Sudden Disappearance MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2012-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dark Ascension |
| Set code | DKA |
| Number | 23 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cliff Childs |
Text of card
Exile all nonland permanents target player controls. Return the exiled cards to the battlefield under their owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
Cards like Sudden Disappearance
Sudden Disappearance stands out in the roster of board-altering spells in Magic: The Gathering. It’s similar to cards like Terminus, which also clears the battlefield. Sudden Disappearance uniquely targets a single player, exiling their belongings temporarily and resetting the board on their side until the end of the turn. Terminus, in contrast, doesn’t distinguish between players and permanently puts all creatures on the bottom of their owners’ libraries.
Evacuation is another comparative card that changes the state of the game. It returns all creatures to their owners’ hands, impacting all players equally and serving as a way to reuse enter-the-battlefield effects. However, Sudden Disappearance’s ability to selectively reset one opponent’s progress without affecting your battlefield position makes it a powerful tool in the right circumstances. Then we have Cyclonic Rift, a popular choice for its flexibility in handling unwanted permanents. At its overload cost, it becomes a one-sided boardwipe similar to Sudden Disappearance but with a broader impact. Each of these cards offers strategic benefits depending on the deck they’re included in.
Assessing the unique advantages and strategic applications of Sudden Disappearance, it undoubtedly holds a special place among Magic: The Gathering’s board-controlling spells, with its focused and temporary approach to disruption.
Cards similar to Sudden Disappearance by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sudden Disappearance offers a unique form of card advantage by temporarily removing all nonland permanents your opponent controls. This clears the way for your attacks and can disrupt your opponent’s elaborate board setups, effectively providing a one-sided reset and a potential swing in the game’s momentum.
Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly produce mana, the temporary exiling of all of an opponent’s nonland permanents can act as a pseudo resource acceleration. When their resources are diminished, you have an opportunity to develop your board unhindered, laying the groundwork for potent plays without immediate pushback.
Instant Speed: Sudden Disappearance stands out for being a high-impact sorcery. Although not at instant speed, its dramatic effect can be akin to an end-of-turn play, setting you up for a pivotal next turn where you can commit to the board with your opponent’s defenses down and capitalize on their turn of weakness.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sudden Disappearance doesn’t require an actual discard, but it does demand a temporary sacrifice on your part. By removing all nontoken permanents you own from the game, you empty your own board, which is similar to a high-stakes discard that can backfire if you cannot capitalize on the empty field.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s cost includes two white mana symbols, which can be restrictive. This specificity can make it difficult for multicolor decks to accommodate Sudden Disappearance, especially if they’re tight on mana fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its six mana casting cost, this card is an investment. In fast-paced games, spending six mana on a temporary effect might not be as impactful when compared to other game-changing cards with permanent effects at a similar or lesser cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sudden Disappearance offers a unique effect that can be pivotal in a variety of game scenarios. It can reset an opponent’s board, providing a clear path for your victory, or remove your own permanents temporarily to avoid unfavorable interactions.
Combo Potential: The card has significant potential when combined with various enter-the-battlefield effects. It enables powerful plays by re-triggering ETB effects or by using it in tandem with cards that punish your opponents when their permanents leave the field.
Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment dominated by creatures and permanents with strong abilities, Sudden Disappearance can serve as a critical shutdown mechanism. It can be a surprise turnaround play that, when timed correctly, can completely disrupt your opposition’s elaborate strategies.
How to Beat
Confronting a Sudden Disappearance during a Magic: The Gathering game can feel overwhelming given its ability to temporarily remove all the permanents one player controls. The key to countering this spell lies in anticipation and resource management. A smart approach involves maintaining a reserve of mana and holding onto instant-speed removal or counterspells, such as Negate or Swift Rejection, to disrupt the play before it resolves.
Equally critical is diversifying the threat level across your board, avoiding overcommitment to the battlefield. This card’s main setback for the caster is its temporary effect, meaning that staying resilient and poised for a counterattack when your permanents return can swiftly tilt the match back in your favor. Strategic use of flash creatures or abilities can also provide recovery avenues post-disappearance. Adapting your play to these strategies not only diminishes Sudden Disappearance’s impact but potentially forfeits your opponent’s entire turn, giving you the upper hand.
Understanding Sudden Disappearance’s potential and preparing for it accordingly ensures that, when faced with this situation, you remain firmly in control of the game, able to bounce back effectively as your permanents phase back in at the end of the turn.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sudden Disappearance MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension, 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 Sudden Disappearance 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sudden Disappearance has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sudden Disappearance card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-22 | If Sudden Disappearance’s delayed triggered ability is countered or otherwise removed from the stack after triggering, the exiled cards will remain in exile indefinitely. The delayed triggered ability will only trigger once. |