Mark of Asylum MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2009-02-06 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Conflux |
| Set code | CON |
| Number | 10 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Sal Villagran |
Key Takeaways
- Provides continuous protection, potentially leading to card advantage by preserving creatures on the battlefield.
- Its protective nature allows for strategic allocation of resources and aggressive play without fear of damage.
- Instant protection effect creates a strategic edge, countering damage-dealing threats as they occur.
Text of card
Prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to creatures you control.
A paragon of honor, Galo Aher fell to a blast of fire. The Order of the White Orchid was so saddened that they forged a new sigil in his likeness.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mark of Asylum provides a lasting effect that can preserve your creatures from damage spells and abilities. This continual protection can indirectly translate to card advantage, as it prevents loss of your valuable creature cards on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Though Mark of Asylum doesn’t generate mana or tokens, it accelerates your strategy by allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere. Knowing your creatures are safe from certain effects means you can invest more into your offensive tactics without fear of retaliation via damage.
Instant Speed: While Mark of Asylum itself is an enchantment played at sorcery speed, the protection it offers applies instantly and continuously. This means any damage-dealing effects at instant speed, whether during your turn or your opponents’, will be negated, giving you a strategic advantage in managing threats on the fly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Mark of Asylum provides protection, it doesn’t replace itself in your hand, which could lead to a card disadvantage when facing decks not focused on dealing noncombat damage.
Specific Mana Cost: Mark of Asylum’s need for white mana can be restrictive, requiring a commitment to white mana in a player’s deck, thereby limiting its flexibility in multicolored deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, Mark of Asylum may appear affordable, but its specialized role in protecting creatures from noncombat damage can sometimes be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity, especially if the meta-game doesn’t heavily feature such threats.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Mark of Asylum offers a broad protective shield to creatures you control, making it an asset in decks that focus on creature survival. Its ability to prevent all non-combat damage to creatures can complement a wide array of strategies, from aggro to control builds.
Combo Potential: When integrated with cards that have beneficial effects from damage, like “Stuffy Doll” or “Swans of Bryn Argoll,” Mark of Asylum can be a key component in a combo that turns potential weaknesses into strengths without risking the loss of your creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where sweepers and burn spells dominate, Mark of Asylum’s presence can significantly shift the odds in your favor. It keeps your creatures safe from many common board wipes and damage-based removal, allowing for persistence through an opponent’s attempts to clear the board.
How to Beat Mark of Asylum
Mark of Asylum is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, offering robust protection by preventing noncombat damage to creatures you control. This card can be a serious obstacle when you’re counting on spells like Lightning Bolt or Pyroclasm to control the board. To effectively disarm the resilient shield Mark of Asylum provides, you’ll need to pivot your strategy towards combat-based removal or enchantment destruction.
Direct damage spells won’t help here, but there are other options. Look for cards that can bypass the protection, such as Wrath of God, which can clear the board without dealing damage. Enchantment removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize are crucial, allowing you to directly target and destroy Mark of Asylum without affecting your creatures. If enchantment removal isn’t available, using creatures with deathtouch or those that can fight target creatures, like Thorn Mammoth, will serve as a practical workaround.
In essence, overcoming Mark of Asylum’s defenses requires adaptability and a well-thought sideboard. Incorporating versatile removal options in your deck can ensure that you handle this and similar protective cards without derailing your overall strategy in a game of MTG.
Cards like Mark of Asylum
Mark of Asylum holds a unique position in the realm of damage prevention in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards like Rune of Protection: Red which also provides a shield against a specific type of damage. Mark of Asylum offers broader protection, warding off noncombat damage from all colors affecting creatures you control, whereas Rune of Protection: Red is limited to red sources and requires mana to activate each turn.
We also have the card Story Circle, which shares the protective ideology but allows for customization against a color of your choice. However, it’s important to note that, unlike Mark of Asylum, Story Circle’s protection isn’t inherently blanket coverage and requires mana investment per instance of damage prevention. Finally, there’s Avacyn, Guardian Angel as a high-cost creature alternative that can also protect other permanents and has an activation cost associated with its ability.
When weighing their utility and efficiency, Mark of Asylum stands out for its broad, cost-effective shield, enabling players to craft strategies that remain robust against a slew of damage-dealing threats in the MTG universe.
Cards similar to Mark of Asylum by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mark of Asylum MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Mark of Asylum 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mark of Asylum 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 Mark of Asylum card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-02-01 | “Noncombat damage” is damage dealt as the result of a spell or ability. (In unusual cases involving a card like Words of War, noncombat damage can also be dealt as the result of a turn-based action.) |