Royal Decree MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Cumulative upkeep

Key Takeaways

  1. Royal Decree generates card advantage and can dramatically shift the game’s balance in a player’s favor.
  2. With instant speed, it allows strategic responses, adapting to opponents’ moves and securing an edge.
  3. Mana cost considerations are crucial, as its four-mana requirement competes with other strategic card options.

Text of card

Cumulative Upkeep: o W Whenever a swamp, mountain, black permanent, or red permanent becomes tapped, Royal Decree deals 1 damage to that permanent's controller.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Royal Decree allows its controller to benefit from every spell cast not just their own but opponents’ as well. This can quickly lead to an overwhelming advantage in card quantity, especially in multiplayer games or formats with high spell density.

Resource Acceleration: In addition to card draw, Royal Decree can represent a form of resource acceleration. If an opponent casts several spells in one turn, it translates to multiple cards possibly drawn, thus accelerating the controller’s access to more options and routes to victory.

Instant Speed: The ability to enhance your hand at instant speed grants significant flexibility. Royal Decree can be deployed on an opponent’s turn in response to their actions, thereby maximizing its potential impact on the game. Remaining responsive to the evolving state of play is crucial, and an instant speed spell like Royal Decree ensures you can adapt swiftly and effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Royal Decree demands its caster to relinquish another card from their hand, which could be a drawback during crucial game stages where each card’s value is at a premium.

Specific Mana Cost: The necessity to provide not just a substantial amount of mana but also a particular combination could potentially limit the incorporation of Royal Decree in multi-colored decks or those relying on mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a total of four mana, there are alternatives within the card pool that may prove a more economical use of resources, especially in strategies prioritizing speed and efficiency.


Reasons to Include Royal Decree in Your Collection

Versatility: Royal Decree is an enchantment that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of decks, particularly those that aim to control the pace of the game. Its ability to hinder opponents’ strategies by imposing limitations on their actions makes it a universal asset.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combos, interacting with other cards that benefit from restrictions placed on your opponents. Whether you’re aiming to lock down a win condition or simply disrupt the flow of your adversary’s game, Royal Decree can be a linchpin in achieving dominance.

Meta-Relevance: With a constantly evolving competitive scene, adaptability is key. Royal Decree maintains its relevance by providing a countermeasure to prevalent “go-wide” strategies, making it a strategic choice in many metagames where limiting opponent’s creature abilities or other actions can be crucial.


How to beat

Royal Decree poses a unique challenge on the battlefield due to its ability to impose a tax on certain actions within the game. To overcome this card, players need to adopt strategies that mitigate or avoid the effects of this taxing enchantment. Cards that allow for the destruction or neutralization of enchantments are key. Naturalize and Disenchant are prime examples of spell cards that can remove Royal Decree from play directly.

Alternatively, players can adapt their playstyle to minimize the impact of Royal Decree. This might include opting for a creature-heavy deck that relies less on the actions penalized by the card. Additionally, players can employ counter spells to prevent Royal Decree from ever hitting the field. Efficient mana usage becomes crucial, especially in decks that plan to circumvent the decree’s tax by holding up enough mana to pay for its additional costs. Incorporating versatile cards that can either counter or remove enchantments offers flexibility and resilience against such controlling strategies. Above all, recognizing Royal Decree’s presence and adapting one’s game plan is essential for any player aiming to claim victory against a deck wielding this powerful enchantment.


Cards like Royal Decree

Royal Decree stands out in the realm of enchantments within Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to tax players for tapping their lands ties closely to the effects seen in cards like Mana Breach and War’s Toll. Both these cards aim to disrupt opponents’ mana strategies, yet Royal Decree is unique in its direct approach to penalize opponents’ land use with a life cost. Mana Breach, while similar in its goal to setback opponents, does so by returning a land to its owner’s hand whenever a spell is cast, without the life loss penalty.

Examining War’s Toll, we notice it forces all lands to be tapped at once if one is used or all creatures to be declared as attackers if any attacks. While controlling and potentially crippling to an opposing strategy, it differs from Royal Decree in that it doesn’t whittle down an opponent’s life total. Royal Decree, therefore, presents a more immediate threat to players, making them think twice before tapping lands for mana.

Ultimately, although each of these cards serve to challenge mana usage and strategies in their game, Royal Decree asserts itself as an aggressive tool for enforcing a high-risk environment, particularly effective in decks that aim to keep opponents constantly under pressure and chip away at their health.

Mana Breach - MTG Card versions
War's Toll - MTG Card versions
Mana Breach - MTG Card versions
War's Toll - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Royal Decree MTG card by a specific set like Alliances 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 Royal Decree and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Royal Decree Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 141993NormalBlackPete Venters
22008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 311997NormalBlackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Royal Decree has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Royal Decree 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 Royal Decree’s ability will trigger a maximum of once for each permanent that becomes tapped, even if that permanent meets multiple criteria. (For example, Badlands is both a Swamp and a Mountain.)

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