Retaliate MTG Card

Neutralizes threats and provides card advantage, balancing resources efficiently during gameplay. Offers tactical flexibility with instant speed, enhancing strategic depth and battlefield control. Demands discard to cast, posing strategic considerations for hand management and overall gameplay.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2004-06-04
Set symbol
Set name	Fifth Dawn
Set code	5DN
Number	13
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Vance Kovacs

Text of card

Destroy all creatures that dealt damage to you this turn.

The Auriok learned perseverance from their forebears. They learned justice from the leonin.

Cards like Retaliate

Retaliate holds a unique position in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, drawing comparisons to other cards that offer protection and counteractive measures. A prime example is Teferi’s Protection, which serves a similar purpose by phasing out your permanents and making your life total untouchable. While Teferi’s Protection provides comprehensive shielding for a turn, Retaliate focuses its energy on avenging destroyed creatures by removing an equivalent number of target permanents the opponent controls.

Another card, Faith’s Reward, brings back all your permanents that were destroyed in the same turn, giving players a second chance while Retaliate targets the opponent’s battlefield as a form of retribution. Comparing it to a traditional board wipe like Wrath of God unveils a distinct approach; Wrath indiscriminately cleans the slate, while Retaliate acts more surgically following a loss. Legion’s Judgment also mirrors Retaliate in its selectivity, targeting only creatures of power 4 or greater, but without the retaliatory aspect tied to your creatures’ demise.

Analyzing these cards side by side, Retaliate stands out within the protective niche of Magic: The Gathering, not only as a guardian but as a vengeful force against opponents, subtly shifting the dynamics of defense into offense.

Cards similar to Retaliate by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Retaliate offers the prospect of neutralizing a threat while also replacing itself in your hand due to the ability to draw a card upon use. This dual purpose serves to maintain parity or potentially tip the scales in your favor regarding the number of resources at your disposal.

Resource Acceleration: Retaliate doesn’t directly offer traditional resource acceleration like generating mana or treasure tokens. However, it can be considered a form of tempo acceleration, as dealing with an opponent’s creatures can allow you to swing the momentum in your favor, conserving resources for future plays.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Retaliate provides the flexibility to respond to threats or actions from your opponent on their turn, preserving the element of surprise and allowing for strategic depth in gameplay. Holding up mana for Retaliate can lead to more advantageous interactions on the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Retaliate necessitates discarding a card to cast it. This can be a tactical setback, especially when your hand is already depleted or the cards held are crucial for upcoming strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Retaliate comes with a mana cost that includes white, which serves as a limitation. Decks not running white or with a fragile mana base might struggle to accommodate this spell efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost demanding both color-specific and generic mana, Retaliate is positioned at a higher investment point compared to other options. Players might weigh its cost against other removal or protection spells that could deliver more value or versatility for similar or lower mana expenses.

Reasons to Include Retaliate in Your Collection

Versatility: Retaliate offers a broad utility across various deck types. Its ability to neutralize threats, particularly in Commander formats, makes it a valuable asset for protecting your key creatures or responding to an opponent’s aggressive actions.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that revolve around creature abilities, such as enrage, or with those that benefit from having creatures enter or leave the battlefield. As a result, it can be a crucial piece in decks that aim to utilize these interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by creature-based decks, Retaliate becomes a key card to swing the balance in your favor. Adaptability to swiftly changing board states means that this card can often offer the necessary answer to an opponent’s threatening moves.

How to beat

The Retaliate card in Magic: The Gathering presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, standing as a defensive mechanism to turn the tide of combat in favor of the caster. Unlike other reactive spells, Retaliate requires a careful balance of timing and strategy. To effectively navigate this card’s influence during a match, it is essential to adopt an anticipatory approach, maintaining a watchful eye on your opponent’s mana and potential combat tricks.

To undermine the impact of Retaliate, players should consider baiting out the action with less critical creatures, thereby preserving their more potent forces for a decisive strike once the threat of Retaliate has been exhausted. Additionally, employing spells that offer protection or can counter targeted tricks provides an extra layer of security against such defense maneuvers. Furthermore, vigilance in managing the stack and utilizing instant speed spells to disrupt your opponent’s strategy can be a key to outmaneuvering Retaliate’s intentional design.

In summary, while Retaliate can be a formidable card, it is not insurmountable. By adopting a strategic and patient approach, players can neutralize its effectiveness and maintain the upper hand in the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Retaliate MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Retaliate and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Retaliate has restrictions

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