Debt of Loyalty MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 1997-06-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Weatherlight |
| Set code | WTH |
| Number | 11 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Pete Venters |
Key Takeaways
- Swings the game by turning opponents’ dying creatures into your assets, offering board advantage.
- Leverages instant speed to disrupt opponent plays and gain strategic upper hand.
- Demands situational setup and specific mana, highlighting deck-building considerations.
Text of card
Regenerate target creature. Gain control of that creature.
"I killed him because I had to," Starke lied to Gerrard. "But now I pledge my loyalty to you."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Debt of Loyalty presents an intriguing dynamic in that it can effectively grant you control of an opponent’s creature, turning a potential loss into a formidable asset for yourself. This can significantly swing the game in your favor, as it not only removes an opponent’s threat but also adds to your side, often resulting in a two-card advantage in terms of board presence.
Resource Acceleration: Although Debt of Loyalty doesn’t directly provide mana or accelerate resources, gaining control of an opponent’s creature can bypass the mana and turn investment typically required to deploy a similar threat. This efficiency can accelerate your board development outpacing your opponent’s resources.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Debt of Loyalty at instant speed opens up strategic layers of play. It allows for a surprise shift in control during combat or in response to an opponent attempting to remove their own creature. Reacting in this way can protect your position while dismantling an opponent’s planned sequence of plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Debt of Loyalty has the potential to turn the tide of a game by taking control of a creature, it has the drawback of needing a creature to be dying, which can be situational and might not always align with your game plan.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands a precise combination of white and generic mana, making it less flexible for multi-colored decks or strategies that are not heavily white-mana based.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, one of which must be white, Debt of Loyalty may be competing for space in your deck against other impactful cards that could provide more immediate value or versatility for the same or lower investment.
Reasons to Include Debt of Loyalty in Your Collection
Versatility: Debt of Loyalty is a unique card that can turn the tide of the game by allowing you to gain control of a creature that’s about to be destroyed. This can happen in a multitude of scenarios, making it an adaptable addition to decks that want to utilize their opponents’ threats.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with effects that purposely damage or destroy creatures, enabling you to set up situations where you can claim the best creatures on the board. It’s particularly effective in decks that run cards like board wipes or targeted removal.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies prevail, Debt of Loyalty can provide a significant swing in your favor. As players strive to maintain board presence, this card can unexpectedly turn an opponent’s key creature into a new asset for your side, disrupting their game plan and bolstering your own.
How to beat
Debt of Loyalty is a unique card that can turn the tide of a game by taking control of a creature on the brink of destruction. This makes it essential for players to consider strategies to mitigate its impact. Understanding its mechanics is the key to crafting your approach against this card.
To ensure Debt of Loyalty doesn’t disrupt your game plan, focus on maintaining a diverse removal package in your deck. Including instant-speed exile effects or spells that give you hexproof temporarily can stop Debt of Loyalty from targeting your creatures. Counterspells are equally effective as they can prevent Debt of Loyalty from resolving entirely, thus keeping your board position intact.
It’s also beneficial to keep in mind the timing and resource investment your opponent needs to make this card work. By applying pressure and forcing them to commit mana in their own turn, you may leave them without the necessary resources to cast Debt of Loyalty effectively. By intelligently playing around this card’s requirements, you can reduce the chances of it being a game-changer.
Cards like Debt of Loyalty
Debt of Loyalty is an intriguing instant within MTG’s broad tapestry of control magic. It draws parallels to Domineering Will, a spell that temporarily commandeers multiple creatures during a singular combat phase. However, Debt of Loyalty offers a unique twist — it wrests permanent control of a creature that’s on the brink of destruction. This permanent effect gives it an enduring impact beyond a mere turn.
Examining closer counterparts, we encounter Ray of Command. Similar in its instant speed, Ray of Command also allows you to take control of an opponent’s creature. Yet the similarity ends there, for Ray of Command is fleeting; control reverts back after just one turn. Unlike Debt of Loyalty, it doesn’t attach any conditions to creature’s survival or potential state of peril.
Ultimately, when venturing into the realm of control magic in MTG, Debt of Loyalty establishes itself as a formidable option. Its permanency in changing creature allegiance creates pivotal turning points in gameplay, setting it apart from other control spells that offer but a temporary advantage.
Cards similar to Debt of Loyalty by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Debt of Loyalty MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight, 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 Debt of Loyalty and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Debt of Loyalty has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Debt of Loyalty card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-04-01 | Casting Debt of Loyalty puts a regeneration shield on a creature. If, later in the turn, that creature would be destroyed, instead it regenerates and you gain control of it. Note that it will be tapped when you gain control of it. The control change has no duration; you’ll retain control of that creature until the game ends or until some other effect causes it to change control. |
| 2008-04-01 | If a creature has two regeneration shields on it — one from a Debt of Loyalty you cast and one from another effect — and it would be destroyed, its controller chooses which regeneration shield to use. If that player chooses to use the Debt of Loyalty shield, you’ll gain control of the creature. If the player chooses to use the other shield, you won’t gain control of the creature, but the Debt of Loyalty shield will remain on that creature for the rest of the turn (in case it would be destroyed again). |
| 2008-04-01 | If you cast Debt of Loyalty but nothing happens to the targeted creature for the rest of the turn that would cause it to be destroyed, Debt of Loyalty has no visible effect. The regeneration shield wears off at the end of the turn. If the creature regenerates during a later turn, you won’t gain control of it. |
| 2008-04-01 | You may cast Debt of Loyalty targeting a creature you already control. If you do, and that creature would be destroyed later in the turn, it will regenerate and you’ll gain control of it (though gaining control of a creature you already control usually has no visible effect). |
| 2013-07-01 | A creature with indestructible never needs to regenerate, so Debt of Loyalty will have no effect on it. |
