Order of Succession MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Order of Succession is beneficial in multiplayer formats, allowing players to navigate the complexities of board presence. By switching control of creatures, it can disrupt your opponents’ strategies and potentially provide you with a more advantageous creature, effectively increasing your card quality on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: This card does not directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense. However, it can be considered a form of indirect acceleration by obtaining creatures with abilities that generate additional mana or provide cost reduction effects, which are beneficial for your deck’s overall mana economy.

Instant Speed: Though Order of Succession is a sorcery, its impact is reminiscent of instant speed effects in the sense that it can immediately alter the state of play. The ability to choose the moment when to play this card—such as before a significant attack or in response to an opponent’s threat—can generate a surprise factor similar to instant speed spells, maintaining a tactical edge.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While working towards establishing your board presence, Order of Succession may compel you to part with a valuable card from your hand. This is an action that could set you back, particularly if your hand is already running low on cards. Strategizing when to cast this spell without disadvantaging your position is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell requires a precise mana arrangement to cast—three generic and one blue mana. This specificity can be restrictive, tying its utility down to decks where blue mana is readily available. Players running multicolor decks without a strong blue mana base may find it challenging to incorporate Order of Succession effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a four mana cost, Order of Succession is an investment, specifically considering its potential impact on the game. When evaluating board control options, you may find that other spells or creatures provide a more cost-effective or immediate influence on the game state for a similar or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Order of Succession offers a unique approach to board control, allowing it to slide into various Commander and casual play decks. Its capacity to switch up creatures across opponents makes it adaptable to shifting game states.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations, particularly in tactics involving creature abilities or theft. It can be the cornerstone of a powerful strategy with the right setup, providing unexpected swings that can completely alter the game’s momentum.

Meta-Relevance: In a play environment where creatures dominate and control the board, Order of Succession can act as a disruptor. It is particularly potent in multiplayer settings where politic maneuvering can play a crucial role in securing victory.

How to beat

Order of Succession can be an unpredictable and game-altering card in MTG, particularly in multiplayer formats. A card that lets you choose a creature you control and swap it with a creature that another player controls can create a significant shift in board state and power dynamics. A key strategy to counteracting this card is maintaining control over which creatures are available to swap. This could mean having fewer creatures on the board, or creatures with negative effects that opponents might not want. Instant-speed removal or bounce spells can disrupt the swap, letting you respond to Order of Succession by removing your own creature or the desired target before the exchange occurs.

Similarly, cards like Homeward Path can instantly return control of all creatures to their original owners, nullifying the effect of Order of Succession almost immediately. In essence, resilience against Order of Succession lies in flexibility and control over your own creatures and having the ability to adjust or respond to surprises on the battlefield. With the right timing and preparedness, the impact of Order of Succession can be mitigated, keeping your strategy on course.