Closing Statement MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Number | 169 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Craig J Spearing |
Key Takeaways
- Closing Statement provides card advantage through threat removal and enhancing your own board presence.
- Efficiency is key; it offers resource acceleration by reducing its casting cost at your end step.
- Its instant speed grants flexibility and surprise, crucial for disrupting opponents and strengthening strategies.
Text of card
This spell costs less to cast during your end step. Destroy target creature or planeswalker you don't control. Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature you control.
"In conclusion . . ."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Closing Statement card strategically provides a dual utility. Not only can it eliminate a significant threat on the battlefield, but it also places a +1/+1 counter on one of your creatures. This effectively generates card advantage by impacting two game elements positively with a single card.
Resource Acceleration: Though it does not directly produce additional mana or tokens, Closing Statement allows for efficient use of resources. The card’s reduced cost in your end step grants a form of resource acceleration by enabling more impactful plays without spending a premium amount of mana during your own turn. This economical use of mana can be crucial in pivotal game moments.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Closing Statement allows for flexible play. It enables you to interact with the board unexpectedly, disrupt opponent strategies, and enhance your own position all without having to wait for your main phase. This can keep opponents guessing and enhance the element of surprise in your gameplay strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Closing Statement, much like other cards with a discard requirement, prompts you to part with another card from your hand. This can often reduce your strategic options and leave you at a disadvantage if you’re already grappling with a scarce hand.
Specific Mana Cost: The spell hinges heavily on a particular mana combination to cast – black and white. This may not synergize well with more diverse or color-variegated decks, inhibiting its general applicability across the wide spectrum of MTG playstyles.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing mana economy, Closing Statement has a relatively steep cost. It demands three mana of any color in addition to its black and white requirements. In the universe of MTG, where every mana point counts, you might find that other cards could provide similar utility without the heavy toll on your mana resources.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Closing Statement is a unique instant that can be a game-changer in a variety of decks, fitting well into strategies that require removal and combat tricks simultaneously.
Combo Potential: As an instant that can take out threats at a critical moment, this card can synergize with strategies hinging on timing and surprise, as well as those that reward you for casting spells during your opponent’s turn.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment heavily populated by creature-based decks, Closing Statement stands out for its ability to disrupt opponents’ plans while progressing your own board state, all at an opportune instant speed.
How to beat
Closing Statement is a unique inclusion to white-black decks in Magic: The Gathering, capable of disrupting opponents’ strategies during their most crucial turns. Its ability to target and remove creatures or planeswalkers at instant speed makes it a formidable tool in a player’s arsenal. However, its true potential is often revealed during your turn where it offers a lower cost for its potent effect.
To counter this impactful card, players should consider the timing of their plays. Since Closing Statement’s cost reduction activates during your turn, holding back significant creatures or planeswalkers until your opponent’s end step can minimize the card’s efficiency. Moreover, utilizing counter spells, indulging in hand disruption methods, or employing hexproof to shield your assets are effective strategies to blunt the impact of Closing Statement. Anticipating and playing around the card’s timing restrictions is essential for maintaining control of the game board and ensuring that your most valuable pieces remain in play.
Ultimately, adapting your play to mitigate Closing Statement’s strengths is key when navigating matches where this card is a known threat. By being judicious with your play sequence and using protective measures, you can reduce the influence Closing Statement has over the match outcome.
Cards like Closing Statement
Closing Statement stands out in the realm of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. When looking at cards with analogous effects, Oblivion Ring comes to mind as a classic exile card. Unlike Closing Statement, Oblivion Ring targets any nonland permanent and keeps it exiled as long as the Ring remains on the battlefield. This makes Oblivion Ring broader in its application but lacks the instant speed and the additional ability to put a +1/+1 counter that Closing Statement offers.
Mortal’s Ardor provides the ability to give a creature +1/+1 until end of turn but it’s limited compared to Closing Statement’s permanent +1/+1 counter and doesn’t offer a removal aspect. On the other hand, Swift Response also destroys tapped creatures at instant speed, mirroring Closing Statement’s primary function. However, its conditional requirement of the target being tapped makes it less flexible than Closing Statement, which can remove a creature during your turn or take advantage of your opponent’s end step to handle potential threats.
Assessing various gameplay scenarios, Closing Statement holds its own as a robust multitool card, efficiently combining removal while strengthening your own board presence, thus embodying a tactical advantage in any MTG player’s arsenal.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Closing Statement MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Closing Statement and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Closing Statement has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
