Topple the Statue MTG Card
2019-05-03 - Number 35
2020-08-07 - Number 36
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Tap target permanent. If it's an artifact, destroy it. Draw a card.
Bolas cared little when his statue fell, thinking it a useful distraction, underestimating the surge of resolve it gave his opponents.
Cards like Topple the Statue
Topple the Statue represents a flexible piece in Magic: The Gathering’s arsenal of removal spells. It sits alongside cards like Rebuke, which also allows a player to disrupt their opponent by targeting an attacking or blocking creature. However, Topple the Statue extends its utility by enabling the targeting of an artifact or vehicle as well, providing players with broader options during gameplay.
In comparison, there is also Depose // Deploy—a modal spell that offers the option to tap a creature and draw a card, much like the former’s effect. Depose // Deploy offers a second spell that can create creature tokens and gain life, which highlights the diverse strategies players can employ with such spells. However, Topple the Statue is more straightforward and costs only three mana, highlighting its efficiency and ease of inclusion in a variety of decks.
When considering the impact of various control tools within the game, Topple the Statue stands out by offering a more encompassing solution to deal with multiple types of permanents, and the added draw effect is the cherry on top—earning it a solid spot within its removal spell category.
Cards similar to Topple the Statue by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Topple the Statue. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Azorius Control | Pioneer | Azorius Control | Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Topple the Statue is a tool that can help shift the balance of card economy in your favor. By cantripping, the card replaces itself in your hand, ensuring that your resources are not depleted after its use.
Resource Acceleration: While Topple the Statue doesn’t directly produce additional mana or resources, by tapping a potential blocker, it can pave the way for attacks that could result in additional benefits or damage, indirectly influencing resource acceleration.
Instant Speed: The utility of Topple the Statue is enhanced by its instant speed, allowing for reactive plays to disrupt an opponent’s strategy. This flexible timing ensures that you can adapt to the flow of the game, only using it when it’s most advantageous to you.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Topple the Statue demands that you have a nonland card in hand to discard. This can put you at a disadvantage when your hand is already depleted, effectively narrowing your options and potentially hindering your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The card has a mana requirement of one white mana. This limitation means it fits primarily into white-based decks, possibly restricting its versatility across various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana, two of which are generic, this card might be considered a bit costly given its effect to tap a target creature and draw a card. Depending on the situation, you might find other options that achieve similar results or better at a lower cost, enhancing the overall efficiency of your deck.
Reasons to Include Topple the Statue in Your Collection
Versatility: Topple the Statue is a cost-effective card that offers players the ability to tap a target permanent. This can be crucial for incapacitating an opponent’s threat or pausing an artifact or creature with a looming activated ability. It’s a flexible spell that fits well into decks that prioritize tempo and control.
Combo Potential: With its draw a card clause, Topple the Statue doesn’t just disrupt; it also keeps your hand refreshed, which is essential for combo decks. It pairs well with strategies that seek to abuse draw mechanics or those that capitalize on casting multiple spells in a single turn.
Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of competitive play, having the ability to delay your opponent’s plans and maintain card draw speed can make this card relevant in several meta environments. It can serve as a budget-friendly tool in sideboards or main decks to handle problematic permanents that dominate the current meta.
How to beat
Topple the Statue is a versatile card that players may encounter in the battlefield of MTG. This card allows you to tap a target permanent and, if it’s an artifact or enchantment, draw a card. When facing this card, consider its limitations and optimal moments for its use. The card targets only one permanent at a time, which means it cannot disrupt multiple strategies or significant token presences simultaneously.
Dealing with Topple the Statue often comes down to playing smart with the timing and choices of artifacts and enchantments you deploy. Prioritize permanents that grant instant benefits or have passive effects that persist even if tapped. Counterspells can efficiently negate the card’s impact, and keeping up instant-speed removal can catch the opponent off-guard, ensuring their Topple the Statue has minimal effect on your overall strategy. Additionally, be mindful that this card can draw the caster a card, so try to minimize the occasions when Topple the Statue can also give your opponent card advantage.
By understanding Topple the Statue’s mechanics and applying strategic forethought, you can mitigate its effects. Good deck construction with redundancy for your key pieces ensures that even if one is toppled, your game plan remains intact and your march to victory undeterred.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Topple the Statue MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and Double Masters, 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 Topple the Statue 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 Topple the Statue Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Sidharth Chaturvedi.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-05-03 | War of the Spark | WAR | 35 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi | |
| 2 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 36 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Topple the Statue has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Topple the Statue card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-08-07 | If Topple the Statue targets an artifact, that artifact will be tapped if it's untapped, and then it'll be destroyed. Any abilities that trigger as it becomes tapped do so and will resolve after Topple the Statue has finished resolving. |
| 2020-08-07 | If the target permanent is an illegal target when Topple the Statue tries to resolve, it doesn't resolve. You won't draw a card. If the target is legal but isn't tapped, isn't destroyed, or is neither tapped nor destroyed, you do draw a card. |
| 2020-08-07 | Topple the Statue can target any permanent, even one that's already tapped. |