Cloven Casting MTG Card


Cloven Casting - Alara Reborn
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2009-04-30
Set symbol
Set nameAlara Reborn
Set codeARB
Number86
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byVance Kovacs

Key Takeaways

  1. Casting produces card advantage, doubling impacts of multicolored spells without extra mana.
  2. High mana cost and discard requirements are notable constraints, influencing deck strategy.
  3. Unfettered by turn restrictions, this enchantment offers strategic flexibility and surprise action.

Text of card

Whenever you play a multicolored instant or sorcery spell, you may pay . If you do, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.

"Let us flee to the deep jungle. Our city is no longer safe—and I suspect neither is the fallback retreat."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cloven Casting rewards you by copying any multicolored instant or sorcery spell you cast. This can effectively double your output for the same expenditure of resources, potentially overwhelming your opponent with a cascade of effects.

Resource Acceleration: By emulating each multicolored spell twice, this card accelerates your strategic plays without additional mana cost. It sets the stage for powerful turns, letting you maximize the utility of high-impact spells sooner in the match.

Instant Speed: The ability to duplicate spells is not limited to your own turn. With Cloven Casting, your multicolored instants cast during an opponent’s turn become doubly threatening, opening up avenues for surprise tactics and decisive responses during their phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One significant downside to Cloven Casting is its requirement for card discard. This aspect can turn out to be a major constraint, especially in situations where a player’s hand is almost depleted or when every card in hand is critical for upcoming strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: The necessity for both blue and red mana to cast Cloven Casting places a restriction on deck building. It predominantly fits into Izzet color schemes or multicolored decks that can reliably produce both types of mana, potentially excluding it from mono-colored or differently themed decks that can’t meet its mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the ability to copy instant or sorcery spells can be a powerful effect in MTG, the seven mana cost (5 generic, 1 blue, 1 red) of Cloven Casting is quite steep. There are alternative cards in the format that provide similar spell-copying effects or card advantage for a lower mana investment, which might be more attractive in a fast-paced game where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cloven Casting allows you to copy multicolored instant or sorcery spells, which could serve as a powerful tool in decks that revolve around such spells. It provides the flexibility to double up on effects, be it removal, card draw, or any other impactful game actions.

Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for creating spell-based combos, particularly in a deck with a cascade of multicolored spells. Imagine casting a multicolored spell that disrupts your opponents and then getting to do it again without paying its mana cost, all thanks to the ability of Cloven Casting.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where control or multicolored decks are popular, Cloven Casting can be the corner piece that outpaces opponents by generating value each time you cast a qualifying spell, staying one step ahead in the game.


How to beat

Mastering the strategies against diverse cards like Cloven Casting is a must for dedicated Magic: The Gathering aficionados aiming to control the game’s flow. Cloven Casting, a spell that can potentially double the value of multicolored instant and sorcery spells, presents a unique challenge. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to interfere with the setup it necessitates. Tactics include targeting the enchantment itself or denying your opponent the needed mana to capitalize on its power. Spot removal spells, enchantment destruction, or counter magic are vital tools in your arsenal to mitigate the advantage that Cloven Casting provides.

Additionally, applying pressure early in the game may restrict your opponent’s ability to establish a board presence where Cloven Casting would thrive. Forcing them to respond to your threats rather than build their own strategy can tip the scales in your favor. Resource denial, through land destruction or hand disruption, further ensures that Cloven Casting never becomes the game changer it has the potential to be. With these strategies at the ready, overcoming the challenges posed by Cloven Casting becomes a manageable feat, offering you a clearer path to victory.


Cards like Cloven Casting

Cloven Casting weaves its unique charm into the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a spell that rewards multi-colored strategies. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality are Swarm Intelligence and Mirari. Swarm Intelligence allows the duplication of any instant or sorcery spell, mirroring Cloven Casting’s penchant for copying, yet it does not restrict to multicolored spells and it comes with a heftier mana cost. In contrast, Mirari also echoes the copy effect, but requires an additional mana investment for each copy, potentially making it a more costly endeavor than Cloven Casting but without the multi-colored spell restriction.

Another parallel can be drawn with Double Vision, which provides a similar copy effect for the next instant or sorcery spell cast. While Double Vision is not limited to multicolored spells, it can only duplicate the first spell each turn, whereas Cloven Casting offers a potential for multiple copies each turn, provided multiple multicolored spells are played. Yet, it’s the preciseness of Cloven Casting’s design that embraces a dedicated deck archetype, enriching strategies built around a rainbow of spellcasting opportunities.

Evaluating the range of spell-copying mechanics in Magic: The Gathering highlights Cloven Casting’s niche in decks flourishing with multicolored spells. It stands out as a specialized and synergetic option for the adept mage looking to wield a spectrum of magical prowess.

Swarm Intelligence - MTG Card versions
Mirari - MTG Card versions
Double Vision - MTG Card versions
Swarm Intelligence - MTG Card versions
Mirari - MTG Card versions
Double Vision - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cloven Casting MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, 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 Cloven Casting and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cloven Casting has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-05-01 Abilities that trigger when a spell is cast (such as this ability or cascade) won’t trigger when you create a copy this way.
2009-05-01 If a modal spell is copied, the copy will have the same mode as the original.
2009-05-01 The copy will have the same targets as the spell it’s copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. The new targets must be legal.
2009-05-01 This ability triggers only once for each multicolored instant or sorcery spell you cast. You can’t use a single Cloven Casting to copy the same spell twice.
2009-05-01 You can copy the spell that caused Cloven Casting’s ability to trigger even if it’s been countered by the time that ability resolves.

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