War's Toll MTG Card


War’s Toll’s battlefield control can indirectly lead to your card advantage and strategic lead. It may pose deck construction challenges due to specific mana requirements and high cost. In the right deck, War’s Toll can significantly disrupt your opponent’s tempo and strategy.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

Whenever an opponent taps a land for mana, tap all lands that player controls. If a creature an opponent controls attacks, all creatures that opponent controls attack if able.

Razia, archangel of war, demands total commitment.


Cards like War's Toll

War’s Toll is an intriguing piece in Magic: The Gathering with its ability to dominate the battlefield. It finds a counterpart in cards like Mana Web, which restricts opponents’ mana usage with subtlety. However, War’s Toll escalates this to a higher level, compelling opponents to use all their lands or none when tapping for mana. In contrast, Mana Web simply constrains the land usage to one phase.

When it comes to controlling the combat phase, cards such as Grand Melee and Invasion Plans come into play. Grand Melee forces all creatures to attack each turn if able, similar to War’s Toll’s effect during combat. Yet, War’s Toll is more punishing by binding opponents to commit completely to their attacks or defenses. Meanwhile, Invasion Plans allow players to untangle complex combat puzzles by deciding how creatures block, offering a different strategic angle within the MTG realm.

Assessing War’s Toll within the MTG arsenal, it shines for its unique ability to control both combat and land usage. Its mandates carry the potential to significantly work in a player’s favor, detailing its omnipotence in games where these strategies are vital.

Mana Web - MTG Card versions
Grand Melee - MTG Card versions
Invasion Plans - MTG Card versions
Mana Web - MTG Card versions
Grand Melee - MTG Card versions
Invasion Plans - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to War's Toll by color, type and mana cost

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Burning Earth - MTG Card versions
Manabarbs - MTG Card versions
Orcish Oriflamme - MTG Card versions
An-Zerrin Ruins - MTG Card versions
Lightning Cloud - MTG Card versions
Aether Flash - MTG Card versions
Heart of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
Furnace of Rath - MTG Card versions
No Quarter - MTG Card versions
Shiv's Embrace - MTG Card versions
Pyromancy - MTG Card versions
Collapsing Borders - MTG Card versions
Stand or Fall - MTG Card versions
Impulsive Maneuvers - MTG Card versions
Magmatic Core - MTG Card versions
Pyrohemia - MTG Card versions
Uncontrollable Anger - MTG Card versions
Elemental Mastery - MTG Card versions
Splinter Twin - MTG Card versions
Stranglehold - MTG Card versions
Burning Earth - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: War’s Toll doesn’t directly draw cards but manipulates the battlefield in a way that can contribute to card advantage. By forcing opponents to commit to spells or battles in large, singular actions, War’s Toll often shifts decisions in your favor, effectively reducing the utility of your opponent’s cards.

Resource Acceleration: While War’s Toll itself does not accelerate your mana resources, it disrupts opponents’ mana bases, potentially reducing the speed with which they can deploy their resources. This can indirectly result in a relative acceleration for your strategy as opponents may struggle to efficiently use their mana.

Instant Speed: War’s Toll operates at the speed of an enchantment, manifesting a constant presence on the battlefield once played. Although it’s not an instant, the effect it has is instantaneous the moment an opponent taps a land or declares an attacker, forcing them to make challenging decisions in real-time and potentially altering their course of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While War’s Toll doesn’t require you to discard directly, it does enforce a strategy where players might have to discard cards due to hand size limits as a result of holding back spells and lands to avoid the taxing effect.

Specific Mana Cost: War’s Toll demands a color commitment with its red and generic mana cost, which could be restrictive for decks that are not configured to reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, War’s Toll competes with other impactful cards in the same slot. This could be a drawback in faster-paced games where mana efficiency is key to victory.


Reasons to Include War’s Toll in Your Collection

Versatility: War’s Toll offers a dynamic playstyle, challenging opponents in new ways regardless of the archetypes they employ. By forcing players to tap all lands or attack with all creatures, it manipulates combat and mana strategy intricately.

Combo Potential: This card creates optimal conditions for triggering mass tap-down effects or punishing your opponents through cards like Mana Barbs. The possibilities for synergy with cards that benefit from opponent’s restrictions are broad, setting the stage for game-changing combos.

Meta-Relevance: Given that resource management and timing is crucial in the current gameplay environment, War’s Toll can disrupt opponent’s tempo significantly. In deck formats where control and precise play are paramount, introducing War’s Toll can add a layer of complexity that many are not prepared to counter effectively.


How to beat

War’s Toll is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that forces players to commit to their actions for the entire turn. Not only must all lands be tapped when one is used, but if a creature attacks, all creatures must join the offensive. Overcoming this strategic constraint requires a methodical approach to gameplay. Consider employing instant-speed spells and abilities that allow you to maximize mana without overcommitting. Additionally, stay mindful of the board state and only attack when the benefit outweighs the risk of leaving your defenses wide open.

Control decks with numerous counterspells and control elements can navigate through War’s Toll’s restrictions effectively. They can wait until the last possible moment to play spells, thus avoiding unnecessary tapping of all their lands. Utilizing creatures with vigilance or those that can untap easily can also mitigate the downside of having to attack with your entire team. Plan ahead, stay patient, and use this understanding to your advantage to ensure War’s Toll becomes more of a burden for your opponent than for you.

Adaptability is key. Watch your opponent carefully and save resources for the right moment. By playing smarter, not harder, you can turn War’s Toll from an obstacle into an opportunity.


BurnMana Recommendations

Navigating MTG’s strategic depths requires both cunning and innovative tactics, especially when incorporating cards like War’s Toll into your deck. Its unique ability to disrupt opponents’ gameplay rhythm makes it a formidable card to wield. Are you intrigued by the tactical advantage War’s Toll presents and how it can transform your matches? Then evolving your collection to include cards like this could be the edge you need. From combo potentials to reshaping the meta, War’s Toll offers numerous pathways to victory. Join us to explore the strategies and deck-building tips that can make War’s Toll an asset in your MTG arsenal.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase War's Toll MTG card by a specific set like Dissension and Battlebond, 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 War's Toll and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The War's Toll Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-05-05 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Dana Knutson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-05-05DissensionDIS 772003NormalBlackDana Knutson
22018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1872015NormalBlackDana Knutson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where War's Toll has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2006-05-01 Your opponent can tap lands for mana in response to the triggered ability. The effect won’t prevent your opponent from casting spells or activating abilities, but it will make it difficult for that player to cast other spells or activate abilities later in the turn because players’ mana pools empty at the end of each step.