This Is How It Ends MTG Card
2023-10-13 - Number 964
2023-10-13 - Number 675
2023-10-13 - Number 70
2023-10-13 - Number 373
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target creature's owner shuffles it into their library, then faces a villainous choice — They lose 5 life, or they shuffle another creature they own into their library.
"There's a gravestone here for someone with the same name as me."
Cards like This Is How It Ends
This Is How It Ends is a spell that stands out in its unique tier in Magic: The Gathering. Affinity players might align it with cards like Tezzeret’s Gambit, given both allow players to draw cards and pay life, albeit through different methods. Tezzeret’s Gambit requires paying two life as part of its Phyrexian mana cost, along with the draw benefit, which somewhat mirrors the lifeloss incurred by This Is How It Ends.
Another comparison could be drawn to Inquisition of Kozilek, notably disrupting opponents by targeting their hands. While not a direct mirror, This Is How It Ends presents a potential game-finishing threat by dealing with creatures rather than disrupting hand contents. Sign in Blood is also a relevant contender, often used as a card draw mechanic in various black decks, exchanging two life for two cards without impacting the board directly, unlike This Is How It Ends which can directly affect creature states.
To encapsulate, This Is How It Ends offers a combination of disruption and a unique win condition that, when compared to other MTG spells, finds its niche as a potential game-ending card that can shift the dynamics of a match dramatically.
Cards similar to This Is How It Ends by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: “This Is How It Ends” ensures a steady flow into your hand, letting you maintain critical momentum against your opponents. With its ability to dispatch multiple creatures, it not only removes threats but potentially leaves you with the most powerful creature on the battlefield, bolstering your position significantly.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, this card can indirectly influence resource acceleration by removing the need to cast several smaller removal spells. It consolidates your resources, freeing up mana for future turns to accelerate your game plan.
Instant Speed: The card’s instant speed is a strategic boon, offering flexibility to react decisively during your opponent’s turn. It allows for surprising combat tricks or the removal of threats before they can impact the board, all without sacrificing the pacing of your own strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: This Is How It Ends requires a card to be discarded as part of its casting cost. While this can be a strategic play in some decks that benefit from graveyard interactions, in most scenarios, it is a significant drawback. Depleting your hand can leave you with fewer options and potentially vulnerable in the game’s later stages.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s casting cost includes specific mana requirements, which means it cannot fit into just any deck. Tailoring your land base to accommodate such spells can sometimes affect the overall consistency of your deck, especially if it’s multicolored and needs a diverse mana pool to operate effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering the effect provided by This Is How It Ends, the mana cost is on the higher side. Alternative cards may offer similar or better effects for a lower or equal mana investment, making them more appealing choices for deck builders looking for efficiency and value.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: This Is How It Ends is a dynamic card that can be incorporated into a wide array of deck archetypes. It’s particularly handy in strategies that look to control the endgame or secure victory through combo finishes.
Combo Potential: This card boosts the possibility of pulling off game-winning combinations by ensuring certain conditions are met. Its effect can pair well with cards that benefit from mass removal or graveyard synergies.
Meta-Relevance: With its ability to control late-game outcomes, This Is How It Ends is pertinent in a meta that’s focused on enduring through early aggression to land decisive, calculated plays. It tips the scales in favor of the savvy player who plots the ‘endgame’ with cunning.
How to beat
This Is How It Ends is an intriguing and impactful card setting the stage for a dramatic shift in the flow of the game. To effectively counteract this card, players need to adopt a proactive approach. Understanding the conditions under which the card thrives is essential. It requires quick removal or a stunted board state to ensure its effect is minimized.
Much like navigating any powerful card’s presence, the key is leveraging speed and disruption. This could involve employing instant-speed removal to eliminate crucial creatures before This Is How It Ends can capitalize on them, or using counter spells to prevent it from ever hitting the field. Another reliable method is maintaining a wide and resilient board presence, diluting the impact of any single loss. This often translates into developing a strategy that doesn’t overcommit resources to a board that may quickly turn against you.
Ultimately, beating This Is How It Ends rests upon the twin pillars of anticipation and careful play, ensuring your strategy remains fluid and adaptable to overturn the advantage this card could potentially provide to your opponent.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase This Is How It Ends MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, 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 This Is How It Ends 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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Printings
The This Is How It Ends Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Eliz Roxs.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 964 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs | |
| 2 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 675 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs | |
| 3 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 70 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs | |
| 4 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 373 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where This Is How It Ends has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering This Is How It Ends card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-13 | A player facing a villainous choice can always choose either option, even if one or both of the options are impossible. For example, if one of the options is to sacrifice a creature, a player who controls no creatures can still choose that option. |
| 2023-10-13 | If a spell or ability requires multiple players to face a villainous choice, the result is a little different from other effects in Magic. In that case, the first player in turn order makes their choice and the action for that choice is performed before the next player makes their choice. Then each of the remaining players repeat this process in turn order. |
| 2023-10-13 | When a player faces a villainous choice, they first choose one of the two options, then all actions in the chosen option are performed. |