Inspire Awe MTG Card


Inspire Awe - Theros Beyond Death
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Scry
Released2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Beyond Death
Set codeTHB
Number175
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byEkaterina Burmak

Key Takeaways

  1. Inspire Awe provides selective hand refreshing while simultaneously hampering opponents’ strategies.
  2. Its instant speed allows for remarkable in-game flexibility and timing control.
  3. Casting Inspire Awe requires a sacrifice, precise mana, and may be mana intensive.

Text of card

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn except combat damage that would be dealt by enchanted creatures and enchantment creatures. Scry 2.

Nylea appeared amid the howl of a hundred beasts.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Inspire Awe differs from conventional draw spells by allowing a selective approach to refreshing your hand. Its unique effect not only gives you fresh options but also disrupts your opponent’s hand, potentially stripping away their advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly generating mana or tokens, Inspire Awe can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by filtering unwanted cards and finding those key spells that unlock your board’s potential more quickly.

Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Inspire Awe at instant speed offers flexibility and strategic depth. Hold mana for critical turns and adapt to your opponent’s moves without sacrificing your ability to proactively impact the game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Inspire Awe necessitates discarding a card upon casting, which could be a strategic setback especially when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands a precise mana arrangement to be cast, thereby limiting its flexibility across various deck builds that may not align with its color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With other options available, the cost to cast Inspire Awe might be steep given the impact it has on the game, potentially overshadowing its benefits in a competitive match where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Inspire Awe in Your Collection

Versatility: Inspire Awe serves as a flexible tool in any deck that aims to control the battlefield. It prolongs games by preventing damage and effectively resets the board, buying players critical time to execute their strategy.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with creature-heavy decks, amplifying the effect of board-wide buffs or supporting strategies that thrive on maintaining a formidable presence on the field.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments where aggressive strategies predominate, Inspire Awe provides a key tactical advantage, stalling opponents and disrupting swift damage-dealing plays, making it a valuable asset in the right deck.


How to Beat

Inspire Awe is a unique spell that can serve as a significant obstacle when facing control or mid-range decks in Magic: The Gathering. This card can have a dramatic impact on the game by preventing all damage that would be dealt to creatures and walkers you control for the turn. Understandably, overturning the protective capabilities of Inspire Awe can be a game changer.

Overcoming Inspire Awe’s effect requires a strategy that isn’t solely dependent on direct damage or combat-related tactics. Consider using abilities that don’t deal damage but instead cause your opponent to sacrifice creatures. This bypasses the protection offered by Inspire Awe. Additionally, spells that exile or transform opposing permanents can effectively neutralize the advantages gained from the spell. Countering is another powerful method. Having a counter spell ready when your opponent casts Inspire Awe will ensure that the normal flow of the game is maintained without the disruption of their defenses. Presence of mind, flexible tactics, and a well-constructed deck can transform the challenge posed by Inspire Awe into an opportunity to outmaneuver and ultimately outplay your opponent.


Cards like Inspire Awe

Inspire Awe holds a particular niche within Magic: The Gathering’s collection of enchantments that influence combat. This card shares space with the likes of Ghostly Prison, deterring attackers by making it more costly for opponents to swing your way. Inspire Awe, however, requires creatures to be tapped, contrastingly offering a preventive approach that poker-facedly dares foes to make the first move.

Comparable to Ethereal Haze, a card that prevents damage from creatures for a turn, Inspire Awe takes a broader stroke by including all nonland permanents. The difference is subtle, yet significant, especially when it comes to shutting down not just aggressive creature strategies but also other activated abilities that could spell disaster mid-combat. Where Ethereal Haze is a one-time effect, Inspire Awe lingers on the battlefield, a constant sentinel.

Surveying the landscape of defensive spells in MTG, Inspire Awe carves out its place by providing a multifaceted shield. Its ability to impact the board round after round offers a tactical advantage that can reshape the tempo of the game. Its uniqueness in function and form ensures it a worthy consideration for anyone looking to bolster their defense in a creature-heavy meta.

Ghostly Prison - MTG Card versions
Ethereal Haze - MTG Card versions
Ghostly Prison - MTG Card versions
Ethereal Haze - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Inspire Awe MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Inspire Awe and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Inspire Awe has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-01-24 Inspire Awe doesn’t modify the characteristics of creatures, so check immediately before damage would be dealt whether a creature is enchanted or also an enchantment in order to determine if its combat damage should be prevented.
2020-01-24 You scry 2 while Inspire Awe is resolving, not after damage is prevented.

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