Discordant Dirge MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Number	131
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Discordant Dirge offers sustained opponent disruption through strategic card discard over consecutive turns.
Despite its potential, the card’s need for black mana and discard activation can limit flexibility.
Its unique place in MTG strategy makes it a noteworthy addition to decks that capitalize on graveyard synergy.

Text of card

During your upkeep, you may put a verse counter on Discordant Dirge. o B, Sacrifice Discordant Dirge: Look at target opponent's hand and choose up to X of those cards, where X is the number of verse counters on Discordant Dirge. That player discards those cards.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Discordant Dirge offers a unique way to disrupt your opponent’s strategy by forcing them to discard cards over several turns, potentially leading to a significant advantage for you as you whittle down their resources.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, this card indirectly aids in resource tempo by depleting your opponent’s hand, allowing you to take the lead in deploying threats and answers on the board.

Instant Speed: Although Discordant Dirge is not an instant itself, it creates a delayed effect that can be reminiscent of instant-speed interaction by requiring your opponent to react to its presence on each of their upkeep phases, making it a persistent threat that can impact how they play their cards.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Discordant Dirge necessitates discarding another card to activate its ability. This add-on can be problematic when your hand is dwindling, diminishing your tactical options and overall hand advantage in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Coming with a mana cost that is fixed in black mana symbols, Discordant Dirge mandates a deck built around or heavily incorporating black mana sources. This requirement restricts deck-building diversity and may not fit seamlessly into multicolor decks that only lightly splash black.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cumulative upkeep cost that increases each turn, Discordant Dirge can quickly become a resource drain. In situations where the game pace is critical, there are other cards that could be a better choice, providing more immediate or cost-effective impacts on the game state.

Reasons to Include Discordant Dirge in Your Collection

Versatility: Discordant Dirge offers a unique blend of abilities that can be adapted to a variety of deck strategies. This enchantment can harass opponents over time or be combined with other cards for an impactful board presence.

Combo Potential: This card’s repeatable effect of discarding cards allows players to engineer their graveyard, setting the stage for synergistic combos with cards that thrive on graveyard interactions.

Meta-Relevance: With many decks relying on hand advantage and carefully curated card selection, Discordant Dirge can disrupt your opponent’s plans by forcing the discard of key cards, thereby gaining you an edge in the current meta.

How to beat

Discordant Dirge presents a unique challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. The card, which revolves around verses and incremental damage, operates differently compared to straightforward burn spells. To effectively navigate against Discordant Dirge, players should consider stocking their decks with enchantment removal, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, to eliminate it before the verses accumulate too much damage.

Moreover, counterspells such as Negate are practical in preventing Discordant Dirge from hitting the table in the first place. Having flexible responses to different kinds of threats allows a player to adapt against cards that seek to undermine their life total over time. Implementing instant-speed interactions ensures that the rhythm of Discordant Dirge doesn’t become overwhelming.

Protecting your life score is also vital. Cards that can increment your life total over time such as life-gain centric spells or creatures could help mitigate the damage dealt by each verse counter, making it less of a threat. By proactively dealing with this unique enchantment, players can maintain control and prevent Discordant Dirge from dictating the pace of the game.

Cards like Discordant Dirge

Discordant Dirge emerges as an intriguing option within the realm of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. In comparison with cards like Bitterblossom, which generates creature tokens at a steady pace, Discordant Dirge stands out by infusing games with a distinctly different strategy – building up verse counters and eventually forcing discard upon the opponent. Bitterblossom offers consistent board presence and pressure, whereas Discordant Dirge operates on a delayed but potentially disruptive play.

Another enchantment worth mentioning is Liliana’s Caress, which punishes players every time a card hits their graveyard from anywhere, not just their hand. Unlike Discordant Dirge, which requires time to set up its effect, Liliana’s Caress can start impacting the opponent’s strategy immediately, triggering on various discard and destruction events. Despite their similarities in aiming to deplete the opponent’s resources, the underpinning mechanics vary, allowing for different types of decks and strategies to benefit from each card’s unique attributes.

Evaluating the strategic uses and deck synergy, Discordant Dirge offers a unique pace and approach to disruption in MTG. Focused on longer-term impact and utilizing verse counters, it’s a card that can potentially tilt the game in your favor with well-timed execution.

Cards similar to Discordant Dirge by color, type and mana cost

Screams of the Damned - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Discordant Dirge MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Discordant Dirge and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Discordant Dirge has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Discordant Dirge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.