Havoc MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set name	Tempest
Set code	TMP
Number	181
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Donato Giancola

Key Takeaways

Havoc offers instant-speed disruption, providing a tactical edge by surprising opponents at critical moments.
While beneficial, Havoc demands a card discard and specific mana color which could limit its inclusion in decks.
Its utility against color-dependent decks makes Havoc a worthy sideboard card in varied metagames.

Text of card

Whenever target opponent successfully casts a white spell, he or she loses 2 life.

As Orim put the lightning rod into place on the bow, she cast a spell of protection to shield herself from the heat. That's when the Furnace got personal.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Havoc is engineered to disrupt your opponent’s strategy while bolstering your own position in the game. By discarding their valued cards, you create a discrepancy in hand size that often leads to a significant card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: When Havoc comes into play, it not only diminishes the opponent’s resources but also can indirectly lead to resource acceleration for you. By constraining your opponent’s options, you are more likely to maintain control over the board and capitalize on the game phase transitions more effectively.

Instant Speed: The true power of Havoc lies in its ability to be unleashed at instant speed, enabling strategic plays that catch an adversary off guard. This timing flexibility lets you optimize your turns, retaining mana for critical situations or deploying Havoc when it would have the most impactful consequence during your opponent’s tactical maneuvers.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to Havoc is that it necessitates you to discard a card, potentially draining your hand of valuable resources. In situations where your card supply is tenuous, this can hinder your gameplay and put you at a disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Havoc’s casting cost requires red mana, which means you’ll need to be running a deck that generates at least some red mana or have a way to produce any color of mana. This can be restrictive and may not fit into decks that don’t use red mana efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively steep mana requirement to cast, Havoc might not provide the most cost-effective way to deal with opponents’ lands. There are alternatives available that might be able to perform similar functions at a lower cost, making them potentially more appealing choices for deck builders.

Reasons to Include Havoc in Your Collection

Versatility: Havoc offers players the ability to disrupt their opponent’s mana base, which is a strategy that can be utilized in a variety of deck archetypes. It’s especially useful in red-deck builds that aim to limit the opponent’s resources and keep the pressure high.

Combo Potential: This card can be part of a targeted land destruction combo or work in conjunction with other cards that penalize players for tapping lands or casting spells. The ability to potentially hamper an opponent’s mana can set them back significantly, opening the door for devastating combos.

Meta-Relevance: Should the meta be dominated by multicolored decks or those that heavily rely on nonbasic lands, Havoc can function as a potent sideboard choice. It can alter the pace of the game and give you an upper hand in specific matchups, making it a card worth considering for strategic deck construction.

How to beat

Havoc is a notably disruptive card that can pose quite a challenge in Magic: The Gathering matchups. It’s a versatile card that targets opponents who rely heavily on nonbasic land cards, essentially putting them at a disadvantage each time a land is tapped for mana. This can slow down, or even cripple, an opponent’s strategy if their deck is built around a variety of nonbasic lands.

To counteract Havoc’s effectiveness, one approach is to prioritize basic lands in your deck construction to minimize the damage taken from its trigger. Additionally, utilizing spells that can remove enchantments or cards that guard against such threats are key in preserving your game plan. Disenchant and Naturalize are prime examples of cards that can be used to swiftly remove Havoc from the field, mitigating its impact on your resources.

Ultimately, while Havoc adds a layer of complexity to the game, adapting your land base and using enchantment removal cards effectively can help maintain the pace of your strategy. By doing so, you ensure that Havoc’s presence doesn’t dictate the outcome of your matches.

Cards like Havoc

Havoc is a notable card in the realm of disruption tactics within Magic: The Gathering. It stands in line with cards like Pyrostatic Pillar, which imposes a penalty on players casting spells with low mana costs. Havoc, however, is distinct for its ability to be more punitive towards the selected color. While Pyrostatic Pillar affects any spell with a humble mana value, Havoc zeroes in on a color, which can be more strategically decisive in a game.

Moving on to other comparisons, we look at Citric Slime — a card that brings both destruction and discouragement to opponents trying to utilize their artifacts and enchantments. Unlike Havoc, Citric Slime has a presence on the board and offers a creature that can attack and block. However, Havoc’s pinpoint targeting of a color for recurring damage makes it a unique tool for controlling specific strategies employed by an opponent.

In examining these comparisons, it becomes apparent that Havoc holds its own as a specialized sideboard card against decks that heavily rely on certain colors. Its focused effect can severely limit an opponent’s plays, positioning Havoc as a potentially game-swinging card in MTG’s broad spectrum of disruption tools.

Cards similar to Havoc by color, type and mana cost

Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Havoc MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Havoc and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Havoc 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 Havoc card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.