluge having instant speed cannot be overstated. This trait provides you with the strategic advantage of casting the spell during your opponent’s turn, thus allowing you to respond to threats in real-time or just before your turn to maximize the element of surprise and plan your moves without committing during your own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spectral Deluge comes without the need to discard, which, while a benefit in itself, also means there isn’t an alternate cost option that could help mitigate its higher casting price in specific game scenarios, limiting strategic flexibility.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s requirement for three blue mana can be restrictive. Players running multi-color decks may find it challenging to have the necessary mana types available exactly when this powerful board clear is needed, impacting deck building and play strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of six, Spectral Deluge demands a significant investment of resources. Although its effect is potent, the cost may deter some players, especially considering other sweepers or board control options in the game that come into play sooner, allowing for quicker responses to threats on the board.

Reasons to Include Spectral Deluge in Your Collection

Versatility: Spectral Deluge is a flexible addition to your collection, easily sliding into blue-centric decks, especially in Commander where its cost-reducing effect based on the number of opponents can be a game-changer. This card has the potential to swing games by resetting overcrowded boards, allowing for strategic comebacks.

Combo Potential: Coupling Spectral Deluge with cards that capitalize on casting powerful spells or returning creatures to hand can amplify your deck’s synergy. The ability to bounce multiple creatures opens up the board for combo plays or to simply gain tempo advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In metas heavy with creature-based strategies, Spectral Deluge stands out as a valuable countermeasure. Its scaling effect makes it increasingly powerful in multiplayer formats, keeping you ahead while others commit to the board. Given its potency in the current playing environment, having this card in your arsenal could tip the scales in your favor.

How to Beat

Spectral Deluge can be a real game changer in MTG, with its ability to return all nonland permanents your opponents control to their hand if your devotion to blue is less than the number of islands you control. This makes it particularly powerful in mono-blue or blue-heavy decks. To counteract this, it’s wise to diversify your manabase with non-island lands if blue is part of your strategy, reducing the impact of a potential Deluge from an opponent. Moreover, keeping countermeasures like counterspells or instant-speed hexproof options can safeguard your board from this sweeping disruption.

On the other hand, if playing against a deck with Spectral Deluge, time your threats accordingly. Since it’s a six-mana sorcery, pacing your plays and not overcommitting to the board can minimize the card’s impact on you. Utilizing instant-speed spells or abilities to bolster your board in response to the Deluge can be an effective strategy. Prioritizing the casting of nonpermanent spells or leaning on indestructible creatures also diminishes the setback caused by such wipeouts in control matchups.

Ultimately, awareness and preparedness are key. Understanding that Spectral Deluge can be a pivot point in a game allows players to strategize around it, maintaining a resilient presence on the board and ensuring the tides of the game don’t turn against them.

BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the depths of MTG card interactions can be an exhilarating experience. Spectral Deluge stands out as a formidable tool in your MTG arsenal, especially when threading through the waters of control strategies. It’s a wise choice for blue-heavy decks and multiplayer matches where its cost reduction shines. We recommend studying this card’s synergies and effectiveness within the current meta. If control and calculated plays are your call, Spectral Deluge could be the powerhouse you need. Interested in honing your strategy with this impactful card? Join us to expand your knowledge and master new tactics that will set you up for victory.

Cards like Spectral Deluge

Spectral Deluge is a noteworthy spell that has made its mark in Magic: The Gathering, inviting comparison to other powerful cards designed to reset the battlefield. Cyclonic Rift is another card that often springs to mind, capable of clearing all nonland permanents that an opponent controls. While Cyclonic Rift has the flexibility of its overload cost which can turn the tide of a multiplayer game, Spectral Deluge is distinct in its cost reduction mechanic. This enables a significant mana advantage for those playing heavy in blue, especially in Commander format where its potential truly shines.

Similar to Cyclonic Rift’s sweeping effect, Evacuation stands out as an option with an immediate effect at instant speed, returning all creatures to their owners’ hands. However, while Evacuation affects all players equally, Spectral Deluge targets opponents’ creatures only, skewing the advantage in your favor. Additionally, whil Flood of Tears can also clear the board and has the added benefit of allowing a player to put a permanent onto the battlefield, it lacks the asymmetric nature and potential mana efficiency that Spectral Deluge brings to a blue-centric deck.

Considering these elements, Spectral Deluge presents itself as a highly advantageous spell in control strategies within Magic: The Gathering, offering both selective mass removal and an impressive cost-reduction mechanic for those deep in the color blue.

Cards similar to Spectral Deluge by color, type and mana cost

Govern the Guildless - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spectral Deluge MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim Commander, 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 Spectral Deluge and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spectral Deluge has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-02-05	Because exiling a card with foretell from your hand is a special action, you can do so any time you have priority during your turn, including in response to spells and abilities. Once you announce you’re taking the action, no other player can respond by trying to remove the card from your hand.
2021-02-05	Casting a foretold card from exile follows the timing rules for that card. If you foretell an instant card, you can cast it as soon as the next player’s turn. In most cases, if you foretell a card that isn’t an instant (or doesn’t have flash), you’ll have to wait until your next turn to cast it.
2021-02-05	If you’re casting a foretold card from exile for its foretell cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any other alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast the spell.
2021-02-05	Use the number of Islands you control as Spectral Deluge resolves to determine the value of X.