Role Reversal MTG Card


Role Reversal thrives on trading nonland permanents, skewing board advantage in your favor discreetly. Swapping lower for higher-cost permanents with this card accelerates your game presence significantly. Instant speed of Role Reversal allows for flexible and precise gameplay, enhancing strategic depth.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Exchange control of two target permanents that share a permanent type.

Uthlon the Wise scandalized sphinx society, hooting the answers to riddles as he rampaged through Tin Street. Grangle, on the other hand, sat for hours, deep in thought, largely ignored by fellow goblins.


Cards like Role Reversal

The allure of Role Reversal lies in its unique approach to controlling the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. It shares conceptual space with cards that manipulate ownership, such as Switcheroo, which allows players to exchange control of two creatures. Switcheroo is straightforward but constrained to creatures. Role Reversal, however, broadens the horizon by letting you swap any two permanents that aren’t land, showcasing flexibility in your strategic plans.

Divergent Transformations is another card that toys with the concept of altering the board state. It exiles two target creatures controlled by one or more players and reveals cards from the top of a library until two creatures are unveiled. While Divergent Transformations is more about unpredictability and chance, Role Reversal offers direct and deliberate choice, making it a valuable tool for players who prefer control over chaos.

When evaluating Role Reversal’s adaptability and potential for impacting multiple game scenarios, it distinguishes itself amongst MTG cards that focus on exchange effects. Its capability to target a wider variety of permanents not constrained to single card types imbues decks with a potent element of surprise and tactical advantage.

Switcheroo - MTG Card versions
Divergent Transformations - MTG Card versions
Switcheroo - MTG Card versions
Divergent Transformations - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Role Reversal by color, type and mana cost

Squee's Revenge - MTG Card versions
Alchemist's Gambit - MTG Card versions
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Gandalf's Sanction - MTG Card versions
Squee's Revenge - MTG Card versions
Alchemist's Gambit - MTG Card versions
Invoke the Firemind - MTG Card versions
Stitch in Time - MTG Card versions
Beacon Bolt - MTG Card versions
Invade the City - MTG Card versions
Stitch in Time // Stitch in Time - MTG Card versions
Gandalf's Sanction - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Role Reversal shines when it comes to switching up the board state, allowing you to trade one of your less useful permanents for an opponent’s more valuable one. This form of card advantage disrupts your opponent’s strategies while bolstering your own position without losing card quantity in your hand.

Resource Acceleration: With Role Reversal, the ability to exchange low-cost permanents for high-cost ones can act as a form of resource acceleration. It allows you to bypass the mana cost of more powerful permanents, effectively quickening your pace in the game without the need for additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Role Reversal is further amplified by its instant speed capability, giving you the flexibility to wait until the most opportune moment to disrupt an opponent’s plan or to avoid unfavorable trades. Timing this card effectively can turn the tides of a match, making it a powerful tool in your strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Role Reversal allows a switch of control between two target permanents, it comes with the steep prerequisite of discarding another card. In situations where your hand size is already dwindling, deploying Role Reversal could jeopardize your remaining assets and potential plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a blue and red mana requirement, Role Reversal presents a potential deck-building challenge. It fits primarily within the Izzet guild’s domain or multicolor decks that can accommodate such a strict mana base. This specificity might deter its inclusion in more broadly themed or color-flexible decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a combined mana cost that spikes to three, including both colored mana, Role Reversal may claw through your resources more than bargained for. Comparable cards might execute similar control-switching strategies or provide additional utility for less or at a more balanced cost distribution, rendering Role Reversal an expensive choice for the effect it confers.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Role Reversal fits snugly into a variety of blue-red decks, lending itself well to strategies that manipulate control of permanents. Its ability to swap any two nonland permanents gives players unique ways to outmaneuver opponents.

Combo Potential: This card pairs brilliantly with permanents that have enter-the-battlefield effects or with those that get stronger with time. Unleashing unexpected synergies, it can turn the tide by exchanging a seemingly useless permanent for a key piece on the opponent’s side.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that’s heavy on high-value creatures or important artifacts and enchantments, Role Reversal’s exchange mechanic can serve as a game-changer, disrupting well-laid plans and turning the opponent’s strengths into their weaknesses.


How to beat

Role Reversal is an intriguing inclusion to blue and red spell decks in Magic the Gathering. It allows the exchange of two nonland permanents that aren’t identical, a dynamic that can dramatically shift the momentum of the game. As an opponent facing such a card, the key is to minimize its impact. Maintaining control of a diverse board with varying permanent types can render Role Reversal less effective. If your permanents don’t mirror those of your opponent, their ability to utilize this card diminishes.

Another strategy is to hold back on playing your most valuable permanents if you suspect an upcoming Role Reversal. Alternatively, keeping instant-speed removal or counterspells in hand can disrupt the swap or eliminate any advantage they might gain. It’s also worth considering the timing of the exchange; engaging in combat or making critical moves before they have the chance to swap can force premature or suboptimal plays from them.

While Role Reversal can be a game-changer, its impact is not certain. By carefully crafting your board state and maintaining readiness for reactive plays, you can diminish the advantages it may bring to an opponent in a match of Magic the Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

The art of mastering Magic the Gathering is as strategic as it is enjoyable, demanding a sharp eye for detail and a keen sense for opportunities on the battlefield. Role Reversal stands as a unique card that can significantly alter the tides of gameplay by exchanging control of two nonland permanents, offering a blend of card advantage, disruption, and resource acceleration. Leveraging its capabilities could remarkably enhance your deck’s flexibility and effectiveness. Engage with other players, share insights, and refine your strategy as you continually add to your collection. Curious about optimizing Role Reversal within your arsenal? Visit us to delve deeper into tactics, deck building, and becoming a versatile MTG player.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Role Reversal MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and War of the Spark Promos, 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 Role Reversal and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Role Reversal Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2019-05-04. Illustrated by Mathias Kollros.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 2142015NormalBlackMathias Kollros
22019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 214s2015NormalBlackMathias Kollros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Role Reversal has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-05-03 Gaining control of a permanent doesn’t cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
2019-05-03 If one of the target permanents is an illegal target when Role Reversal resolves, the exchange won’t happen.
2019-05-03 If the same player controls both permanents when Role Reversal resolves, nothing happens.
2019-05-03 Role Reversal’s effect lasts indefinitely. It doesn’t wear off during the cleanup step, and it doesn’t expire if the permanents stop sharing a permanent type after Role Reversal has resolved.
2019-05-03 The permanent types are artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. Supertypes, like legendary, aren’t permanent types. For example, you can’t exchange control of a legendary creature with a legendary planeswalker.
2019-05-03 You don’t have to control either target permanent.