Despotic Scepter MTG Card

Ice Age (ICE)
1995-06-03 - Number 316

Despotic Scepter - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Masters Edition II (ME2)
2008-09-22 - Number 206

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact

Key Takeaways

Through triggering enter/leave the battlefield effects, Despotic Scepter enables indirect card advantage.
Its flexible instant-speed ability can be pivotal for aggressive strategies or disrupting opponents.
Despite being resource-intensive, its unique control mechanisms warrant consideration in decks.

Text of card

oc T: Bury target permanent you own.

"We were not meant to have such terrible things. They should be left where we found them, if not destroyed!" —Sorine Relicbane, Soldevi Heretic

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Despotic Scepter doesn’t let a player draw cards directly, its ability to continuously control the permanence of an owned card on the battlefield can indirectly lead to situations where one can capitalize on their own cards’ enter or leave the battlefield triggers, hence gaining potential card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This artifact doesn’t add resources in the conventional sense, but its capacity to eliminate potential blockers or to “sacrifice” your own permanents at will can pave the way for more aggressive plays or enable interactions with other cards that thrive on sacrifice mechanics for additional benefits.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of Despotic Scepter’s activated ability at instant speed allows players to respond to various situations immediately, whether it’s to disrupt an opponent’s combo or to trigger your own card’s abilities right before a crucial moment in the game sequence.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despotic Scepter forces the owner to discard one of their own permanent cards, which can lead to a loss of valuable resources and potentially harming the player’s board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: While not demanding a particular color, the initial investment to cast Despotic Scepter can be heavy, requiring a dedicated slot in a deck that might have been utilized for a more immediately impactful card.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The activation cost, though devoid of color restrictions, is comparatively high for the effect it offers. Players could find alternative means of disrupting opponents or protecting their strategies that are more cost-effective and don’t involve sacrificing their own permanents.

Reasons to Include Despotic Scepter in Your Collection

Versatility: Despotic Scepter is a flexible tool that can find a place in numerous deck archetypes. Whether it’s controlling potential threats or sacrificial synergy, it adapts to various board states and strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to destroy your own permanents on demand can be leveraged in combinations with abilities triggered upon a permanent’s destruction or to deny your opponent’s the benefit of taking control of your stuff.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where control decks or strategies using indestructible and hexproof abilities are prevalent, Despotic Scepter offers a unique answer, providing utility and nurturing an environment for dynamic gameplays.

How to beat

Despotic Scepter presents a unique challenge in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. This artifact offers players the ability to sacrifice it to destroy a target creature they control, potentially disrupting negative enchantments or escaping from detrimental situations. Aiming to counteract Despotic Scepter’s strategic advantage requires a multifaceted approach.

One efficient method to outmaneuver the Scepter’s effect is by using instant-speed removal. By targeting the creature your opponent aims to destroy, you force them to either use the Scepter prematurely or waste their removal action. Artifact destruction cards can also dismantle the Scepter before it becomes a nuisance, freeing the path for your strategies to unfold. Additionally, including creatures that benefit from being sacrificed in your deck can turn the tables, making the Scepter’s ability less threatening or even advantageous to you.

Ultimately, versatility and timing are the keys to gaining the upper hand against Despotic Scepter’s potential. By adapting your plays and maintaining a proactive stance, you can diminish the Scepter’s impact and guide the game towards your victory.

Cards like Despotic Scepter

Despotic Scepter is an intriguing artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, sharing a niche with other permanents capable of influencing the battlefield without direct interaction. A close comparison might be with the universally recognized Icy Manipulator. Like Despotic Scepter, this artifact allows a player to impact the board, albeit through tapping another permanent rather than destroying one’s own.

Then we consider Mirage Mirror, another versatile artifact. Mirage Mirror doesn’t destroy any permanents, but it can become a copy of any target artifact, creature, enchantment, or land until end of turn. While this doesn’t remove a problem permanent like Despotic Scepter might, it offers incredible adaptability. Furthermore, comparing it to Phyrexian Revoker, which can proactively prevent abilities from being activated, Despotic Scepter instead allows for a reactive approach, disposing of a permanent that has already served its strategic purpose.

In examining Despotic Scepter within the spectrum of utility artifacts in Magic: The Gathering, its unique role as a controlled self-sacrifice mechanism marks its place within targeted removal strategies, setting it apart as a tool for very specific deck-building philosophies.

Cards similar to Despotic Scepter by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Despotic Scepter MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Masters Edition II, 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 Despotic Scepter and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Despotic Scepter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Richard Thomas.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1995-06-03	Ice Age	ICE		316	1993	Normal	Black	Richard Thomas
2	2008-09-22	Masters Edition II	ME2		206	1997	Normal	Black	Richard Thomas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Despotic Scepter has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	You own a nontoken permanent if it started the game in your deck. If it started the game in no one’s deck (for example, it was brought into the game by Living Wish), you own it if you brought it into the game.
2012-10-01	A token’s owner is the player under whose control it entered the battlefield.