Through the Breach MTG Card
2004-10-01 - Number 193
2017-04-28 - Number 49
2018-12-07 - Number 152
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant — Arcane |
| Abilities | Splice |
Text of card
Put a creature card from your hand into play. That creature has haste. Sacrifice that creature at end of turn. Splice onto Arcane (As you play an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)
Cards like Through the Breach
In the compelling world of Magic: The Gathering, Through the Breach is a card that stands out for its ability to cheat massive creatures into play momentarily. This aspect is reminiscent of other spells like Sneak Attack, which also allows players to put a creature card from their hand onto the battlefield at a potentially game-altering speed. However, the distinction lies in the duration of effect—Sneak Attack’s effect sticks around as an enchantment for repeatable use, while Through the Breach’s surprise is a one-off.
Elvish Piper mirrors the mechanic of putting creatures into play bypassing their mana cost, with the difference being the Piper’s activation at the cost of a single green mana and tapping. It’s a slower, yet potentially more sustainable option compared to the instant impact of Through the Breach. Conversely, Goryo’s Vengeance targets only legendary creatures in your graveyard with the swift onslaught, but, like Through the Breach, provides a glimpse of their power before they’re whisked away.
Tapping into the synergy between cost and function, Through the Breach may command premium mana but compensates with a swift tempo that could pivot the game’s dynamics instantly, marking its place among the powerhouses of red’s temporary creature deployment tactics.
Cards similar to Through the Breach by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Through the Breach. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Assault Loam | Modern | Assault Loam | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-30 (1) |
| Indomitable Creativity | Modern | Indomitable Creativity | Modern League 2023-11-17 |
 | Mono-Red Control | Legacy | Sneak and Breach | Circuito Legacy RS 2024 - Etapa 4 |
 | Izzet Breach | Modern | Through the Breach | ANZ Super Series Cycle 5 Regional Championship |
| UBR | Modern | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-07 | |
| Rakdos Midrange | Modern | Rakdos Midrange | Modern League 2024-03-19 |
 | Gruul Breach | Modern | Gruul Midrange | Modern $20K Trial - SCG CON Cincinnati - Friday - 4:00 pm (Silver) |
| Five-color Combo | Legacy | Sneak and Breach | $5K - Legacy - SCG CON Philadelphia - Sunday - 9:30 am |
| Sneak and Breach | Legacy | Sneak and Breach | Legacy Challenge 64 2024-03-03 |
 | Titan Shift | Modern | Titan Shift | Modern Preliminary 2024-02-20 (1) |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Through the Breach grants you the unique ability to cheat a creature card into play, potentially bypassing casting costs and evading traditional summoning obstacles. The play doesn’t just alter the battlefield immediately; if the creature has any enter the battlefield effects, you gain additional value, effectively amplifying your hand without decreasing it.
Resource Acceleration: This powerful spell enables you to momentarily advance your board state significantly by playing high-cost creatures early. In doing so, you accelerate the resources at your disposal and can swing game momentum in your favor through a surprising, game-changing play.
Instant Speed: The convenience of activating Through the Breach at instant speed gives you strategic flexibility. You can wait until the last possible moment during your opponent’s turn to disrupt their plans or catch them off-guard, which can often lead to advantageous scenarios and potentially game-winning turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Through the Breach enables you to cheat a creature onto the battlefield, it doesn’t bypass the need to have that creature card in hand. This means you must possess both the enchantment and a suitable creature card, which can set you back if your hand is already scarce on cards.
Specific Mana Cost: Through the Breach demands a precise mana configuration of four generic and one red mana. This requirement can be restrictive, especially in multi-colored decks lacking an efficient mana base to consistently produce the necessary red source.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though placing a powerful creature directly onto the battlefield is a potent effect, the five total mana cost of Through the Breach is considerable. Within this mana range, you may have access to other spells or permanents that offer more versatile or enduring advantages.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Through the Breach serves as an excellent facilitator in various deck archetypes, especially those revolving around cheating powerful creatures into play. Its ability to bypass high mana costs diversifies your deck’s threat deployment and can catch opponents off guard.
Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with high-impact creatures that have enter the battlefield or leave the battlefield effects. By instantly bringing a game-changing creature into the fray, you can orchestrate devastating combos that can swing the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In the ever-evolving MTG landscape, Through the Breach stands out as a potent inclusion against slower, control-oriented decks. It capitalizes on opportunities to end games swiftly before opponents can establish their defenses or enact their strategy.
How to beat
Through the Breach is an impactful instant-speed card that allows players to cheat massive creatures into play. This can be a game-ending move, so understanding how to counteract this strategy is crucial. Control decks can hold up mana for countermagic like Negate or Dispel, specifically aiming to thwart such game-changing spells. Aggressive decks might struggle to keep pace but can rely on quick pressure to force the Through the Breach player to use their resources defensively.
Graveyard hate is also effective, as Through the Breach relies on creatures being in hand, and many strategies will use the graveyard as a resource to achieve this. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can disrupt these synergies, making it harder for an opponent to utilize Through the Breach effectively. Timing is everything, and if you’re anticipating this play, smart management of your resources and choosing the right moment to disrupt your opponent can neutralize this potent card.
Lastly, permanent-based disruption like Gideon’s Intervention can prevent Through the Breach from ever being cast, while Torpor Orb can stop the triggered abilities of creatures that are cheated into play. Knowing the right sideboard cards and when to deploy them can mean the difference between a devastating loss and a strategic victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Through the Breach MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Amonkhet Invocations, 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 Through the Breach and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Through the Breach Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2004-10-01 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004-10-01 | Champions of Kamigawa | CHK | 193 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Hugh Jamieson | |
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet Invocations | MP2 | 49 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Darek Zabrocki | |
| 3 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 152 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Vargas |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Through the Breach has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Through the Breach card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-05-01 | Putting the card onto the battlefield is optional. When the ability resolves, you can choose not to. |
| 2013-06-07 | A card with a splice ability can’t be spliced onto itself because the spell is on the stack (and not in your hand) when you reveal the cards you want to splice onto it. |
| 2013-06-07 | If all of the spell’s targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. |
| 2013-06-07 | You choose all targets for the spell after revealing cards you want to splice, including any targets required by the text of any of those cards. You may choose a different target for each instance of the word “target” on the resulting spell. |
| 2013-06-07 | You reveal all cards you intend to splice at the same time. Each individual card can be spliced only once onto any one spell. |