Repel the Darkness MTG Card


It offers card advantage by tapping opponents’ creatures and providing extra draw. Flexibility in usage at instant speed makes it adaptable during combat phases. Despite a specific mana requirement, it remains a versatile tool for control decks.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Tap up to two target creatures. Draw a card.

A boon to those who cannot see in the dark. A bane to those who live in it.


Cards like Repel the Darkness

Repel the Darkness is an intriguing utility spell in Magic: The Gathering, bearing resemblance to effects found in cards such as Blinding Beam. Both spells serve to disrupt opponent creatures by preventing them from blocking. However, Repel the Darkness goes a step further, offering the potential to draw a card if its kicker cost is paid. This can have a subtle yet significant impact on the game by refilling your hand while hindering an opponent’s defense.

Another card that shares some thematic similarities is Holy Day, providing a reprieve from an opponent’s attacking creatures for a single turn. Although it doesn’t affect blocking or offer card draw, it’s known for its lower mana cost, which can be a tactical advantage. Turn to Mist is also worth comparing, though it’s a more flexible option as it can temporarily remove creatures from the game, thus bypassing any indestructibility or protection.

While analyzing these variations, Repel the Darkness not only offers the tactical advantage of stalling opponents but pairs this functionality with card draw, positioning it as a versatile choice in Magic: The Gathering’s wide array of defensive spells.

Blinding Beam - MTG Card versions
Holy Day - MTG Card versions
Turn to Mist - MTG Card versions
Blinding Beam - MTG Card versions
Holy Day - MTG Card versions
Turn to Mist - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Repel the Darkness provides triple utility. Not only does it ensure that you can neutralize up to two attacking or blocking creatures by tapping them, but it also draws you a card, which can be pivotal in maintaining your hand’s strength and providing ongoing options as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, the advantage gained from ensuring your creatures remain untapped for defense or tapping potential attackers can indirectly maintain or accelerate your board state, giving you an edge in resource management.

Instant Speed: Acting at instant speed, Repel the Darkness offers flexibility in gameplay, allowing you to react in real time to threats or opportunities during the combat phase. This responsiveness can disrupt opponent strategies, secure your defenses, or help maintain pressure by keeping your own creatures ready to attack on your next turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Repel the Darkness can be a useful tactical spell, it necessitates that you have an additional creature card to discard. This can be particularly taxing if your hand is already sparse, removing potential plays from your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The spell requires a specific combination of mana to cast – two white and one of any color. This can be a drawback in multicolored decks that may struggle with producing the necessary white mana consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of three mana, Repel the Darkness may not be your go-to option given its effect. In the universe of MTG, there are alternative spells that tap opponents’ creatures for a lower cost, potentially providing a higher tempo advantage.


Reasons to Include Repel the Darkness in Your Collection

Versatility: Repel the Darkness is adaptable to various situations in a game. It allows you to tap down potential threats, effectively keeping your opponent’s creatures at bay while simultaneously drawing you a card, providing a tactical edge whether you’re on the offense or the defense.

Combo Potential: This card has excellent synergy with strategies that capitalize on tapping and untapping creatures. It can also work well with decks that focus on card draw to provide you with more options and resources.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive creatures dominate the battlefield, Repel the Darkness can serve as a crucial tempo play, slowing down your opponent’s momentum and helping to maintain board stability while you develop your own strategy.


How to beat

Repel the Darkness is a tactical instant that offers dual advantages in MTG; it taps up to two target creatures and allows a player to draw a card. This multi-function spell can provide a valuable edge during combat or in preparation for your next move. However, countering its effectiveness is possible. Strategic deployment of untap abilities can quickly negate the card’s impact, allowing your creatures to shake off its effects and remain threats on the board. Additionally, utilizing spells or abilities that give your creatures hexproof or shroud can prevent them from becoming targets in the first place, preserving your battlefield presence and momentum. Moreover, playing instant-speed removal or protection spells in response to Repel the Darkness ensures your key creatures stay in the game. Deck resilience thus becomes key, along with a suite of reactive measures, making the agility of your strategy the best foil against this card’s temporary setback.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Repel the Darkness MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi, 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 Repel the Darkness and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Repel the Darkness Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by Scott Chou.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 422003NormalBlackScott Chou
22015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 82015NormalBlackScott Chou
32018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 292015NormalBlackScott Chou

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Repel the Darkness has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-12-07 If you target one creature and that target is illegal as Repel the Darkness resolves, the spell doesn’t resolve. You don’t draw a card.
2018-12-07 If you target two creatures and they’re both illegal as Repel the Darkness resolves, the spell doesn’t resolve; you don’t draw a card. If just one target is illegal, the spell does resolve; the remaining legal target becomes tapped (if it’s untapped at that time) and you draw a card.
2018-12-07 If you target zero creatures, all that happens is you draw a card.
2018-12-07 You may target zero, one, or two creatures. The creatures don’t need to be untapped.