Treachery MTG Card


Treachery - Urza's Destiny
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released1999-06-07
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Destiny
Set codeUDS
Number50
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMatthew D. Wilson

Key Takeaways

  1. Treachery swings board power by capturing a creature and sapping opponent resources, altering game dynamics.
  2. Its untap-lands ability counters the casting cost and can fuel additional plays, boosting resource acceleration.
  3. Instant speed-like benefits from Treachery allow immediate responses to threats, enhancing in-game flexibility.

Text of card

When Treachery comes into play, untap up to five lands. You control enchanted creature.

"The academy educates; I employ. It's a perfect arrangement." —Gatha, Tolarian renegade


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Treachery allows you to take control of an opponent’s creature, effectively not only adding to your field but also diminishing your opponent’s resources. This swing in board presence can be a significant shift in power during a game.

Resource Acceleration: When you unattach Treachery, you untap up to five lands. This not only nullifies its casting cost but also opens up possibilities for additional plays in the same turn, greatly accelerating your available resources.

Instant Speed: Though Treachery is not an instant, the fact that it can lead to instant benefits is undeniable. By untapping your lands, you’re able to respond to new threats or opportunities during the same phase, similar to having an instant effect on the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To fully utilize Treachery’s potential, a player may need to consider what other card to discard, which can become a strategic drawback, especially in scenarios where each card in hand is vital for maintaining a lead or constructing a winning game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Treachery has a specific requirement of blue mana for casting, which restricts its inclusion to blue-centric or blue-inclusive decks, potentially excluding a wide array of archetypes that don’t operate within these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana, Treachery’s upfront investment is significant. In fast-paced games, the mana spent on this card can lead to missed opportunities to deploy other threats or responses, placing a player at a tempo disadvantage relative to more versatile or lower-costing alternatives.


Reasons to Include Treachery in Your Collection

Versatility: Treachery is versatile enough to fit into a wide range of blue decks. Its ability to take control of an opponent’s creature without paying any mana makes it an invaluable tool for tempo swings and table politics.

Combo Potential: The untap five lands ability upon casting pairs exceptionally well with numerous combos, amplifying its potential by providing both control and resource acceleration without net loss of mana.

Meta-Relevance: With the constantly evolving game, having control elements remains relevant. In metas dominated by creature-heavy decks, Treachery shines by swinging not only power balance but also providing crucial tempo advantage.


How to Beat Treachery

Overcoming the impact of Treachery in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategic approach, particularly because dealing with a powerful control effect can turn the tide of a match. Treachery allows the controller to untap five lands, making it crucial to disrupt such an advantageous play. Counterspells like Negate or Mana Leak can prevent Treachery from resolving. Instant speed removal or sacrifice effects can also mitigate its impact by targeting the creature that Treachery aims to control.

Another key tactic involves utilizing cards with hexproof to protect your creatures from being taken over. If Treachery has already resolved, bouncing the enchanted creature to its owner’s hand can reverse the card’s effect and regain control. Finally, cards like Krosan Grip with split second offer a way to destroy enchantments, ensuring Treachery can’t be re-used through graveyard recursion, which secures your creatures from further control threats.

Addressing Treachery head-on with these measures can assist in maintaining a steady board state, enabling you to carry on with your game plan without the setbacks of losing your key creatures or the opponent gaining a significant mana advantage.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the strategic depth of MTG can bring a thrilling edge to your gameplay, especially with cards like Treachery in your arsenal. Its unique ability to seize control of creatures and accelerate your mana resources without a net loss makes it a game-changer. As you refine your deck with this enchantment, you unlock new possibilities for striking plays and outsmarting opponents. If you’re ready to harness the full potential of Treachery and elevate your game to new heights, visit us for comprehensive strategies, tips, and insights into creating the ultimate deck. Join the ranks of players who don’t just play—but dominate.


Cards like Treachery

Treachery stands out as a pivotal control card, particularly within the blue arsenal of Magic: The Gathering. Similar to Control Magic, Treachery also seizes control of an opponent’s creature. The stark difference lies in Treachery’s ability to untap up to five lands when it comes into play. This creates a significant swing in tempo, effectively making the spell feel ‘free’ if you have the lands to untap. Control Magic lacks this unique land interaction, offering a more straightforward, albeit mana-intensive, control effect.

Another card worth noting is Sower of Temptation. This creature can take control of an opponent’s creature as it enters the battlefield, closely aligning with Treachery’s central theme. However, Sower carries the weakness of being attached to a body, making it susceptible to removal, thus possibly reversing the control effect if the Sower is dealt with. Treachery’s noncreature enchantment nature provides it with slightly better resilience against removal spells.

Ultimately, Treachery’s no-mana cost effect after lands untap, as well as its stable control characteristic as an enchantment, positions it as a preferred option for many players seeking to incorporate creature control within their Magic: The Gathering decks.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Treachery MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny, 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 Treachery and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Treachery has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Treachery 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 You can untap 0 to 5 lands.
2016-06-08 You choose which lands to untap as the triggered ability resolves. They aren’t targeted, and they don’t have to be lands that you control.

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