Single Combat MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Single Combat offers card advantage by significantly reducing battlefield threats, favoring strategic play.
  2. Mana cost and card selectivity present challenges but provide control players with a powerful tool.
  3. Its unique mechanics disrupt opponents’ tempo, making it a valuable card against creature-heavy decks.

Text of card

Each player chooses a creature or planeswalker they control, then sacrifices the rest. Players can't cast creature or planeswalker spells until the end of your next turn.

Not even a threat to the entire Multiverse could persuade them to put aside their feud.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Single Combat provides a distinct form of card advantage by forcing each player to choose one creature or planeswalker to keep, effectively clearing the board of excess threats. This swing can tilt the game in your favor if planned correctly, especially when you’re behind.

Resource Acceleration: While Single Combat doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it effectively acts as a reset button. By limiting each player to one creature or planeswalker, it allows you to better utilize the resources you have available, and may grant you the time needed to marshal your forces unimpeded.

Instant Speed: Though Single Combat is a sorcery, the advantage it conveys can be just as pivotal as an instant-speed interaction. After casting Single Combat, your opponent cannot cast creature or planeswalker spells until the end of their next turn, granting you a crucial window to advance your board state or find answers to future threats without immediate retaliation.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not needing to discard upon casting, Single Combat can indirectly lead to discarding if you are forced to choose between valuable creatures or planeswalkers, effectively acting as a detriment to your hand resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Single Combat demands a strict combination of one white and four generic mana, which can be a challenge in multicolored decks not heavily focused on white mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana to play, Single Combat may come into play later than desired, especially if early game tempo is crucial for your strategy. Its late-game utility may not compensate for the loss of board presence earlier in the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Single Combat is an excellent addition to any deck that aims to control the board. It forces each player to choose one creature or planeswalker and then sacrifices the rest, which can be a game-changer in a tight match.

Combo Potential: This card works well in strategies that revolve around keeping a single powerful creature or planeswalker on the field. It can create favorable scenarios for you while disrupting opponents’ plans.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment where players tend to build up a vast array of creatures and planeswalkers, Single Combat shines by leveling the playing field. It’s especially relevant when against go-wide strategies or superfriends decks.


How to beat

Dealing with Single Combat in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic planning as it limits players to casting only one creature or planeswalker spell during their next turn, while also instigating a battlefield purge where each player chooses a creature or planeswalker they control, then sacrifices the rest. The trick to circumventing the restrictive effects of Single Combat is to favor instant speed spells and abilities that allow you to build a board presence after the card resolves. Enchantment and artifact synergies are unaffected by Single Combat, therefore leaning on these permanent types can help maintain your game tempo.

Moreover, deck building with redundancy in mind, that is having multiple copies of critical cards, can mitigate the impact of Single Combat’s forced sacrifice. Implementing a strategy with versatile spells or creatures that offer value when entering or leaving the battlefield can also soften the potential blow dealt by this powerful sorcery. Finally, having sacrifice outlets can transform Single Combat’s downside into an advantage by triggering endearing effects or death triggers on your own terms. Adaptability is key when facing down the challenge of Single Combat.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic implications of Single Combat extend well beyond the battlefield exchange it sanctions. Whether you harness this card to flip the momentum of a stalled match, or utilize it as a tool to orchestrate your dominance in control-heavy setups, its value is undeniable. Grasping the intricacies of when and how to play this imposing sorcery can shift the tide in your favor, presenting an opportune opening for victory. If you’re intrigued by the nuanced layers of gameplay that Single Combat introduces, or keen to find out how to integrate it into your collection effectively, we’re here to guide you through. Discover how to incorporate this powerful card into your archetype and refine your MTG strategy by learning more with us.


Cards like Single Combat

Single Combat stands out in the realm of battle-altering spells within Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to cards like Tragic Arrogance or Cataclysmic Gearhulk, which fundamentally redefine the battlefield by dictating the permanents players get to keep. Single Combat, however, introduces a unique twist by preventing players from casting creature or planeswalker spells for a turn. This can strategically delay opponents and disrupt their plans.

Examining Kirtar’s Wrath, it similarly clears the board but also offers conditional advantage through creature tokens if threshold conditions are met, potentially offering additional board presence. Day of Judgment, another comparable spell, provides a straightforward approach to board wiping without the nuances of turn delays or token generation, sometimes preferred for its simplicity and lower mana cost.

Decisively, Single Combat tailors a distinctive niche in creature control strategies, courtesy of its combination of limiting opponents’ future plays while simultaneously clearing existing threats. This positions it as a potent mix of both proactive and reactive tactics in a player’s arsenal.

Tragic Arrogance - MTG Card versions
Cataclysmic Gearhulk - MTG Card versions
Kirtar's Wrath - MTG Card versions
Day of Judgment - MTG Card versions
Tragic Arrogance - Magic Origins (ORI)
Cataclysmic Gearhulk - Kaladesh (KLD)
Kirtar's Wrath - Odyssey (ODY)
Day of Judgment - Zendikar (ZEN)

Cards similar to Single Combat by color, type and mana cost

Purify - MTG Card versions
Global Ruin - MTG Card versions
Rout - MTG Card versions
March of Souls - MTG Card versions
Lonesome Unicorn // Rider in Need - MTG Card versions
Slash the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Promise of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Saltblast - MTG Card versions
Three Dreams - MTG Card versions
Evangelize - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Burial - MTG Card versions
Iona's Judgment - MTG Card versions
Increasing Devotion - MTG Card versions
Defy Death - MTG Card versions
Angelic Edict - MTG Card versions
End Hostilities - MTG Card versions
Fell the Mighty - MTG Card versions
Winds of Rath - MTG Card versions
Planar Outburst - MTG Card versions
Righteous Confluence - MTG Card versions
Purify - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Global Ruin - Invasion (INV)
Rout - Commander 2021 (C21)
March of Souls - Planeshift (PLS)
Lonesome Unicorn // Rider in Need - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Slash the Ranks - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Promise of Loyalty - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Saltblast - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Three Dreams - Planechase Anthology (PCA)
Evangelize - Time Spiral (TSP)
Hallowed Burial - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
Iona's Judgment - Commander Legends (CMR)
Increasing Devotion - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
Defy Death - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Angelic Edict - Jumpstart (JMP)
End Hostilities - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Fell the Mighty - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Winds of Rath - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Planar Outburst - Zendikar Rising Commander (ZNC)
Righteous Confluence - Commander Masters (CMM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Single Combat MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and War of the Spark Promos, 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 Single Combat and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Single Combat Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 302015normalblackLivia Prima
22019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 30s2015normalblackLivia Prima
32024-03-08FalloutPIP 4582015normalblackJosh Hass
42024-03-08FalloutPIP 9862015normalblackJosh Hass
52024-03-08FalloutPIP 7002015normalblackJosh Hass
62024-03-08FalloutPIP 1722015normalblackJosh Hass

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Single Combat has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-05-03 As Single Combat resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses a creature or planeswalker they control, then each other player in turn order does the same, knowing the choices made before them. Then each unchosen creature and planeswalker is sacrificed at the same time.
2019-05-03 In a multiplayer game, if you leave the game after Single Combat resolves but before your next turn begins, its effect lasts until your next turn would have begun. It neither expires immediately nor lasts indefinitely.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks