Soul Rend MTG Card


Soul Rend - Mirage
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Released1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set nameMirage
Set codeMIR
Number144
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJeff Miracola

Key Takeaways

  1. Contributes to card advantage and can replace itself, creating value even as it disrupts the opponent.
  2. Instant speed allows for strategic plays and forces opponents to play around its possible use.
  3. Though powerful, its specific mana cost and discard requirement can limit deck compatibility.

Text of card

Bury target creature if it is white. Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"Since I cannot stop death, I choose to stop life." —Kaervek


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Soul Rend feeds into one of the most potent aspects of gameplay, providing you the ability to disrupt your opponent’s board while simultaneously offering the chance to replace itself in your hand. Ripping through the layers of the game, it serves as a pivotal mechanism to tip the balance in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Not only does Soul Rend have the potential to unsettle your adversary’s strategy, but it can also be the dark catalyst to your own growth on the battlefield. Its potential to bolster your resource pool under certain gameplay scenarios can be the much-needed push towards a swifter victory.

Instant Speed: The stealthy nature of Instant spells confers a strategic edge, and Soul Rend shines in this clandestine art. It prompts vigilance from your opponent, who must cautiously ponder the possibility of its invocation. Even when idle in your hand, its mere threat may alter the course of the conflict, leaving an indelible mark on the turn of events.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Soul Rend might help clear the board, it also necessitates that you discard a card. This could deplete your hand, impacting your ability to respond to future threats or diminishing your overall strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: Soul Rend isn’t the most flexible spell in terms of mana requirements. With its need for black mana, it may not seamlessly fit into a multi-colored deck or could pose a stumbling block in non-black alignments, limiting its versatility across diverse deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the power to destroy all nonland permanents without hexproof, Soul Rend commands a steep price. Some might consider its mana cost on the higher side, potentially making it a less desirable choice when faster-paced games require quicker responses and more efficient mana spend.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Soul Rend excels at flexibility due to its ability to handle both creatures and planeswalkers. This makes it an excellent inclusion in sideboards or main decks that anticipate diverse threats.

Combo Potential: As a removal card, it can be a critical piece in control strategies, setting up the board for powerful combos by clearing out potential blockers or threats that could interfere with your win condition.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often sees creature and planeswalker heavy decks, Soul Rend is particularly useful. Its place in the current gameplay can disrupt opponent strategies effectively, making it a wise choice for competitive play.


How to beat

Soul Rend is a powerful removal spell that can feel overwhelming to face in a game of Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to destroy a creature, some players might struggle to maintain a strong board presence against it. To counter this mighty card, it’s essential to diversify threats and reduce reliance on a single creature. Ensuring your deck has a range of resilient creatures can mitigate the impact of Soul Rend. Creatures with indestructible, hexproof, or those that can regenerate or create tokens upon death are advisable as they either evade removal or leave something behind when targeted. Another effective strategy includes playing counterspells, keeping mana open for when Soul Rend is cast. Utilizing instant-speed spells that protect or grant hexproof can also shield your valuable creatures from destruction. By staying agile and proactive, players can turn the tide in their favor and neutralize the threat of Soul Rend.


Cards like Soul Rend

Soul Rend is a quintessential piece of removal in Magic: The Gathering, bearing semblance to spells like Go for the Throat, which offers a swift answer to creature threats. Where Soul Rend shines, though, is in its unique capability to exile a creature at instant speed, ensuring that it doesn’t return to haunt the battlefield. Unlike Go for the Throat, Soul Rend isn’t constricted by nonartifact conditions, giving it a broader range of targets.

Analogous to this, there’s the classic Doom Blade, a stalwart in the removal suite with an enticing two mana cost. It reinforces swift board control but clashes with Soul Rend as it is unable to exile and is impotent against black creatures. Then enters Cast Down, another parallel that dismisses legendaries but swiftly manages other nefarious creatures. Soul Rend grants that extra edge by bypassing legendary immunity and clearing the path with its exiling ability.

Thus, in the vast pantheon of creature control spells in Magic: The Gathering, Soul Rend secures its spot as a versatile and powerful removal option, adept at dealing with a wide array of threats permanently and efficiently.

Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Cast Down - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Cast Down - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Soul Rend by color, type and mana cost

Word of Command - MTG Card versions
Terror - MTG Card versions
Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Transmutation - MTG Card versions
Headstone - MTG Card versions
Wicked Reward - MTG Card versions
Urborg Justice - MTG Card versions
Imps' Taunt - MTG Card versions
Rapid Decay - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Edict - MTG Card versions
Tainted Pact - MTG Card versions
Toxic Stench - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Cast Down - MTG Card versions
Smother - MTG Card versions
Hero's Demise - MTG Card versions
Sickening Shoal - MTG Card versions
Chill Haunting - MTG Card versions
Grim Harvest - MTG Card versions
Word of Command - MTG Card versions
Terror - MTG Card versions
Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Transmutation - MTG Card versions
Headstone - MTG Card versions
Wicked Reward - MTG Card versions
Urborg Justice - MTG Card versions
Imps' Taunt - MTG Card versions
Rapid Decay - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Edict - MTG Card versions
Tainted Pact - MTG Card versions
Toxic Stench - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Cast Down - MTG Card versions
Smother - MTG Card versions
Hero's Demise - MTG Card versions
Sickening Shoal - MTG Card versions
Chill Haunting - MTG Card versions
Grim Harvest - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soul Rend MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Soul Rend and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Soul Rend has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Only checks the color of the creature on resolution.

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