Iron Will MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Cycling |
| Released | 1999-02-15 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Urza's Legacy |
| Set code | ULG |
| Number | 10 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Val Mayerik |
Key Takeaways
- Iron Will’s creature protection at instant speed can turn the tide of combat by providing unexpected defense.
- Specific white mana cost and discard requirement limit its versatility and deck compatibility.
- Its ability to protect multiple creatures differentiates it from similar MTG protection spells.
Text of card
Target creature gets +0/+4 until end of turn. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Iron Will comes into play by providing a defense booster that’s attached to a creature. This attribute not only enhances the creature but effectively helps maintain board presence, indirectly contributing to card advantage by protecting your valued assets.
Resource Acceleration: Although Iron Will does not directly provide resource acceleration like some ramp spells, its low casting cost can be seen as a form of economic resource utilization. It allows you to keep up the pace and deploy other tactical plays smoothly without significant investment.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Iron Will at instant speed is a strategic asset. It enables surprise combat tricks, catching an opponent unprepared and potentially turning the tide of battle. This flexibility allows for reactive play, keeping opponents on their toes.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In playing Iron Will, you may find the discard requirement to be a strategic setback, especially during late-game scenarios where every card in hand counts. Balancing the need for steadfast defense with preserving your hand can present a real challenge.
Specific Mana Cost: Iron Will demands a specific white mana cost for its activation. This requirement can be limiting for decks that are not predominantly white or run on a leaner mana base, potentially making the card a less versatile choice in multi-colored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering its comparably high mana cost, Iron Will can be seen as less efficient compared to other protective spells. Deck builders may pause, weighing whether its benefits justify the spot it takes up, especially when mana could potentially be allocated to lower-cost alternatives offering similar or greater value.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Iron Will offers instant-speed protection, capable of safeguarding your key creatures during combat or from targeted removal. Its broad utility makes it a reliable inclusion across a spectrum of deck archetypes.
Combo Potential: With the ability to prevent damage to your creatures, Iron Will can be pivotal in combos that rely on creatures surviving or engaging in numerous battles. It’s a linchpin for synergies where resilience is critical.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where surprise interactions and instant-speed plays dictate the winner, Iron Will gains significance by effectively countering widely-used removal spells, thereby preserving your board’s integrity against various threats.
How to Beat Iron Will
Iron Will presents a challenge on the battlefield with its ability to grant creatures protection from a color of your choice until end of turn. It’s a boon for MTG players looking to safeguard their key creatures from potential threats, though it’s critical to understand how to effectively counter this tactic. One method to subvert this protection is by using colorless spells or artifacts, as these are not affected by protection from any particular color.
Another strategy against Iron Will is to opt for board wipes that don’t specify a particular color, serving as one of the most comprehensive rebuttals to such protection-oriented cards. Furthermore, you might consider employing effects that don’t target individual creatures, like those that change the rules of engagement, for instance, by imposing limitations on the ability to block or by affecting all creatures on the board indiscriminately.
Utilizing instant-speed removal that can be cast outside of conventional combat phases is also advisable. This ensures that Iron Will’s protection can be preemptively disrupted before it can provide its shielding effect. Considering these tactics can make the challenge of Iron Will more manageable and turn the tide of a match in your favor.
Cards like Iron Will
Within the vast repertoire of instant spells in MTG, Iron Will emerges as a noteworthy contender, shining in the sphere of creature protection. Iron Will shares its fundamental premise with cards like Gods Willing, which provides protection from a color of your choice for a single target creature, along with the sought-after Scry 1 bonus. However, where Iron Will distinguishes itself is in its broader reach, offering the ability to shield multiple creatures from harm, a strong play to counter mass removal strategies that an opponent might employ.
A closer look at comparatives reveals Alabaster Potion as another parallel, which offers life gain as an added bonus. Although Iron Will lacks this feature, the ability to protect several creatures at once without the variable mana cost can be more strategically viable in battle. Another alternative, Make a Stand, gives creatures indestructible instead of protection but misses out on the minor yet significant life gain. The trade-off here lies in the nuances of protection versus blanket indestructibility, making Iron Will a card of choice in scenarios that demand precision defense.
Therefore, while evaluating the pros and cons of various protective spells in MTG, Iron Will holds its ground with its unique offering of multi-target shielding, ensuring it a stable position among instant speed protection spells.
Cards similar to Iron Will by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Iron Will MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy, 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 Iron Will and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Iron Will has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Iron Will card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |
