Promise of Tomorrow MTG Card
2020-11-20 - Number 39
2020-11-20 - Number 622
2002-06-24 - Number 85970
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
Whenever a creature you control dies, exile it. At the beginning of each end step, if you control no creatures, sacrifice Promise of Tomorrow and return all cards exiled with it to the battlefield under your control.
Death can wait.
Cards like Promise of Tomorrow
Promise of Tomorrow is an enchanting piece in the spectrum of protection and recursion strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives include the likes of Faith’s Reward and Second Sunrise, which also orchestrate the memorable return of permanents from the graveyard to the battlefield. Yet, Promise of Tomorrow stands out as it accumulates creatures that die throughout the entire turn and brings them back en masse upon its own departure from the field, offering a delayed but potentially massive comeback.
Another comparable card is Twilight Shepherd, whose function mirrors the resurrection theme, recovering creatures that were put to the graveyard on the turn it dies. However, while Twilight Shepherd is a creature itself, it doesn’t promise the same enduring protection that Promise of Tomorrow offers. Lastly, Ghostway and Eerie Interlude provide temporary safety by exiling creatures only to return them quickly, safeguarding them from a singular destructive wave, but they don’t provide the consistent shielding from multiple threats like Promise of Tomorrow does.
Ultimately, when we analyze these cards side by side, Promise of Tomorrow captivates MTG players who enjoy planning for a powerful endgame, securing their forces against potential threats, and orchestrating a surprise resurgence when opponents least expect it.
Cards similar to Promise of Tomorrow by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Promise of Tomorrow. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Selesnya Combo | Legacy | MO82#CS |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Promise of Tomorrow is designed to secure a significant card advantage. When creatures you control die, this enchantment ensures they’re not truly gone, effectively banking them for future use. This allows you to preserve your board state and come back swinging powerfully on a following turn.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly create mana or tokens, Promise of Tomorrow can skip the mana costs of creatures once it triggers. Returning previously played creatures to the battlefield without spending mana can save considerable resources, setting the stage for a more efficient deployment of spells and abilities, and perhaps even allowing a game-winning comeback.
Instant Speed: One of the hidden gems of Promise of Tomorrow is its ability to interact favorably with instant-speed mechanics. By holding up instant-speed removal or sacrifice effects, you’re able to manipulate when Promise of Tomorrow triggers, ensuring you get your creatures back at the most opportune moment, ideally when your opponent least expects it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For Promise of Tomorrow, while not a direct discard requirement, you need creatures to die to leverage its benefits. This can be seen as a significant disadvantage when your board state is threatened, as you can’t utilize its effect without a sacrifice.
Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment comes with a specific white mana cost, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-color decks that could struggle with color consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at three white mana, it can be argued that Promise of Tomorrow may be a bit too costly compared to other protective or recursion spells available in the color. This can slow down your game, especially when you’re aiming for a deck with low mana curve and high speed.
Reasons to Include Promise of Tomorrow in Your Collection
Versatility: Promise of Tomorrow offers flexibility in deck building across various white-based strategies. Its ability to safeguard creatures ensures its place in decks focused on resilience and long-term board presence.
Combo Potential: As a piece with significant synergy, it pairs well with board wipes and sacrifice outlets, allowing for strategic play sequences that can turn the tide of a game while maintaining a creature advantage.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where removal spells are prevalent, this enchantment provides a fail-safe, essentially deterring opponents from clearing your board or, in a sense, rewarding you when they do. Its presence can shape how adversaries approach their removal strategy, making it a tactical component in current white-inclusive decks.
How to Defeat Promise of Tomorrow in MTG
Promise of Tomorrow embodies resilience for deckbuilders interested in recovery tactics. Upon creature loss, this enchantment secures potential for a strong comeback. However, overcoming it requires strategic plays. Efficient removal of enchantments is key. Cards like Disenchant or Nature’s Claim disrupt the preservation strategy by directly targeting Promise of Tomorrow. One must address the enchantment swiftly before a creature wipe occurs to prevent the opponent from capitalizing on its effect.
Another approach focuses on exile effects. Since Promise of Tomorrow triggers when creatures die, utilizing spells that exile creatures instead, such as Path to Exile or Merciless Eviction, can prevent creatures from hitting the graveyard in the first place, impeding the enchantment’s activation. Controlling the board state with effects that prevent creature abilities from triggering, like Hushbringer, can further degrade the strategy hinged on Promise of Tomorrow, as it won’t recognize creatures leaving the battlefield.
Ultimately, leaning on enchantment removal, exile effects, and ability counters are the methods of disrupting Promise of Tomorrow’s plan. Granting no quarter for the opponent’s strategies ensures that their promise remains unfulfilled, keeping them at bay and securing your lead on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Promise of Tomorrow MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Promise of Tomorrow 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
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Printings
The Promise of Tomorrow Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 85970 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | ||
| 2 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 39 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 3 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 622 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Promise of Tomorrow has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Promise of Tomorrow card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-11-10 | If a creature you control dies, but it isn't a creature card in the graveyard (perhaps because it was a noncreature that became a creature), Promise of Tomorrow will still exile it, and it may return it to the battlefield later. |
| 2020-11-10 | If you control more than one Promise of Tomorrow, each creature you control that dies will cause the triggered ability of each of them to trigger. Those abilities can be put on the stack in any order, and the first one to resolve is the one that exiles the creature card. That creature card will be exiled by that Promise of Tomorrow, and only that Promise of Tomorrow can return it. |
| 2020-11-10 | Players can respond to the first ability of Promise of Tomorrow to try and move the card to another zone (even exile) before Promise of Tomorrow exiles it. |
| 2020-11-10 | Similarly, if you control more than one Promise of Tomorrow, they will each trigger at the beginning of the end step if you control no creatures. These abilities can be put on the stack in any order, and the first one to resolve will be sacrificed and return cards to the battlefield if appropriate. The next ability to try and resolve will check to see if you control any creatures at that time. If you do, the ability won't resolve, Promise of Tomorrow won't be sacrificed, and it won't return any cards. |