Echoing Decay MTG Card
2004-02-06 - Number 41
2020-03-08 - Number 36
2023-07-18 - Number 7
2020-09-26 - Number DST-41
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- An efficient multitarget removal option especially effective in token-heavy metas or against decks with duplicate creatures.
- Flexibility as an instant adds a layer of strategic depth, providing control over the tempo of the game.
- The card’s specific mana requirements may limit its versatility in multicolored decks with restrictive mana bases.
Text of card
Target creature and all other creatures with the same name as that creature get -2/-2 until end of turn.
A single fear unleashes a torrent of nightmares.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Echoing Decay has the potential to serve as a multifaceted removal spell. When used against an opponent’s multiple identical tokens or creatures with the same name, it can remove several threats with just a single cast, tipping the scales in your favor when it comes to card efficiency.
Resource Acceleration: While Echoing Decay does not directly accelerate resources, its low cost and ability to potentially remove multiple threats can indirectly lead to accelerated board development by allowing you to utilize your mana elsewhere.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of Echoing Decay being an instant cannot be overstated. This attribute allows for strategic play during an opponent’s turn, contributing to better control of the game’s tempo and offering surprise interaction when your opponent least expects it.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Echoing Decay demands a precise mana arrangement to cast, necessitating one black and one generic mana. This requirement may restrict its integration into multicolored decks where mana fixing is not optimal, potentially leading to turns where casting it is not feasible.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana may not appear steep, in the aggressive and tempo-driven formats, the cost of Echoing Decay competes with other removal options. This can sometimes put it at a disadvantage when speed is a critical factor in controlling the board.
Discard Requirement: Although Echoing Decay does not inherently require discarding cards, its specific conditions for optimal utility might necessitate holding onto it longer than desired, which could indirectly lead to discarding other valuable cards when hand sizes need to be managed. This is particularly true in match-ups where holding multiple removal spells is less advantageous than developing the board or progressing one’s game plan.
Reasons to Include Echoing Decay in Your Collection
Versatility: Echoing Decay is a dynamic card suitable for decks that aim to manage multiple threats at once. Its ability to target a creature and replicate its effect to others with the same name makes it particularly useful in formats where duplicates are common.
Combo Potential: This card can be strategically used in combination with effects that copy spells or in scenarios where the opponent relies on tokens or similar creatures to build strength, thereby amplifying its impact on the game state.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where decks focus on creating or buffing multiple copies of a creature, Echoing Decay can act as a powerful counter, disrupting your opponent’s board presence and giving you an advantage.
How to beat
Echoing Decay is a potent removal card in Magic: The Gathering, especially valuable in metas where tokens or decks with many identical creatures thrive. When deployed efficiently, it can clear a multitude of threats with its duplicative debuff effect. However, there are strategies to circumvent the impact of Echoing Decay. Diversifying your creature base can significantly reduce its effectiveness – relying on a varied creature strategy instead of a uniform one ensures that Echoing Decay will have limited impact if it can find only a single target.
Another way to outmaneuver Echoing Decay is by employing instant-speed effects that can either boost your creature’s toughness or grant indestructibility temporarily. These plays can force the Echoing Decay to fizzle, protecting your creatures from being diminished in one fell swoop. Additionally, cards with hexproof or shroud offer innate protection from targeted spells like Echoing Decay. By carefully considering deck composition and keeping a watchful eye for opportune moments to disrupt the spell, you can maintain a resilient presence on the battlefield against this type of removal.
Ultimately, while Echoing Decay could prove daunting, ensuring a versatile board state, ready responses, and applying strategic pressure can effectively neutralize its threat, preserving your creatures and your route to victory.
Cards like Echoing Decay
Echoing Decay stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its targeted removal potential. It shares a thematic similarity with Echoing Ruin, which also targets artifacts or creatures sharing the same name. While Echoing Decay deals with creatures and diminishes their power, Echoing Ruin aims at artifacts, disrupting opponents’ noncreature strategies.
Another card echoing this mechanic is Echoing Truth. Unlike Decay, Truth provides a more versatile bounce effect, applicable to all non-land permanents and not restricted to just creatures. It allows for a wider range of targets and can save your own permanents in a pinch, making it invaluable in certain scenarios.
Lastly, Echoing Calm deserves a mention. Its effect is similar to Echoing Decay but impacts enchantments specifically. This allows players to manage their opponents’ enchantments that share a name. While less common than creatures, enchantments can be just as troublesome.
Despite their differences, all of these cards harness the power of the “echo” concept to effectively deal with multiple threats at once. Echoing Decay holds a place among them as a potent and focused deterrent against creature-heavy decks within Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Echoing Decay by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Echoing Decay MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Echoing Decay and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Echoing Decay Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2023-07-18. Illustrated by Greg Staples.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004-02-06 | Darksteel | DST | 41 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 2 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 36 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | DST-41 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | ||
| 4 | 2023-07-18 | Historic Anthology 7 | HA7 | 7 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Echoing Decay has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
