Provoke MTG Card

Stronghold (STH)
1998-03-02 - Number 113

Conspiracy (CNS)
2014-06-06 - Number 174

Vintage Masters (VMA)
2014-06-16 - Number 225

Tempest Remastered (TPR)
2015-05-06 - Number 186

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Provoke creates opportunities for card advantage by orchestrating favorable combat and reducing opponent’s board presence.
Its instant speed offers versatility, allowing players to dictate battle terms and surprise opponents strategically.
Can be detrimental if resources are low due to discard requirements and a potentially prohibitive mana cost.

Text of card

Untap target creature you do not control. That creature blocks this turn if able. Draw a card.

Mirri did not have time to think, only to react.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Provoke allows for tactical creature removal by forcing an opponent’s poorly positioned creature to block, potentially leading to favorable trades and thinning your opponent’s battlefield presence. This can indirectly translate to card advantage as you dictate combat on your terms.

Resource Acceleration: While Provoke itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, forcing a key blocker out of the way can enable your other creatures to connect, potentially activating abilities or conditions tied to dealing combat damage that can ramp up your resources or give you access to more cards.

Instant Speed: The true strength of Provoke lies in its flexibility due to its instant speed. You can alter combat dynamics on the fly, disrupting your opponent’s strategy during their turn. This reactive capability ensures you are in full control of combat engagements, making it a versatile tool in both defense and offense.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The demand to discard another card can be a setback when your hand is already running thin, essentially putting you at a disadvantage for using Provoke’s ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Provoke’s reliance on a strict white mana composition could pose a problem in multicolored decks that may not always have the right mana available at the crucial moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that leans on the higher side, Provoke competes with other cards that might induce a more impactful board presence or game-changing effect for the same or less investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Provoke is a unique instant that can fit into various deck types, particularly those that need to control combat scenarios. It forces an opposing creature to untap and attack, enabling tactical plays during your turn.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with effects that benefit from creatures becoming tapped or attacking, such as cards with ‘tap an untapped creature you control’ abilities or that trigger upon creatures attacking.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where controlling the battlefield is crucial, Provoke offers a way to manipulate opponents’ creature states, potentially leading to favorable trades or clearing a path for your strategy to succeed.

How to beat

Encountering Provoke in a game can significantly challenge your combat strategies. Renowned for its ability to disrupt opponents by forcing specific creature blocks, this card can render your carefully laid plans useless. When playing against an adversary with Provoke in their arsenal, it’s crucial to manage your creatures wisely. Deploying creatures with high toughness or those with abilities that can deter attackers, such as deathtouch or reach, can mitigate the impact of Provoke.

Moreover, instant spells that can alter the course of combat by buffing your creatures or removing the provoking creature from play are highly effective. Cards like Path to Exile or Unsummon can provide a surprise element, turning the tables in your favor. It’s also advantageous to be mindful of not overcommitting your creatures to the battleground. A strategic reserve can curb the Provoke advantage, allowing you to dictate the flow of combat more effectively and protect your key creatures from being lured into unfavorable blocks.

By employing a mix of combat tricks, removals, and thoughtful creature selection, maintaining an edge against the Provoke mechanic can be achievable, preserving your board state and positioning you closer to victory.

Cards like Provoke

Provoke is an intriguing utility card within Magic: The Gathering’s rich tableau of combat trick spells. Cards like Hunter’s Prowess offer a resemblance, allowing creatures not only to avoid being blocked but also to draw a card per damage dealt. However, Provoke uniquely forces the issue, requiring a specific creature to block if able, thereby offering more control over the combat phase.

Recalling moments from MTG’s history, we encounter cards like Lure which, akin to Provoke, obligates all able creatures to block the enchanted creature, granting greater manipulation during combat. Yet, Lure’s effect is broad, affecting multiple potential blockers, contrasting with Provoke’s pointed tactic of selecting a single target. Similarly, Roar of Challenge serves as another broad comparison, pulling all opposing creatures into one decisive clash, while Provoke lets you dictate a single combat pairing of your choosing.

In an environment where combat interactions are key, Provoke holds its own. It ensures a specific threat can be neutralized or an advantageous combat scenario can be created, situating it as a tactical option for players who value precision in their creature engagements in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Provoke by color, type and mana cost

Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Provoke MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold and Conspiracy, 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 Provoke and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Provoke Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1998-03-02 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-03-02	Stronghold	STH	113	1997	Normal	Black	Terese Nielsen
2	2014-06-06	Conspiracy	CNS	174	2003	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
3	2014-06-16	Vintage Masters	VMA	225	2015	Normal	Black	Terese Nielsen
4	2015-05-06	Tempest Remastered	TPR	186	2015	Normal	Black	Terese Nielsen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Provoke 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 Provoke card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.