Pariah MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 3 |
Rarity | Rare |
Type | Enchantment — Aura |
Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Redirect to enchanted creature all damage dealt to you.
"It is *not* sad," Radiant chided the lesser angel. "It is right. Every society must have its outcasts."
Cards like Pariah
In the realm of protective spells within Magic: The Gathering, Pariah stands out with its unique ability to redirect damage from the player to a creature. It shares some strategic similarities with cards like Darksteel Myr, which has indestructible and can serve as a great damage sponge. However, Pariah offers the flexibility to choose any creature as the recipient of your would-be damage.
Shielded by Faith is another card that echoes Pariah’s theme of protection. It grants indestructible to a creature, but unlike Pariah, it doesn’t redirect damage. Conversely, Indestructibility offers absolute protection to a permanent, yet still doesn’t address incoming damage to the player. This is where Pariah excels, as it turns any creature into a shield, potentially protecting the player from lethal blows.
Assessing these alternatives puts Pariah in a space where it combines safeguarding the player while utilizing creatures as defensive tools. Even among enchantments designed for protection in Magic: The Gathering, this makes Pariah a tactical option for redirecting harm and potentially transforming the battlefield dynamic in your favor.
Cards similar to Pariah by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Pariah can turn any incoming damage from a single source to a specific creature you control, essentially nullifying the damage you would’ve taken. This synergistic interaction can accumulate card advantage by protecting valuable creatures or by using indestructible creatures to ensure your board presence remains unaffected.
Resource Acceleration: While Pariah itself doesn’t directly create resources, it can indirectly accelerate your game by conserving resources. Keeping your creatures alive, especially those vital for mana production or other synergies, allows for more efficient resource use over multiple turns.
Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Pariah at instant speed gives you the element of surprise and control over combat dynamics. It allows for strategic plays, enabling you to respond to threats or unfavorable attacks on the fly, thus preserving your life total and maintaining a strong defensive position.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike some other protective spells, Pariah mandates that you already have a creature in play to redirect damage which could leave you vulnerable if your board is empty.
Specific Mana Cost: Pariah requires white mana, which restricts its use predominantly to white-based or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility in a player’s strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three mana and is entirely color-specific, other options might provide cheaper and more immediate defense or board control.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Pariah stands out for its ability to be utilized across various deck archetypes, particularly those utilizing creatures with indestructible or damage-preventive abilities. This can turn any creature into a powerful defensive asset.
Combo Potential: This card opens the door to numerous combos, especially with cards designed to benefit from damage redirection or those that can’t be destroyed. This transforms potential game-ending threats into opportunities.
Meta-Relevance: Given a meta that is creature-heavy or where direct damage is prevalent, Pariah can effectively neutralize big threats or key strategies of opponents, making it a strategic choice for defense.
How to beat
Pariah is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, shifting potential damage from you to the enchanted creature. While it can create a formidable defense, circumventing this card’s effect is possible. Addressing Pariah directly involves removing the enchanted creature from the battlefield. Utilize removal spells that can bypass any indestructible traits, such as Path to Exile or Terminate, which can exile or destroy the creature regardless of its protection.
Alternatively, focus on effects that can disable enchantments. Cards like Disenchant or naturalize give players a straightforward way to eliminate Pariah, releasing the lock on damage redirection. It’s also effective to deploy countermagic when Pariah is on the stack. Denying its casting with a simple Negate or a Dovin’s Veto prevents it from ever taking effect. Remember, understanding the interactions and having the right answers in your deck or hand is essential when planning to dismantle an opponent’s strategy involving this distinctive card.
Ultimately, while Pariah can be a brick wall for unwary players, those who come prepared with a versatile removal suite won’t be deterred. The key lies in readiness and reaction, ensuring that Pariah’s protective shell is cracked before it can become a game-ending obstacle.
BurnMana Recommendations
Delving deep into the dynamics of MTG gameplay unveils cards like Pariah that can fundamentally alter the outcome of a match. Understanding its pros and cons, we’ve dissected how it can be turned into a powerful ally in your deck or how to dismantle its defenses. MTG’s constantly evolving meta demands that you stay informed and ready to adapt. Whether you’re looking to safeguard your life total with skillful plays or eager to thwart your opponent’s strategies, Pariah offers a chance to enrich your deck’s versatility. Visit BurnMana to dive deeper into strategic deck building and refine your MTG prowess with cards that can give you a reliable edge in any duel.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Pariah MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Seventh Edition, 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 Pariah and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Pariah Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 28 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jon J Muth | |
2 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 30 | 1997 | Normal | White | Scott M. Fischer | |
3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 30★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | |
4 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 33 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jon J Muth | |
5 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 33★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jon J Muth | |
6 | 2016-08-26 | Conspiracy: Take the Crown | CN2 | 95 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jon J Muth | |
7 | The List | PLST | 10E-33 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jon J Muth | ||
8 | 2024-04-19 | Breaking News | OTP | 5 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Magnus Jansson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Pariah has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Pariah 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 | All damage being dealt to you at one time gets redirected to one Pariah. If you take 3 damage at once, all 3 damage goes to one Pariah. If you take damage from multiple creatures in combat, all the combat damage goes to one Pariah. |
2004-10-04 | You can attach this to an opponent’s creature, and all damage done to you is instead done to their creature. |