Reverse Damage MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 22 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Reverse Damage negates damage and elevates life, altering the tide of a match.
  2. Instant speed usage of Reverse Damage provides strategic surprise and momentum shift.
  3. While potent, Reverse Damage’s situational nature and mana cost can limit flexibility.

Text of card

All damage you have taken from any one source this turn is added to your life total instead of subtracted from it.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Reverse Damage provides a unique form of card advantage by turning an event that’s typically detrimental—a source of damage—into a tool for survival. It can essentially negate the effect of high-power enemy spells or attacks, effectively rendering an opponent’s card useless while bolstering your own life total.

Resource Acceleration: Although Reverse Damage doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the typical sense of providing mana or ramp, it does effectively buy you time. Preserving your life total gives you additional turns to utilize your mana and other resources without the pressure of an ending game state due to loss of life.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Reverse Damage at instant speed is a significant advantage. It allows a player to act in response to combat or a spell that would otherwise result in lethal damage. The surprise element can swing the momentum of the game, as opponents may not account for the life swing when planning their attacks or combo finishes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Reverse Damage doesn’t directly require a discard, but its usefulness can be situational, and if you’re forced to hold onto it for the right moment, it could be a card that’s sitting idle in your hand while other resources could be played.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a strict mana cost that includes two white mana, Reverse Damage can be challenging to cast outside of mono-white or two-color decks, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-color or color-fluid decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two that are color specific, Reverse Damage’s ability to prevent damage may come off as costly compared to other cards that prevent or mitigate damage for less, or offer additional benefits.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Reverse Damage is a classic card that offers a unique twist on life gain and damage prevention. Its ability to turn potential defeat into a surprising comeback makes it a useful tool in various decks, particularly those geared towards control or life-centric strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can serve as a pivotal part of combos that rely on taking damage to benefit later. In conjunction with cards that redirect or amplify damage, it can create powerful swings in life totals, potentially deciding the outcome of a game.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where burn decks or high-powered aggro are prevalent, Reverse Damage provides a strategic response. It can give players an edge by reversing critical turns where massive damage might otherwise lead to a loss, making it a timeless addition that can adapt to various competitive environments.


How to beat

Reverse Damage has been a classic piece of the MTG puzzle since the game’s inception. Known for its defensive utility, the card can turn a sure defeat into a surprising victory by converting damage into life gain. It’s especially effective against decks that rely heavily on a single powerful strike to win the game.

Defeating this card requires a strategy that either bypasses its effects or minimizes its impact. Counterspells like Negate or Dispel are perfect for thwarting it before it can alter the battlefield. Alternatively, using direct removal spells on creatures that are the source of the damage negates the need for Reverse Damage entirely. Lastly, incremental damage over time or winning through alternative win conditions such as mill or poison counters can avoid triggering Reverse Damage’s life-saving ability.

Understanding Reverse Damage’s role in the opponent’s deck is crucial for planning an effective approach. By playing around it and denying its activation, you can ensure that this reactive spell doesn’t get a chance to make its surprising twist in the game.


Cards like Reverse Damage

Reverse Damage stands as a unique spell in the history of Magic: The Gathering, offering a classic twist on damage prevention. When examining spells that perform similar tasks, one might consider Dawn Charm. This charm offers versatility with its modal design, including an option to prevent damage from a single source – a narrower scope, but with added utility of countering spells that target you or regenerating a creature.

Comparing this to another white staple, Safe Passage, which prevents all damage that would be dealt to you and creatures you control for a single turn, Reverse Damage offers the distinctive benefit of not only preventing the damage but also converting that prevention into life gain. This is a significant addition to a player’s defensive strategy. In a deck built on life gain synergy, Reverse Damage can provide a pivotal swing in health points.

However, it’s worth highlighting that both Reverse Damage and the cards related to it are often at a higher mana cost than some more modern damage prevention methods, which might influence deck building decisions for players considering speed and efficiency. In terms of health point swing and potential for turning the tide of battle, Reverse Damage retains a special place in the pantheon of defensive magic cards.

Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Safe Passage - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Safe Passage - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Reverse Damage by color, type and mana cost

Army of Allah - MTG Card versions
Holy Light - MTG Card versions
Morale - MTG Card versions
Blood of the Martyr - MTG Card versions
Piety - MTG Card versions
Martyrdom - MTG Card versions
Harsh Justice - MTG Card versions
Kor Chant - MTG Card versions
Just Fate - MTG Card versions
Waylay - MTG Card versions
Warrior's Honor - MTG Card versions
Radiant's Judgment - MTG Card versions
Abolish - MTG Card versions
Restrain - MTG Card versions
Prismatic Strands - MTG Card versions
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Protection - MTG Card versions
Generous Gift - MTG Card versions
Oblation - MTG Card versions
Wing Shards - MTG Card versions
Army of Allah - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Holy Light - Masters Edition (ME1)
Morale - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Blood of the Martyr - Chronicles (CHR)
Piety - Renaissance (REN)
Martyrdom - Alliances (ALL)
Harsh Justice - Portal (POR)
Kor Chant - The List (PLST)
Just Fate - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Waylay - Urza's Saga (USG)
Warrior's Honor - Anthologies (ATH)
Radiant's Judgment - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Abolish - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)
Restrain - Invasion (INV)
Prismatic Strands - Commander 2019 (C19)
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Teferi's Protection - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Generous Gift - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
Oblation - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Wing Shards - Commander 2017 (C17)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reverse Damage MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Reverse Damage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Reverse Damage Magic the Gathering card was released in 18 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 351993normalblackDameon Willich
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 361993normalblackDameon Willich
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 361993normalwhiteDameon Willich
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 361993normalblackDameon Willich
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 361993normalblackDameon Willich
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 351993normalwhiteDameon Willich
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 351993normalblackDameon Willich
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 351993normalwhiteDameon Willich
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 451993normalwhiteDameon Willich
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 451993normalblackDameon Willich
111996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC et45sb1993normalgoldDameon Willich
121996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC pp45sb1993normalgoldDameon Willich
131996-07-01Rivals Quick Start SetRQS 71993normalwhiteDameon Willich
141996-12-31Introductory Two-Player SetITP 71993normalwhiteDameon Willich
151997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 551997normalwhiteThomas Gianni
161999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 391997normalwhiteThomas Gianni
172001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 34★1997normalblackEric Peterson
182001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 341997normalwhiteEric Peterson
192005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 35★2003normalblackThomas Gianni
202005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 352003normalwhiteThomas Gianni
212022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3321997normalblackDameon Willich
222022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 352015normalblackDameon Willich

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reverse Damage has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 It only affects damage dealt by the source one time. If the source damages you a second time this turn, the damage will not be reversed.

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