Zealous Persecution MTG Card
2009-04-30 - Number 85
2013-03-15 - Number 23
2014-05-30 - Number 9
2016-06-10 - Number 213
2017-11-24 - Number 41
2019-11-07 - Number 1516
2020-09-26 - Number E02-41
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Until end of turn, creatures you control get +1/+1 and creatures your opponents control get -1/-1.
"Jharic returned from Grixis changed, a haunted look in her eyes. She destroyed them with an unholy glee that made me shudder." —Knight-Captain Wyhorn
Cards like Zealous Persecution
Zealous Persecution stands out in the realm of instant-speed, multicolored spells that influence the battlefield dramatically. It shares some similarities with cards like Marsh Casualties, which also offers a power reduction to opponents’ creatures. However, where Marsh Casualties is a sorcery, Zealous Persecution’s instant nature allows for timely and surprising swing in power during combat.
Another related card, Electrickery, provides a similar immediate impact by dealing damage to multiple creatures. Although it’s red and also at instant speed, Zealous Persecution edges it out by potentially boosting your own creatures’ power. This can turn the tide in favor of a well-planned attack or a sturdy defense. Likewise, Golgari Charm gives us selectable versatility, with one of its modes offering creature weakening. But again, it’s the symmetrical effect of Zealous Persecution, buffing your own team while debuffing the opponent’s, that renders it exceptional.
In essence, when stacking Zealous Persecution against its counterparts, its versatility in altering the power dynamics instantly sets a high bar in combat-centric spells within Magic: The Gathering. The card’s ability to simultaneously empower your side and weaken your adversary’s makes it a tactical gem in various situations.
Cards similar to Zealous Persecution by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Zealous Persecution offers a potential swing in card advantage during combat. By boosting your creatures’ power and decreasing your opponent’s, it can turn trades in your favor or save your creatures from dying, effectively keeping more cards in play on your side.
Resource Acceleration: Though this card doesn’t directly provide mana or ramp, the temporary boost in your creatures’ power can accelerate the game’s pace, leading to quicker victories and prompting opponents to use up their resources to handle the unexpected threat.
Instant Speed: The instant nature of Zealous Persecution allows for strategic flexibility, enabling surprise combat tricks or disruption during the opponent’s turn. This can drastically affect the outcome of battles, catch opponents off-guard, and shift momentum in your favor at a crucial moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Zealous Persecution doesn’t directly demand a card discard, however, the associated loss of board presence can indirectly deplete your hand, forcing you to commit more resources from your hand to maintain pressure.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost is specifically locked into black and white, which could create a hurdle in decks that are not tailored to the Orzhov color combination or multicolor-friendly mana bases.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two specific colors, some might argue that the instant speed and dual nature of its effect—buffing your creatures while weakening your opponent’s—doesn’t always justify the spot in a deck, especially when alternative cards offer similar effects with less restrictive mana requirements or additional benefits.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Zealous Persecution offers a unique flexibility that can influence the board in multifaceted ways. It works not only as a tool for aggression, tipping the scales in combat, but also acts as a defensive mechanism against swarms of opposing creatures, potentially removing several threats at once.
Combo Potential: With the ability to affect each creature on the board, this card has significant synergy with strategies that put a lot of creatures into play. It shines in token strategies, bolstering your army while diminishing your opponent’s forces, often swinging the game in dramatic fashion.
Meta-Relevance: Given its power to alter the outcome of a game, Zealous Persecution holds value in any meta characterized by creature-heavy decks. In formats where board presence is crucial, the instant-speed nature of this card can provide the edge needed to stay ahead or mount a comeback.
How to beat
Zealous Persecution is a versatile instant from the game Magic: The Gathering that can swing a game by giving your creatures a sudden boost while weakening your opponent’s team. To effectively counteract this card, players should be mindful of their creature’s toughness, especially in a matchup where Zealous Persecution is a known factor. Keeping your creatures’ toughness above one can prevent a complete wipeout from this swift blow.
One strategy is to hold up mana for instant-speed removal or creature buffs when entering an opponent’s potential cast window for Zealous Persecution. This ensures that, should they endeavor to gain an upper hand during combat or at the end of your turn, you’re prepared with a response. Consider use of cards like Gods Willing to protect a key creature or even a well-timed Rootborn Defenses to nullify the penalty to your side of the board and turn the tables.
Navigating around Zealous Persecution requires a blend of preemptive play, careful mana management, and maintaining a board state resilient to sudden shifts in power and toughness. Through such tactics, a player can mitigate the impact of this powerful spell and maintain control of the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Zealous Persecution MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt, 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 Zealous Persecution and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- 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
Printings
The Zealous Persecution Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-04-30 | Alara Reborn | ARB | 85 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 2 | 2013-03-15 | Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt | DDK | 23 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 3 | 2014-05-30 | Modern Event Deck 2014 | MD1 | 9 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 4 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 213 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 5 | 2017-11-24 | Explorers of Ixalan | E02 | 41 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sara Winters | |
| 6 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1516 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sara Winters | |
| 7 | The List | PLST | E02-41 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sara Winters |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Zealous Persecution has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |