Virtue's Ruin MTG Card

Gains card advantage by trading one for potentially multiple opponent’s creatures, impacting game dynamics significantly. Played at instant speed, it offers strategic flexibility and the element of surprise during critical moments. Demands careful deck construction with its specific black mana cost, potentially limiting its versatility.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal
Set code	POR
Number	116
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mike Dringenberg

Text of card

Destroy all white creatures. (This includes your white creatures.)

All must fall, and those who stand highest fall hardest.

Cards like Virtue's Ruin

Virtue’s Ruin is a powerful sorcery in Magic: The Gathering that particularly shines in black-dominated decks. Its ability to destroy all white creatures mirrors the destructive capabilities of cards like Wrath of God, which eliminates all creatures regardless of color. Virtue’s Ruin, however, offers precision targeting, enabling a strategic advantage over mono-color decks or those heavily reliant on white creatures.

Another card with similar impact is Perish, designed to wipe out green creatures. The targeted nature of Virtue’s Ruin and Perish allows players to tailor their removal strategy without affecting their own board. In this respect, Doom Blade also offers targeted removal, but as a single creature focus, lacks the sweeping effect of Virtue’s Ruin.

Considering the broader scope of mass removal, Virtue’s Ruin stands out in decks aimed at exploiting color-specific weaknesses. Its cost and restrictions compared to broader sweep spells like Damnation reflect its specialized use. For players seeking focused removal within the black color pie, Virtue’s Ruin remains a valued asset in their arsenal.

Cards similar to Virtue's Ruin by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Virtue’s Ruin can potentially remove multiple threats from the board with a single card, tipping the balance in your favor. This sweep of opponent’s white creatures means you are spending one card to deal with possibly several of theirs, thus gaining a critical card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: By clearing the board of opponent’s key creatures, Virtue’s Ruin can significantly set back their board development. This allows you to press the advantage with your own creatures and spells, potentially accelerating your game plan while they rebuild their resources.

Instant Speed: The power of Virtue’s Ruin is amplified by its ability to be played at instant speed. This offers the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn or in response to an action, ensuring surprise and adding a strategic level on when to best deploy this potent spell.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Virtue’s Ruin requires players to carefully plan their moves as it does not include any discard elements; however, its strategic value might require sacrificing other cards from hand to maintain board control.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a black mana cost, Virtue’s Ruin demands a dedicated slot in decks that run black. This can be restrictive for those looking to keep their deck’s mana base flexible.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three black mana, Virtue’s Ruin is both a strength and a weakness. While its ability to destroy all white creatures is powerful, the cost can be problematic in mana-hungry decks or those that need to respond quickly to threats.

Reasons to Include Virtue’s Ruin in Your Collection

Versatility: Virtue’s Ruin offers an effective solution to white creatures that may be dominating your gameplay environment. As a black sorcery, it can be slotted easily into various deck types that can handle a triple black mana cost, providing them with a potent removal tool.

Combo Potential: For decks that leverage death triggers or benefit from graveyard interaction, Virtue’s Ruin stands out. It can act as a pivotal play in setups aiming to capitalize on opponent creatures dying en masse, potentially paving the way for synergistic effects or game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: When the meta sways towards white weenie, soldier, or angel strategies, this card’s ability to clear multiple threats at once cannot be overstated. Its inclusion in sideboards or even main decks can tilt matchups in your favor, reinforcing its status as a strategic choice in ever-changing gameplay dynamics.

How to beat

Virtue’s Ruin presents a challenge as a potent sweep card designed to impact the battlefield significantly. Situated within the realm of black spells capable of swinging the momentum of the game, it demolishes all white creatures in play. It’s the nemesis of decks that rely on white creature strategies, laying waste to meticulous board development. Comparatively, an equivalent disruption doesn’t exist in the white spell lineup, which usually focuses on protection and restoration, rather than elimination.

However, safeguarding your strategy against Virtue’s Ruin can involve leveraging the versatility of multicolored or indestructible creatures that are impervious to color-specific destruction. Additionally, enchantments that grant temporary invulnerability or instant spells that counteract destruction effects can shield your board from such a devastating blow. Taking a proactive stance by including cards that can resurrect creatures from the graveyard, or using spells that either discard or counter black spells is also crucial in mitigating the impact of Virtue’s Ruin.

Ultimately, the key to withstanding Virtue’s Ruin lies in diversifying threats and incorporating cards that can either avoid or recover from black’s destructive capabilities. A well-rounded deck strategy that anticipates such board wipes can maintain resilience against this formidable card.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Virtue's Ruin MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Virtue's Ruin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Virtue's Ruin has restrictions

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