Tariff MTG Card

Offers card advantage by impacting opponents’ expensive creatures without direct targeting. May constrain multicolored decks due to specific white mana requirements for casting. Engages in unique interactions, remaining pertinent in decks countering creature-heavy strategies.

Weatherlight (WTH)
1997-06-09 - Number 28

Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
1999-04-21 - Number 47

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Each player chooses a creature with the highest total casting cost he or she controls, then pays an amount of mana equal to that creature's total casting cost or buries the creature.

Cards like Tariff

Tariff is a unique white control spell in Magic: The Gathering, with an emphasis on regulating the battlefield by targeting the most expensive creatures for potential destruction. This can be likened to Council’s Judgment, another white spell that allows the choice of removal, offering a communal decision but not considering the mana value of creatures. Tariff, however, specifically zeroes in on the creature with the highest cost, something Council’s Judgment doesn’t do.

Another card in a similar realm is Crackdown. While Crackdown restricts rather than removes, it affects creatures with power 3 or greater, limiting their ability to attack and functionally containing them much like Tariff aims to remove high-valued targets. Though the mechanic is different, the overarching strategy of controlling opponent’s resources aligns with the functionality of Tariff.

When contemplating white control spells, Tariff stands out with its unique targeting condition, providing an edge in games where large, costly creatures dominate the board. It’s a potentially powerful tool that, when used strategically, can alter the tide of battle in favor of the player wielding such an element of surprise and regulation.

Cards similar to Tariff by color, type and mana cost

Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tariff provides a unique form of card advantage by potentially removing your opponent’s most costly creature from play without having to target it directly, thus bypassing certain protections or avoiding counter spells intended for removal spells.

Resource Acceleration: While Tariff itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, by systematically dismantling your opponent’s board of expensive creatures, it aids in preserving your resources for further development of your own board state.

Instant Speed: Tariff operates at the speed of an enchantment, which means that although it’s not cast at instant speed, it exerts influence each upkeep, forcing opponents to react or adapt constantly to its presence. This ongoing threat can indirectly lead to a tempo advantage as your opponent has to play around Tariff’s taxing effect every cycle, potentially altering their game plan significantly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Tariff card prompts players to select and discard a particular type of card to activate its effect. This can result in depleting your own resources and disadvantageous board states, particularly when your hand is already running low on cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Tariff requires a precise combination of mana to cast. With a specific requirement of two white mana, it may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or mana-flexible decks, restricting its versatility across various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that could be deemed steep for its specific effect, Tariff may not be the most mana-efficient choice, especially when compared to other options within the same mana range that could offer more immediate or impactful benefits to the player’s board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tariff offers a unique approach to controlling the battlefield. It can be slotted into various deck types, especially those that need to manage opponent’s creatures and level the playing field without committing too much mana each turn.

Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for interesting interactions in decks centered around taxing effects. Pairing it with ways to manipulate opponents’ top decks can ensure the heaviest hitters face the Tariff’s judgment.

Meta-Relevance: With creatures being a cornerstone of many powerful decks, Tariff remains relevant as a tool for disrupting opponent strategies. It’s a useful sideboard card against decks that rely on a singular, powerful creature to dominate the game.

How to beat

Tariff is recognized for shaking up MTG gameplay by compelling opponents to pay mana costs based on the creatures with the highest converted mana cost. It can be a challenging obstacle for those who prefer playing with big creatures. Counterintuitive as it may seem, one way to overcome Tariff is by employing low-cost creatures. By populating your battlefield with a variety of less expensive creatures, you spread the financial burden, ensuring that the tax imposed by Tariff won’t cripple your mana resources.

An alternative strategy involves using enchantment removal cards that can directly target and eliminate Tariff from the field of play, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, which dispose of Tariff before it can become an excessive tax on your resources. Creature sacrifice is another avenue; with cards like Fleshbag Marauder or Innocent Blood, you can choose which creature to sacrifice, controlling the impact of Tariff on your game plan.

In essence, Tariff demands nimble deck-building and a strategy that either sidesteps its taxing effect with lower-cost creatures, eradicates it with targeted removal, or cleverly manages creature control. Navigating around this unique card requires adaptability and a keen sense of timing to maintain the upper hand.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tariff MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Classic Sixth Edition, 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 Tariff and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tariff Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 1999-04-21. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-06-09	Weatherlight	WTH		28	1997	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
2	1999-04-21	Classic Sixth Edition	6ED		47	1997	Normal	White	Kev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tariff has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	The choice of creatures is made on resolution and not on announcement.
2004-10-04	You can use mana abilities during the resolution of this spell if the player decides to pay the mana cost.
2004-10-04	You choose whether to pay or not on resolution. If not, then you sacrifice the creature. You can choose to not pay if you control no creatures on resolution.
2008-04-01	Although Tariff checks the converted mana cost of the creatures on the battlefield, you need to pay the creature’s actual mana cost (including color) to keep it on the battlefield.
2008-04-01	First the active player identifies the creature they control with the highest mana cost (and chooses one if there’s a tie) and chooses whether to sacrifice it or pay mana. Then each other player in turn order does the same. All creatures sacrificed this way are sacrificed at the same time.