Tsabo's Decree MTG Card
2000-10-02 - Number 129
2001-08-08 - Number ar129
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Choose a creature type. Target player reveals his or her hand and discards all creature cards of that type from it. Then destroy all creatures of that type that player controls. They can't be regenerated.
Cards like Tsabo's Decree
Tsabo’s Decree is an intriguing control card in Magic: The Gathering, operating in a similar design space as other creature control spells. It reminds experienced players of cards like Extinction that allows for the naming of a creature type to destroy all creatures of that type. However, Tsabo’s Decree offers a broader approach by not only potentially clearing the battlefield but also stripping every creature of the chosen type from the opponent’s hand, creating a unique disruption.
Another counterpart in the realm of MTG creature control is Plague Engineer. This card comes with Deathtouch and lets you choose a creature type that gets -1/-1 as long as Plague Engineer is on the field. While not as sweeping as Tsabo’s Decree, it’s more than just a one-time event. Interestingly, Engineered Plague serves a similar purpose as Plague Engineer, but as an enchantment, it’s more resilient against removal spells than creature-based control methods.
After reviewing these options, one can observe that Tsabo’s Decree stands out as a versatile card that targets both the board and the opponent’s hand accordingly, offering a strategic advantage in creature-type specific matchups within Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Tsabo's Decree by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tsabo’s Decree’s ability to potentially clear out all copies of a creature type from an opponent’s hand, field, and graveyard grants a form of card advantage, significantly disrupting the opponent’s game plan.
Resource Acceleration: Although Tsabo’s Decree doesn’t directly accelerate resources, by disrupting an opponent’s creature base, it can indirectly accelerate your own board state as your opponent tries to recover.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Tsabo’s Decree means you can act on your opponent’s turn, keeping your mana open for reactionary plays or casting Decree at the most opportune time to ensure maximum impact.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Tsabo’s Decree doesn’t directly make you discard cards, but it can potentially reduce your hand size significantly. By forcing the discard of all creature cards of the named type from all players, you might lose valuable creatures you were holding back for strategic plays.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Tsabo’s Decree is not only specific in its colors, requiring both black and red mana, but it also demands a considerable investment of resources, totaling seven mana. This restricts its playability primarily to black-red decks capable of generating such a mana combination reliably.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of seven mana, Tsabo’s Decree sits on the higher end of the mana spectrum. In instances where speed is crucial, or in a meta dominated by low-cost spells, the Decree could be less effective, sitting in your hand until you’re capable of playing it.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Tsabo’s Decree adapts well to various strategies, serving as an ace in the hole against tribal decks. Its ability to target specific creature types across the whole game, including hand, graveyard, and battlefield, allows players to tailor its effect according to the matchup, ensuring relevance in diverse game scenarios.
Combo Potential: The card’s utility extends to combinations that exploit creature types. Whether you’re looking to cleanse the board of potential threats or set the stage for your own tribal synergies, Tsabo’s Decree can act as an enabler for strategies that require the careful manipulation of opponents’ creature states and compositions.
Meta-Relevance: With the popularity of tribal strategies in various formats, Tsabo’s Decree stands out as a powerful meta tool. Its ability to disrupt opponent strategies while leaving your own board unaffected makes it a strategic sideboard choice or even a main-deck consideration depending on the prevalence of creature-type-focused decks in your play environment.
How to beat
Tsabo’s Decree is a distinctive card that can sway the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. It targets creature types, potentially clearing an opponent’s board if they’ve committed to a tribal strategy. Unlike cards such as Wrath of God or Damnation, which indiscriminately destroy all creatures, Tsabo’s Decree allows for pinpoint precision, leaving other non-named creatures unaffected.
To navigate around Tsabo’s Decree effectively, diversifying the creature types in your deck becomes key. This strategic variation can mitigate the impact by reducing the number of creatures vulnerable to a single Decree. Additionally, employing instant-speed counterspells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent Tsabo’s Decree from resolving altogether. Moreover, using cards with graveyard recursion abilities allows you to bounce back even after a Decree has resolved, thus minimizing its long-term impact on your board presence.
Finally, a well-timed Thoughtseize or Duress can extract Tsabo’s Decree from your opponent’s hand before they have a chance to cast it, ensuring your creatures are safe to advance your game plan. By implementing these tactics, you can adeptly counter Tsabo’s Decree and secure your position in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tsabo's Decree MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and World Championship Decks 2001, 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 Tsabo's Decree 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 Tsabo's Decree Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2001-08-08. Illustrated by Thomas M. Baxa.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 129 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Thomas M. Baxa | |
| 2 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ar129 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Thomas M. Baxa |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tsabo's Decree has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |