Circle of Affliction MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	2007-02-02
Set symbol
Set name	Planar Chaos
Set code	PLC
Number	66
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Rob Alexander

Key Takeaways

Circle of Affliction turns damage received into an opportunity to weaken opponents and control game flow.
At instant speed, the card’s ability enhances strategic flexibility and can surprise opponents during their turn.
Its flexibility makes it a versatile addition to defense-focused or life manipulation MTG decks.

Text of card

As Circle of Affliction comes into play, choose a color. Whenever a source of the chosen color deals damage to you, you may pay . If you do, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although not directly providing card draw, Circle of Affliction offers ongoing value, turning each instance of damage into potential control over the flow of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not accelerating mana in the traditional sense, Circle of Affliction can pressure opponents into unfavorable trades, indirectly conserving your resources while depleting theirs.

Instant Speed: This card’s triggered ability can take effect at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond during any phase of your opponent’s turn whenever damage is dealt, aligning with a strategy that keeps your opponents guessing.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Circle of Affliction requires a card to be discarded to trigger its ability. This can put you at a disadvantage during gameplay, particularly if your hand is already running low on cards. Managing your resources efficiently becomes challenging as you might be forced to let go of potentially useful cards just to benefit from Circle of Affliction’s effects.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise mana allocation to be played, specifically one black mana. Its dependency on black mana can restrict the card’s inclusion to certain deck builds, particularly those that focus on multicolored strategies where mana flexibility is vital. Players running decks with a minimal black mana base might find it difficult to consistently cast Circle of Affliction when it’s most needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep for its effects, Circle of Affliction can be seen as a less efficient choice compared to other options. For two mana, players might expect an immediate impact on the game, yet the card demands further investment and setup to realize its potential benefit. This high upfront cost, combined with ongoing demands, can result in delayed game impact, especially when compared to lower-cost alternatives that provide more immediate value.

Reasons to Include Circle of Affliction in Your Collection

Versatility: Circle of Affliction offers a flexible defense mechanism against a variety of creatures. It can be included in decks centered on defense, life manipulation, or in any black-focused strategy that could benefit from consistent life point adjustments.

Combo Potential: This card works well with other cards that trigger upon life loss or gain, as well as with those that benefit from repetitive casting or black mana symbol-heavy spells. It serves as a piece within intricate combos that can ultimately control opponents’ board states.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where targeted removal or damage-based control is prevalent, Circle of Affliction can act as a deterrent against such strategies. It’s useful in metas where chip damage accumulates value over time or in a setting where specific color protection is needed.

How to beat

Circle of Affliction presents an intriguing challenge in Magic: The Gathering gameplay. The unique aspect of this card lies in its ability to turn pain into gain, as it allows a player to choose a color and then serves as a conduit for draining life from an opponent whenever a source of that color deals damage to you. It’s a subtle form of retaliation that can affect the flow of the match.

To navigate against this card effectively, it is essential to disable its life-draining ability. This can be achieved through the utilization of spells that remove enchantments, such as Disenchant, which can dismantle Circle of Affliction’s influence on the battlefield promptly. Additionally, countering it before it even hits the field using counter spells is a solid strategy. Nevertheless, it’s wise to assess the situation to determine if the threat posed by Circle of Affliction is significant enough to warrant the use of these resources or if it is more strategic to save them for more critical threats.

Ultimately, understanding your deck’s range of responses and discerning the right moment to act can ensure that Circle of Affliction doesn’t circle your match towards an adverse outcome.

Cards like Circle of Affliction

Circle of Affliction is a unique card within the realm of Magic: The Gathering that provides targeted damage redirection. A card that shares a conceptual resemblance is Harsh Justice, which similarly redirects damage from a player to a creature or opponent. However, Circle of Affliction allows for more controlled damage allocation with its ability to choose the source of damage for a single mana, granting incremental life drain.

Another card in this space is Pariah’s Shield, offering a broader redirection by channeling all damage from you to a chosen creature. By contrast, Circle of Affliction is more narrowly focused, and its color-specific nature is a tactical element that can be wielded against certain decks. Lastly, we see Tamanoa, which doesn’t redirect damage but rather converts it into a life gain, again a different take on utilizing damage for a beneficial outcome.

While these cards share the theme of damage manipulation, Circle of Affliction stands out in its application in MTG, as it helps play into black’s strengths of controlling the field and damaging opponents incrementally, making it a nuanced and strategic choice for players.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Circle of Affliction MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos, 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 Circle of Affliction and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Circle of Affliction has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-02-01	Each time a source deals damage to you, you may pay . You can’t pay more than , even if more than 1 damage was dealt.
2007-02-01	If several sources deal damage to you simultaneously (for example, several attacking creatures), this ability triggers once for each source.
2007-02-01	If the damage reduces you to 0 or less life, you lose the game before Circle of Affliction’s ability has a chance to give you life.
2007-02-01	The player you target doesn’t have to be the controller of the source that dealt damage to you.