Austere Command MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 20 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Four modal options provide flexibility to handle multiple threats or alter the board to your advantage.
  2. Can strategically disrupt opponents’ resources while preserving your own mana base for future plays.
  3. Elevates control, being impactful regardless of the game stage, akin to instant speed effects.

Text of card

Choose two Destroy all artifacts; or destroy all enchantments; or destroy all creatures with converted mana cost 3 or less; or destroy all creatures with converted mana cost 4 or greater.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Austere Command allows you to select from four different modal options to destroy multiple types of permanents, which can lead to significant advantage by dealing with numerous threats at once or resetting the board in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By choosing to destroy all artifacts and/or enchantments, Austere Command can be used strategically to hamper opponents’ resource acceleration while potentially leaving your own mana sources untouched, allowing you to ramp up your plays in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Although Austere Command is a sorcery, the broad choice of its modal effects can simulate the flexibility of instant speed by being relevant at any stage of the game, ensuring that whenever you cast it, it can be highly impactful to the state of the board.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Austere Command allows flexibility in choosing the type of destruction it will unleash, it doesn’t come without sacrifice. Players must be mindful of the cards in hand when preparing to cast this versatile spell, as having fewer cards could put them at an informational disadvantage and limit their strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a precise mana requirement of three generic and two white mana, Austere Command can be a challenging inclusion for multi-colored or mana-hungry decks. This can potentially restrict its play to decks that can reliably produce the necessary white mana without disrupting their mana base or game plan.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a total of five mana to play, this card’s impact on the board state must be weighed carefully against its cost. In metagames where speed is of the essence, the high mana investment might be better allocated towards more immediate threats or defenses, giving opponents a window of advantage while you set up for a play.


Reasons to Include Austere Command in Your Collection

Versatility: Austere Command is a versatile powerhouse, adapting to a multitude of scenarios that can arise in a game. It allows you to selectively sweep the board, catering to the needs of your deck while potentially leaving your important assets untouched.

Combo Potential: This card can serve as a combo enabler in decks that synergize with graveyard strategies or benefit from the destruction of certain permanents. It’s especially potent in decks that can repeatedly cast it from the graveyard or where it can set up game-winning conditions.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where decks with a wide range of creature sizes dominate or where enchantments and artifacts are key, Austere Command’s flexibility allows you to effectively address threats. Its presence forces opponents to play around its sweeping potential, shaping the flow of the game.


How to beat Austere Command

Austere Command is a versatile card in MTG, allowing players to choose two out of four possible destruction modes. Its flexibility can create significant setbacks, not just clearing away small creatures, but also potentially wiping out large ones, enchantments, or artifacts based on a player’s selection. Overcoming such a card requires careful timing and strategic deployment of resources.

To effectively counter Austere Command, players can employ instant-speed spells or abilities that can regenerate or give indestructibility to their key permanents. Having a diverse range of creature sizes can also mitigate the impact of the board wipe, ensuring not all creatures fall under the selected categories. Moreover, keeping a watchful eye on the opponent’s mana and playing around the potential for an Austere Command during crucial turns can go a long way towards staying one step ahead.

Ultimately, having a backup plan such as card draw abilities or creatures that can be played from the graveyard can soften the blow dealt by Austere Command. By diversifying threats and recognizing the importance of timing in MTG, players can outmaneuver the disruption caused by this commanding card and maintain an advantageous position on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

The realm of MTG is endless, offering paths to victory and strategic depth with every card. Austere Command is no exception. Understanding and utilizing this card’s versatility can turn the tides of any game in your favor. Whether you’re looking to outsmart your opponent’s setup or capitalize on a strategic board reset, mastering Austere Command’s modal options is key. Dive deeper into the strategic nuances of powerful cards such as Austere Command. Allow us to guide you through crafting the ultimate deck and refining your gameplay. Step into a world of savvy plays and strategic dominance with us by your side.


Understanding the Versatility of Austere Command

Within the realm of flexible removal options in Magic: The Gathering, Austere Command stands tall. Its ability to tailor destruction based on the evolving battlefield conditions makes it a strategic choice among sweepers. The card gives players the power to choose two out of four modes, allowing for targeted board wipes that can conserve critical pieces on one’s own side while dismantling an opponent’s strategy.

Cards like Austere Command

Austere Command is often compared to other modular board-clearing spells. A prime example would be Merciless Eviction, which also offers the flexibility of choosing the type of permanents to be exiled. Unlike Austere Command, which allows for two choices that affect lower and higher mana cost permanents separately, Merciless Eviction affects all cards of the chosen type but exiles them, ensuring they can’t be regrown from the graveyard. Another parallel can be drawn with Cleansing Nova, offering the choice between destroying all creatures or all artifacts and enchantments—a narrower field of impact compared to Austere Command’s four options.

Decree of Pain is another contender, wiping all creatures and granting card draw for each destroyed creature, but lacking the tailored precision that Austere Command offers. When evaluating the utility of these cards alongside Austere Command, the latter’s perfect blend of versatility and control often renders it the preferred choice among players for managing threats on the board.

Merciless Eviction - MTG Card versions
Cleansing Nova - MTG Card versions
Decree of Pain - MTG Card versions
Merciless Eviction - Gatecrash (GTC)
Cleansing Nova - Core Set 2019 Promos (PM19)
Decree of Pain - Scourge (SCG)

Cards similar to Austere Command by color, type and mana cost

Icatian Town - MTG Card versions
Righteous Fury - MTG Card versions
Catastrophe - MTG Card versions
Guan Yu's 1,000-Li March - MTG Card versions
Kirtar's Wrath - MTG Card versions
Devastating Mastery - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Solar Tide - MTG Card versions
Final Judgment - MTG Card versions
Chronomantic Escape - MTG Card versions
Spectral Procession - MTG Card versions
Planar Cleansing - MTG Card versions
Open the Vaults - MTG Card versions
Nomads' Assembly - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Rebirth - MTG Card versions
Sudden Disappearance - MTG Card versions
Terminus - MTG Card versions
Vanquish the Foul - MTG Card versions
Plea for Guidance - MTG Card versions
Triplicate Spirits - MTG Card versions
Icatian Town - Masters Edition (ME1)
Righteous Fury - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Catastrophe - The List (PLST)
Guan Yu's 1,000-Li March - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Kirtar's Wrath - Commander Masters (CMM)
Devastating Mastery - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Akroma's Vengeance - Commander 2020 (C20)
Solar Tide - Mirrodin (MRD)
Final Judgment - The List (PLST)
Chronomantic Escape - Future Sight (FUT)
Spectral Procession - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Planar Cleansing - Core Set 2020 Promos (PM20)
Open the Vaults - Fallout (PIP)
Nomads' Assembly - Commander 2014 (C14)
Phyrexian Rebirth - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Sudden Disappearance - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Terminus - From the Vault: Annihilation (V14)
Vanquish the Foul - Theros (THS)
Plea for Guidance - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Triplicate Spirits - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Austere Command MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Lorwyn, 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 Austere Command and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Austere Command Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 860762015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
22007-10-12LorwynLRW 32003normalblackWayne England
32011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 82003normalblackWayne England
42017-04-28Amonkhet InvocationsMP2 12015normalborderlessRichard Wright
52017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 102015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
62020-08-07Double Masters2XM 72015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
72020-09-26The ListPLST LRW-32003normalblackWayne England
82020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 122015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
92020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6182015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
102022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 1932015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
112022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 6872015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
122022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 691997normalblackAnna Steinbauer
132023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 1722015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
142023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 622015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
152023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1262015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
162024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 562015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
172024-03-08FalloutPIP 6842015normalblackAndrew Theophilopoulos
182024-03-08FalloutPIP 9752015normalblackAndrew Theophilopoulos
192024-03-08FalloutPIP 4472015normalblackAndrew Theophilopoulos
202024-03-08FalloutPIP 1562015normalblackAndrew Theophilopoulos

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Austere Command has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 Each of the chosen modes happens sequentially. If a permanent has an ability that triggers whenever it or another permanent is destroyed, it will see permanents destroyed at the same time as it or before it, but not permanents destroyed by later modes.
2020-11-10 If a card is exiled "until" another permanent leaves the battlefield, the exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after that permanent leaves the battlefield during Austere Command's resolution, and it may be destroyed by a later mode.
2020-11-10 If the first and last modes are chosen, an artifact creature with mana value 4 or greater will have to be regenerated twice to survive. This is because the modes happen sequentially, and the regeneration "shield" is used up by the first one. The same is true with any other combination of modes that covers one permanent twice.

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