Mortiphobia MTG Card


Mortiphobia - Torment
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set nameTorment
Set codeTOR
Number72
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byChristopher Moeller

Key Takeaways

  1. Mortiphobia provides card advantage, resource acceleration, and flexibility with instant speed gameplay.
  2. Drawbacks include a specific discard requirement, restrictive mana cost, and a potentially high casting price.
  3. It has strong meta-relevance, combo potential, and versatility, making it a worthy collection addition.

Text of card

o1o B, Discard a card from your hand: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game. o1o B, Sacrifice Mortiphobia: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mortiphobia grants an edge by permitting a player to efficiently manipulate the graveyard, offering a strategic advantage in card interactions. This ability can be pivotal in outmaneuvering an opponent by removing key cards from circulation, and potentially yielding card advantage if synergized with graveyard-dependent strategies.

Resource Acceleration: This card can provide a subtle form of resource acceleration as it may enable you to utilize your graveyard as an extension of your hand. Certain deck archetypes can benefit from Mortiphobia’s graveyard interaction, allowing for quicker access to vital resources that some decks might struggle with.

Instant Speed: Mortiphobia operates at instant speed, allowing for reactive play that can disrupt an opponent’s turn. This flexibility gives you the opportunity to wait for the optimal moment to cast Mortiphobia, whether it’s to foil an opponent’s strategy or to maximize the impact of its graveyard-altering effects when it’s most advantageous for you.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mortiphobia demands players to discard a card, which can deplete your hand and diminish your strategic options, especially when your hand is already running low.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost necessitates both black and white mana. Such a requirement can restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana, hence limiting its versatility across different deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Mortiphobia has a mana value that might be considered steep for its impact on the game. Players might find themselves settling for this card when there could be more cost-effective alternatives for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mortiphobia shows great flexibility in various deck builds, particularly those looking to leverage enchantments or with a focus on graveyard manipulation tactics.

Combo Potential: With its capacity to disrupt graveyard-based strategies, it pairs well with cards that penalize or exile cards from graveyards, thus enabling potent control over opponents’ plans.

Meta-Relevance: Given the popularity of graveyard-centric decks in competitive play, having Mortiphobia can be a strategic counter, ensuring your collection is prepared and resilient against commonly favored tactics.


How to beat

Mortiphobia represents a unique challenge for Magic: The Gathering players, as its powerful ability to disrupt graveyard strategies can be a serious hurdle. When going up against Mortiphobia, the key is to minimize the reliance on graveyard interactions, instead focusing on cards that function well from your hand or on the battlefield. Consider employing exile effects to remove Mortiphobia from play, or using versatile removal spells that can target both creatures and enchantments. Cards with hexproof or those that grant it can also serve as an effective countermeasure, protecting your key pieces from being affected.

Another effective strategy is to overwhelm Mortiphobia with multiple threats. By diversifying your offensive, you can force your opponent to make tough decisions on what to address with Mortiphobia’s ability. Additionally, try to bait out Mortiphobia’s activation with less crucial cards before playing your more vital creatures or spells—it’s all about managing resources and pacing your threats. If Mortiphobia is an integral part of your opponent’s defensive strategy, prioritize your ability to deal with enchantments directly, as doing so can often lead to a swift shift in the game’s momentum.


Cards like Mortiphobia

Mortiphobia is an intriguing entry to the realm of Magic: The Gathering, offering unique gameplay dynamics. Its similar cousins in the enchantment category include Rest in Peace and Leyline of the Void. These cards also deal with graveyard interaction, a key element for many MTG strategies. Rest in Peace exiles all cards from graveyards upon entering the battlefield, continuously denying any graveyard access afterwards. This is more severe compared to Mortiphobia, which allows each player the chance to pay mana to save their cards from exile.

Leyline of the Void targets only the opponent, exiling their graveyard-bound cards from the start of the game if it’s in your opening hand. Although Leyline offers a one-sided advantage, Mortiphobia offers repeat utility each turn. While not as absolute in its effects, it presents an ongoing dilemma to opponents who must weigh the cost of keeping their cards against their available mana resources.

When analyzing these enchantments, Mortiphobia stands out as a tactical tool that’s not just about debilitation, but also about psychological pressure, making it a card that certainly holds its ground in versatile MTG strategies that play with the graveyard.

Rest in Peace - MTG Card versions
Leyline of the Void - MTG Card versions
Rest in Peace - MTG Card versions
Leyline of the Void - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Mortiphobia by color, type and mana cost

Gloom - MTG Card versions
Season of the Witch - MTG Card versions
Tourach's Gate - MTG Card versions
Tourach's Chant - MTG Card versions
Withering Wisps - MTG Card versions
Necropotence - MTG Card versions
Funeral March - MTG Card versions
Casting of Bones - MTG Card versions
Blanket of Night - MTG Card versions
Hecatomb - MTG Card versions
Krovikan Fetish - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Recurring Nightmare - MTG Card versions
Contamination - MTG Card versions
Oppression - MTG Card versions
Lurking Evil - MTG Card versions
Maggot Therapy - MTG Card versions
Murderous Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Noxious Field - MTG Card versions
Tainted Well - MTG Card versions
Gloom - MTG Card versions
Season of the Witch - MTG Card versions
Tourach's Gate - MTG Card versions
Tourach's Chant - MTG Card versions
Withering Wisps - MTG Card versions
Necropotence - MTG Card versions
Funeral March - MTG Card versions
Casting of Bones - MTG Card versions
Blanket of Night - MTG Card versions
Hecatomb - MTG Card versions
Krovikan Fetish - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Recurring Nightmare - MTG Card versions
Contamination - MTG Card versions
Oppression - MTG Card versions
Lurking Evil - MTG Card versions
Maggot Therapy - MTG Card versions
Murderous Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Noxious Field - MTG Card versions
Tainted Well - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mortiphobia has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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