Neutralizing Blast MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2015-01-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Fate Reforged |
| Set code | FRF |
| Number | 44 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dan Scott |
Key Takeaways
- Instant speed casting enables on-the-fly disruption, giving players the upper hand during crucial game moments.
- Neutralizing Blast’s restriction to multicolor noncreature spells makes it a niche yet potent addition for control decks.
- While powerful, its color-specific mana requirement and potential card sacrifice must be weighed in deck building.
Text of card
Counter target multicolored spell.
"To defeat your enemies, you must remove their ability to make war against you."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Neutralizing Blast comes into its own by targeting noncreature spells that could alter the game’s state, providing an efficient way to trump an opponent’s strategy without losing card equity.
Resource Acceleration: While Neutralizing Blast doesn’t directly accelerate resources, being a low-cost spell means players can keep mana open for other significant plays, optimizing their mana usage each turn.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Neutralizing Blast at instant speed allows for reactive playmaking. You can disrupt an opponent’s plan right in the midst of execution, keeping you one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Neutralizing Blast asks you to part with another card in hand, which could be detrimental when you’re already dealing with a limited hand size. Having to sacrifice a potentially useful card can put you at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands both a blue and white mana. This requirement can restrict its integration into a deck, particularly if you’re not running a deck that comfortably produces both types of mana or if your deck revolves around a different color combination.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be on the higher side for its effect, there are alternative spells out there that could do a similar job for less mana. This can be a concern when trying to maintain efficiency and tempo in-game. Cards with lower mana costs enable a quicker response and could leave mana open for other plays within the same turn.
Reasons to Include Neutralizing Blast in Your Collection
Versatility: Neutralizing Blast serves as an efficient answer in any deck concerned with disabling opponents’ key noncreature spells. It has the flexibility to be a critical response tool in a variety of situations.
Combo Potential: This card can disrupt intricate combos that rely on noncreature spells, breaking down your opponent’s strategy and buying you critical time to execute your game plan.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where powerful multicolored noncreature spells are prevalent, Neutralizing Blast is exceptionally valuable for its capacity to selectively target and remove impactful cards from the game at a low mana cost.
How to beat
Neutralizing Blast enters the pool of counter spells in Magic: The Gathering with a unique angle—it targets multicolored spells exclusively. Its specificity is its double-edged sword. As a strategic player, you can outmaneuver it by relying heavily on monocolored spells, diminishing its utility. We can look to spells like Mana Leak for inspiration, a card that can counter any spell unless its controller pays an additional three mana, offering a broader defense against a wider array of threats.
In the realm of counterplay, consider spells like Dispel, which efficiently counters instant spells at a low cost, regardless of their color identity. This gives decks that include Dispel a level of protection against a variety of instant-speed interactions, not limiting them to only multicolored strategies. Likewise, Negate offers a practical safeguard by countering noncreature spells, yet again offering a coverage that Neutralizing Blast cannot claim. The key is to incorporate spells that render the conditionality of Neutralizing Blast null, thereby blunting its impact on the game.
Ultimately, while Neutralizing Blast can be a situational safeguard against certain decks, it’s critical to acknowledge its limitations and adapt your strategy accordingly. A well-constructed deck with a diverse set of countermeasures can quite effectively neutralize Neutralizing Blast itself.
Cards like Neutralizing Blast
Neutralizing Blast is an intriguing countermeasure in MTG that provides players with the ability to selectively quash certain spells. It finds companionship with cards like Negate, which also targets noncreature spells. While Negate offers a broader application, Neutralizing Blast presents specificity, neutralizing spells with a single color—a precise tool for certain deck strategies.
Disdainful Stroke skews similar functionalities but focuses on costlier spells, targeting those with a converted mana cost of four or greater, giving it a different tactical niche. Essence Scatter, meanwhile, zeroes in on creatures, allowing players to counter exclusively creature spells, which Neutralizing Blast deliberately overlooks. It’s interesting to note these subtle differences as they provide diverse strategic options.
Together, these cards emphasize versatility in MTG’s rich counter-spell landscape. Neutralizing Blast aligns closely with a thoughtful spellcaster’s arsenal, providing a unique, though narrower, safeguard against monocolored strategies.
Cards similar to Neutralizing Blast by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Neutralizing Blast MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Neutralizing Blast 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 Neutralizing Blast has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |