Reverent Mantra MTG Card


Reverent Mantra - Mercadian Masques
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Released1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameMercadian Masques
Set codeMMQ
Number44
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRebecca Guay

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers indirect card advantage by safeguarding battlefield investments from elimination.
  2. Alternate casting option accelerates potential plays without requiring mana.
  3. Instant speed casting enables surprise defensive or strategic plays in-game.

Text of card

You may remove a white card in your hand from the game instead of paying Reverent Mantra's mana cost. All creatures gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When it comes to maintaining the upper hand in a duel, every spell counts. Reverent Mantra might not draw you cards directly, but its ability to protect your entire board from a color of your choice can negate an opponent’s multi-target removal or board wipe. This can effectively save the card investments you’ve made on the battlefield, providing an indirect form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Reverent Mantra doesn’t accelerate your resources in the traditional sense of providing additional mana or ramp. However, by choosing to cast it for its alternate cost of pitching a white card, it frees up mana for that turn. This allows you to deploy other threats or hold up mana for different interactions, effectively accelerating your potential plays within the game turn.

Instant Speed: The true strength of this spell lies in its flexibility. Casting Reverent Mantra at instant speed gives you the element of surprise, enabling you to respond to threats or potential game-changing moments on the fly. You can protect your creatures from instant-speed removal during combat, disrupt enemy combos, or simply keep your opponents guessing by leaving mana untapped. The strategic possibilities this provides can’t be overstated.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Reverent Mantra doesn’t require a traditional discard, it has a pitch mechanic, meaning you may need to exile a white card from your hand instead of paying its mana cost. This can deplete your hand, potentially leaving you with fewer options later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Reverent Mantra in the traditional way, a player needs to allocate three generic and one white mana. This specific cost requires commitment to white mana sources, potentially limiting deck versatility, especially in multi-color decks that may struggle with color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana, Reverent Mantra is a notable investment, especially considering it is used primarily for its protective ability rather than to advance your board state. Some players might find this cost steep for an effect that, while powerful in certain situations, does not directly contribute to a win condition.


Reasons to Include Reverent Mantra in Your Collection

Versatility: Reverent Mantra offers the unique ability to grant your creatures protection from a color of your choice on the fly. This instant-speed action can be a game-changer, fitting seamlessly into multiple deck archetypes that appreciate flexible defensive options.

Combo Potential: Recognized for its synergy with decks that emphasize creature survival and combat tricks, Reverent Mantra can be the lynchpin in combinations that protect key creatures or ensure a decisive attack goes through unimpeded.

Meta-Relevance: When the competitive landscape is dominated by heavy removal or decks focusing on specific colors, being able to shield your entire field with a timely Reverent Mantra can give you the upper hand, making it a strategic choice for sideboards or even main decks depending on the meta.


How to beat

Reverent Mantra presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, offering a sudden blanket of protection with its ability to give creatures you control protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. This can be game-changing, transforming an unfavorable situation into a winning moment for your opponent. Understanding how to bypass its protection is key.

One effective strategy involves countering Reverent Mantra itself. Counterspells like Counterspell or Dovin’s Veto can effectively neutralize it before it takes effect. Alternatively, using spells or abilities that don’t target, such as board wipes like Supreme Verdict or global damage spells like Pyroclasm, can circumvent the protection it offers.

Being proactive is just as important. Applying pressure and forcing your opponent to use Reverent Mantra defensively can limit their ability to leverage its full potential. Lastly, remember that Reverent Mantra is a one-time effect. Playing around its timing by holding back critical spells or attacks for after it’s been used can ensure your key threats remain effective throughout the game.


Cards like Reverent Mantra

Reverent Mantra stands out as a unique card in MTG for its ability to grant creatures protection from a chosen color until end of turn. It’s easily paralleled with spells like Brave the Elements, which also provides color-based protection, but is limited to white creatures only. The versatility of Reverent Mantra enables any-colored creature defense, lending it a broader application during gameplay.

Another related card is Akroma’s Will, which, while granting protection, also confers additional bonuses to creatures such as flying and double strike, albeit at a higher mana cost. The instant speed of Reverent Mantra gives it an edge by allowing strategic plays that can swing the game unpredictably in your favor.

Evaluating the utility and flexibility of protection spells in MTG, Reverent Mantra claims its place due to its instant-speed playability and its ability to target creatures of any color, which can be pivotal in both offensive and defensive situations on the battlefield.

Brave the Elements - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Will - MTG Card versions
Brave the Elements - Zendikar (ZEN)
Akroma's Will - Commander Legends (CMR)

Cards similar to Reverent Mantra by color, type and mana cost

Rapid Fire - MTG Card versions
Congregate - MTG Card versions
Scour - MTG Card versions
Sivvi's Ruse - MTG Card versions
Mirror Strike - MTG Card versions
Surprise Deployment - MTG Card versions
Ray of Distortion - MTG Card versions
Chastise - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Will - MTG Card versions
Semester's End - MTG Card versions
Release to Memory - MTG Card versions
Recuperate - MTG Card versions
Solidarity - MTG Card versions
Altar's Light - MTG Card versions
Abuna's Chant - MTG Card versions
Retaliate - MTG Card versions
Aether Shockwave - MTG Card versions
Return to Dust - MTG Card versions
Divine Verdict - MTG Card versions
Join the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Rapid Fire - Legends (LEG)
Congregate - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Scour - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sivvi's Ruse - Nemesis (NEM)
Mirror Strike - Prophecy (PCY)
Surprise Deployment - Planeshift (PLS)
Ray of Distortion - Odyssey (ODY)
Chastise - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Akroma's Will - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Semester's End - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Release to Memory - Neon Dynasty Commander (NEC)
Recuperate - Scourge (SCG)
Solidarity - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Altar's Light - Mirrodin (MRD)
Abuna's Chant - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Retaliate - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Aether Shockwave - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Return to Dust - Doctor Who (WHO)
Divine Verdict - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Join the Ranks - Worldwake (WWK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reverent Mantra MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Reverent Mantra and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reverent Mantra has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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