Circle of Protection: Black MTG Card
1993-10-04 - Number 10
1993-12-01 - Number 10
1993-12-10 - Number 10
1993-12-10 - Number 10
1994-04-01 - Number 9
1994-04-01 - Number 9
1994-06-21 - Number 9
1995-04-01 - Number 14
1995-04-01 - Number 14
1995-06-03 - Number 12
1996-05-02 - Number shr14sb
1996-07-01 - Number 2
1996-12-31 - Number 2
1997-03-24 - Number 17
1997-08-13 - Number jk17sb
1997-10-14 - Number 8
1999-04-21 - Number 8
2000-08-02 - Number tvdl8sb
2001-04-11 - Number 6
2001-04-11 - Number 6★
2003-07-28 - Number 10★
2003-07-28 - Number 10
2005-07-29 - Number 10
2005-07-29 - Number 10★
2022-11-28 - Number 10
2022-11-28 - Number 307
| Card sets | Released in 26 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
o1: Prevents all damage against you from one black source. If a source does damage to you more than once in a turn, you must pay 1 mana each time to prevent the damage.
Cards like Circle of Protection: Black
Circle of Protection: Black holds a particular niche in Magic: The Gathering as a specialized defensive enchantment. It echoes the design of several other ‘Circle of Protection’ cards, each tailored to protect against a specific color. Comparatively, Circle of Protection: Red offers similar utility, shielding players from red sources, which could be pivotal considering the abundance of red direct damage spells in the game.
When evaluating Circle of Protection: White, we notice it follows the same structure of preventing damage but targets a different segment of the MTG color pie. It excels in matchups where white creatures or spells dominate the field. Meanwhile, Story Circle offers an even broader range of protection, allowing players to select the color it guards against upon its entry into play, although at a slightly higher mana cost. This feature provides adaptability, enabling players to adjust their defenses according to the current opponent.
Ultimately, Circle of Protection: Black and its counterparts stand out by offering players a chance to customize their defense and adapt to different threats, a strategy particularly effective in games where anticipating your opponent’s moves is crucial.
Cards similar to Circle of Protection: Black by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Circle of Protection: Black offers a targeted method for preserving your resources against black cards. This card allows you to negate damage from any black source, potentially nullifying the efforts of opponent’s black creatures or spells turn after turn without losing card equity on the board.
Resource Acceleration: While Circle of Protection: Black itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it efficiently uses the mana you have. For a single white mana, you can prevent damage from black sources, effectively stretching your mana further in games where these interactions are pivotal.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Circle of Protection: Black at instant speed offers flexible defense during any phase of your opponent’s turn. This allows players to adapt to threats as they arise, providing a shield that can be adapted to the changing battlefield while not committing resources until it’s most impactful.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Circle of Protection: Black card can provide significant defense against black spells and creatures, it requires players to discard a card frequently to maintain its protective effect. This can lead to a depletion of valuable hand assets, leaving players at a disadvantage in the long run.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Circle of Protection: Black’s ability is dependent on having white mana available. This need for a specific mana type can pose a challenge in multicolor decks where mana resources must be carefully managed and allocated to multiple spells and effects simultaneously.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the card’s initial casting cost may seem low, the continuous need for mana to activate its effect renders it a more expensive investment over time. Players may find that they’re committing a substantial amount of their mana resources just to activate Circle of Protection: Black, which could otherwise be spent on casting impactful creatures or game-changing spells.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Circle of Protection: Black is a versatile choice for decks looking for defensive flexibility. Since black spells are common across various formats, having this card can safeguard your game from unexpected threats and targeted spells from one of the game’s most powerful colors.
Combo Potential: This enchantment enhances your defensive combos. It pairs well with effects that allow you to gain life or manipulate damage, turning any black threats your opponents possess into opportunities for you to stabilize and control the board.
Meta-Relevance: With black’s presence in a variety of meta decks, Circle of Protection: Black can be a timely addition to your collection. Whether facing aggressive zombies, reanimation strategies, or high-power black creatures, this card crowns you with the ability to nullify these threats and improve your win rate against such decks.
How to beat
Circle of Protection: Black is an enchantment that has been a go-to defensive measure for players facing off against black decks in Magic: The Gathering. The card creates a safeguard, letting its controller pay a minimal amount of mana to prevent damage from black sources. This can be particularly frustrating when your strategy is heavily reliant on black damage dealers.
To effectively bypass this obstacle, the recommended approach involves the use of cards that aren’t hindered by protections based on color. Consider leveraging artifacts or cards that deal damage irrespective of color to diminish the Circle’s effectiveness. Additionally, enchantment removal spells can be just as pivotal as direct damage, offering a straightforward method to dismantle your opponent’s defenses. Spells like Disenchant or Naturalize, which can target and destroy enchantments, can swiftly neutralize Circle of Protection: Black. These tools are essential in any player’s arsenal, especially when facing decks that utilize specific color protection tactics.
In essence, versatility in your deck-building choices and having ready answers for common protective measures like Circle of Protection: Black can give you the upper hand, ensuring that your strategy remains unhampered and your path to victory clear.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Circle of Protection: Black MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Beta and Unlimited Edition, 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 Circle of Protection: Black and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Circle of Protection: Black Magic the Gathering card was released in 22 different sets between 1993-10-04 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 6 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 10 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 2 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 10 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 3 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 10 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 10 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 5 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 9 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 9 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 7 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 9 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 8 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 14 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 14 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 10 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 12 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 11 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | shr14sb | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 12 | 1996-07-01 | Rivals Quick Start Set | RQS | 2 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 13 | 1996-12-31 | Introductory Two-Player Set | ITP | 2 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 14 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 17 | 1997 | Normal | White | Gerry Grace | |
| 15 | 1997-08-13 | World Championship Decks 1997 | WC97 | jk17sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Gerry Grace | |
| 16 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 8 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill | |
| 17 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 8 | 1997 | Normal | White | Gerry Grace | |
| 18 | 2000-08-02 | World Championship Decks 2000 | WC00 | tvdl8sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Gerry Grace | |
| 19 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 6 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mark Romanoski | |
| 20 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 6★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Romanoski | |
| 21 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 10★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Romanoski | |
| 22 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 10 | 2003 | Normal | White | Mark Romanoski | |
| 23 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 10 | 2003 | Normal | White | Christopher Rush | |
| 24 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 10★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Rush | |
| 25 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 10 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 26 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 307 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Circle of Protection: Black has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Circle of Protection: Black card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | A source of damage is a permanent, a spell on the stack (including one that creates a permanent), or any object referred to by an object on the stack. A source doesn’t need to be capable of dealing damage to be a legal choice. |
| 2004-10-04 | Can be used even when there is no damage to prevent. It prevents the next damage (if any) from the source this turn. |