Annihilate MTG Card
2000-10-02 - Number 94
2013-11-01 - Number 68
2014-11-07 - Number 134
2016-06-10 - Number 79
2019-11-07 - Number 567
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-79
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Provides unconditional creature destruction with card draw, making it a control strategy asset.
- Requires precise mana base and has a higher cost compared to similar removals.
- Though powerful, it can be thwarted by hexproof, indestructibility, and counter magic.
Text of card
Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated. Draw a card.
"Whatever Yawgmoth marks, dies. There is no escape." —Tsabo Tavoc, Phyrexian general
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Annihilate enables you to exhaust your opponent’s resources by forcing them to sacrifice permanents, which can easily tip the scales in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or tokens, Annihilate can be considered a form of indirect resource acceleration by efficiently eliminating potential blockers or threats, clearing the way for direct attacks that can lead to a quicker victory.
Instant Speed: As a card that can be played at instant speed, Annihilate allows for strategic flexibility, enabling you to wait for the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s plans, such as in response to an activated ability or during the opponent’s end step to maintain the element of surprise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Annihilate allows you to destroy a target creature and draw a card, the upfront requirement of having to discard another card can potentially sap your hand of important resources, particularly if you’re playing a strategy reliant on card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Annihilate’s specific mana cost that includes two black mana symbols means it requires a certain type of deck with a strong black mana base. This can limit the flexibility of your deck-building and potentially exclude the card from various multi-colored strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of five, Annihilate competes with other removal spells that may cost less. In fast-paced games, the mana investment needed for Annihilate might be better allocated to spells that provide immediate board impact or to more mana-efficient removal options.
Reasons to Include Annihilate in Your Collection
Versatility: Annihilate is a card that fits seamlessly into any deck that approaches the game with a control strategy. Its ability to unconditionally destroy a target nonblack creature provides an answer to the vast majority of threats that you might face.
Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that focus on graveyard recursion or spell casting triggers. Pairing Annihilate with cards that benefit from the casting of instant spells or the filling of opponents’ graveyards can greatly enhance your deck’s performance.
Meta-Relevance: In metas dominated by creature-heavy decks, Annihilate serves as a crucial tool to maintain board control. It is especially potent in formats where large, game-changing creatures are common and can quickly swing the tide of the game if not dealt with promptly.
How to beat
Annihilate is a formidable removal option in Magic: The Gathering, capable of irrevocably destroying a creature while granting its caster a valuable card draw. This makes it a cornerstone in black’s arsenal against creature-heavy strategies. However, not all is lost when facing down an Annihilate. A shrewd player can circumvent its impact with a few strategic moves.
Firstly, employing creatures with hexproof or shroud nullifies Annihilate’s targeting ability, insulating your critical creatures from removal. Additionally, using instant-speed spells to give your creatures indestructible or regenerating them can negate the destruction attempt. Moreover, playing around this card involves maintaining a diverse and resilient board state, so losing a single creature doesn’t topple your game plan.
Lastly, keeping up counter magic to nullify Annihilate when it’s on the stack is another effective countermeasure. Directly responding to an Annihilate with a spell like Negate or Dispel can preserve your board and negate your opponent’s card advantage play. This diversity in response creates a dynamic environment where the supposedly one-sided Annihilate becomes less of a surefire threat and more of a tactical challenge to overcome.
Cards like Annihilate
Annihilate is a spell with an impact that resonates across the battlefields of Magic: The Gathering, standing tall in the realm of creature removal. In the landscape of similar spells, Doom Blade emerges as a comparable alternative, offering destruction at a lower cost but with a significant restriction—it can’t affect black creatures. Annihilate distinguishes itself by having no color limitations and the added benefit of granting you a card draw upon resolution.
Then there’s Murder, a spell that allows players to unconditionally remove a target creature. Although it costs one more mana than Doom Blade, it shares Annihilate’s lack of color bias. However, absent from Murder is the card draw ability, which can often give Annihilate the upper hand in terms of card advantage. Also worth mentioning is Go for the Throat, which efficiently handles non-artifact creatures. Like Doom Blade, it’s more mana-efficient than Annihilate but trades the potential for card advantage for a lower initial investment.
Depth of strategy in Magic: The Gathering can frequently pivot on such nuances. Annihilate offers not only the removal of a threatening creature but also refills your hand, a dual benefit that could give you the edge when card economy plays a vital role in victory.
Cards similar to Annihilate by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Annihilate MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and Commander 2013, 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 Annihilate 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 Annihilate Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Kev Walker.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 94 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 2 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 68 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 3 | 2014-11-07 | Commander 2014 | C14 | 134 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 4 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 79 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 5 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 567 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 6 | The List | PLST | EMA-79 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Annihilate 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 Annihilate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-06-08 | If the targeted creature is an illegal target when Annihilate tries to resolve, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t draw a card. |
