Oblivion Strike MTG Card

Oblivion Strike secures card advantage by reliably removing key creatures from the battlefield. While effective, its specific mana cost and sorcery speed can limit its flexibility in play. It remains a valuable pick for its ability to handle a wide array of creature threats.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Devoid
Released	2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set name	Oath of the Gatewatch
Set code	OGW
Number	75
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daniel Ljunggren

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) Exile target creature.

It's bad enough to be torn to pieces. It's worse by far to be torn from the world itself.

Cards like Oblivion Strike

Oblivion Strike is notably a potent removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, sharing some common ground with cards offering exile effects. Much like Oblivion Ring, it allows players to remove a threat from the battlefield. Unlike Oblivion Ring, Oblivion Strike targets only creatures and the removal is permanent, making it slightly more reliable but less versatile.

Murderous Cut is another relative in the removal category, offering a more cost-effective option thanks to Delve. Although it doesn’t exile, the reduced casting cost can be pivotal in fast-paced games. Anguished Unmaking stands out as well with its ability to exile any nonland permanent at instant speed. However, it comes with a life cost which can be a significant drawback.

Oblivion Strike earns its place among the great single-target removal spells in MTG because of its unconditional exile effect, versatility against creature-based decks, and straightforward four mana cost, which does not hinge on any additional requirements.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Oblivion Strike excels in providing card advantage by removing a key creature from your opponent’s side of the battlefield. This effectively diminishes your opponent’s resources while maintaining your own creature count, which can create a favorable balance in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Oblivion Strike doesn’t directly impact mana resources, its function as a powerful removal spell ensures that your other cards geared towards resource acceleration remain protected. This helps to indirectly support strategies focused on building up your board state faster than your opponent.

Instant Speed: While Oblivion Strike operates at sorcery speed, its decisive removal makes up for the lack of instant speed flexibility. Planning the cast at the opportune moment can still work similarly to instant speed spells by disrupting your opponent’s strategies during your turn, leaving them off-balance for theirs.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Oblivion Strike could lead to a quicker depletion of your hand, especially if you’re relying on instant speed interactions to maintain board control and need multiple options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one colorless and three black mana, which demands a commitment to black mana sources and potentially makes it less flexible in multicolored decks that need a balanced mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of four mana for a single-removal spell, Oblivion Strike might be considered slow compared to other lower-cost removal options that can be deployed earlier in the game to manage threats as they arise.

Reasons to Include Oblivion Strike in Your Collection

Versatility: Oblivion Strike offers the advantage of being a non-conditional removal spell, fitting well into various deck builds. It targets any creature, making it a valuable inclusion for dealing with threats across a wide range of matchups.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with decks that benefit from casting spells with the Devoid trait or those that leverage exile effects to gain strategic advantages, such as processing exiled cards for bonuses.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where formidable creatures often dictate the battlefield, Oblivion Strike’s ability to exile can critically disrupt opponent strategies. It is especially potent in formats where indestructible or recursion-based creatures are prevalent, circumventing traditional destruction-based removal limitations.

How to beat

Oblivion Strike presents a peculiar challenge in the realm of removal spells. Known for its efficiency in exiling creatures, this powerful sorcery can swiftly remove key threats from the battlefield. Commanding a cost of four mana, including one black, Oblivion Strike stands out with its definitive exile effect, an advantage over destruction-based cards that simply place creatures in the graveyard where they could potentially return.

To circumvent the card’s strength, consider employing cards with indestructible attributes or ones that can regenerate, thereby ensuring their survival against exiling effects. Decks that feature cards like Selfless Spirit which can grant indestructibility, or spells that can counter non-creature spells such as Negate, have the means to prevent or at least mitigate the impact of Oblivion Strike. Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves can also equip creatures to protect them with hexproof or shroud, skirting the sorcery’s reach entirely.

As with any powerful card in MTG, understanding and preparing for Oblivion Strike’s impact is critical. By including cards that provide protection, countering abilities, or recursion after a creature has been exiled, you can maintain a robust defense against such strategic plays.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Oblivion Strike MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Oblivion Strike and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Oblivion Strike has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal