Kor Dirge MTG Card
2007-02-02 - Number 87
2021-03-19 - Number 120
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Kor Dirge excels in disrupting removal strategies, securing creatures vital to your game plan.
- Instant speed allows strategic flexibility and can surprise opponents during critical combat phases.
- The card’s requirement to discard when cast can sometimes compromise your hand advantage.
Text of card
All damage that would be dealt this turn to target creature you control by a source of your choice is dealt to another target creature instead.
Rath's new evincar eliminated the brutish moggs and took a new slave race, one more reminiscent of her own feline grace.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Kor Dirge’s ability to potentially negate an opponent’s removal spell offers a tactical advantage, keeping your key creatures on the board while disrupting your opponent’s strategies.
Resource Acceleration: While Kor Dirge itself does not directly contribute to resource acceleration, efficiently protecting your resource-generating creatures ensures a steady mana flow and board presence, indirectly helping you to ramp up your resources.
Instant Speed: The instant nature of Kor Dirge allows for flexibility and surprise, making it a formidable tool for protecting your creatures. You can cast it at the most opportune moment, effectively countering threats and keeping your opponents on their toes during combat.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Kor Dirge prompts players to discard another card, posing a potential setback when hand size is an advantage you’re counting on.
Specific Mana Cost: Being a spell with a black and white mana requirement restricts its flexibility, rendering it unusable in monochrome decks not aligned with these colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost might be viewed as steep for its effect, especially when evaluated against other options that can deter an opponent’s attack with less mana or provide additional utility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Kor Dirge is an excellent addition to decks that require flexible response options. Its capability to redirect damage from one creature to another can adapt to various situations, thwarting opponents’ tactics and protecting valuable cards.
Combo Potential: This card works masterfully in combos due to its interaction with damage-based strategies. Players can use Kor Dirge with creatures that have damage-triggered abilities or with cards that penalize opponents when damage is redirected, adding layers of complexity and surprise to their gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where combat tricks and creature-based strategies are prevalent, Kor Dirge shines. Its presence can sway the tide of battle, making it a strategic play against decks that rely heavily on direct damage or combat to win. Its inclusion could be a game-changer, especially in white-focused or defensive decks.
How to beat
Kor Dirge is an intriguing combat trick that can tip the scales during a skirmish on the battlefield. Its ability to redirect damage can be a thorn in the side of opponents who are not careful with their attack strategies. To overcome this card, it’s essential to anticipate its use. Playing around Kor Dirge involves careful consideration of open mana and the number of cards in the opponent’s hand, especially if they are playing white mana.
Using instant speed removal spells before the combat phase can neutralize potential targets for Kor Dirge, effectively rendering the card useless. Additionally, including creatures with hexproof or shroud in your deck can prevent your opponent from choosing them as targets, thereby ensuring that your side of the battlefield remains secure from the white instant’s redirection ability. Awareness and preemptive strategy are key when facing a card like Kor Dirge.
Finally, timing your own spells to coincide with your opponent’s combat phase or in response to Kor Dirge may allow you to outmaneuver this protective measure. Denying your opponent the chance to make full use of Kor Dirge’s capability will often lead to securing your creatures’ safety and maintaining the upper hand in combat encounters.
Cards like Kor Dirge
Kor Dirge’s unique protective mechanics offer intriguing strategic options in Magic: The Gathering. It sits in a space close to spells like Apostle’s Blessing, which provides protection from colors or artifacts for a turn. However, Kor Dirge leverages the twist of redirecting damage from targeted creatures to a player, making it an exceptional defensive tool with offensive capabilities. Apostle’s Blessing lacks this damage redirection aspect and instead focuses solely on protection.
Comparatively, Harm’s Way also dances in the realm of damage redirection but costs less mana. Its specificity allows a precision defense that can turn the tide of battle. Yet, it does not share the multitasking ability of Kor Dirge to target multiple creatures at once. For those valuing wide-range protection, Bathe in Light is another card with similarities, as it provides protection to a color of your choice. Still, it skirts the offensive potential that makes Kor Dirge stand apart.
To sum up, within the cluster of defense and redirection cards, Kor Dirge asserts its position as a valuable asset. It combines the best of protection and damage manipulation, thereby enabling dynamic play that resonates with those who seek a blend of safety and calculated aggression in their MTG arsenal.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kor Dirge MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Kor Dirge 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
Printings
The Kor Dirge Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Alex Horley-Orlandelli.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-02-02 | Planar Chaos | PLC | 87 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli | |
| 2 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 120 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kor Dirge has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kor Dirge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | If the second target creature is no longer on the battlefield as the damage is dealt, the damage isn’t redirected away from its original recipient. The same is true if the second target creature isn’t a creature (or a planeswalker) at that time. |
| 2021-03-19 | The damage dealt to the second target creature is dealt by the original source of damage, not by Kor Dirge. |
| 2021-03-19 | You choose the two target creatures as you cast Kor Dirge, but you choose the source as it resolves. |
