Phyrexian Revoker MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Phyrexian Revoker offers indirect card advantage through tactical nullification of opponent abilities.
  2. It disrupts enemy tempo, preventing acceleration and maintaining a balanced game state.
  3. Revoker’s preemptive disruption can significantly impact gameplay, similar to instant speed actions.

Text of card

As Phyrexian Revoker enters the battlefield, name a nonland card. Activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can't be activated.

Basic senses like sight and taste are reserved for those in power.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phyrexian Revoker’s ability to neutralize key cards of your opponents can create indirect card advantage. By shutting down an integral piece of your opponent’s strategy, the Revoker can essentially negate the effectiveness of that card, rendering it useless and therefore gaining you virtual card advantage without the need for drawing additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: While the Revoker itself doesn’t accelerate your mana resources, it’s a vital tool in disrupting your adversary’s resource acceleration. By naming cards like mana dorks or other fast mana artifacts, you hamstring their ability to outpace you, keeping the tempo of the game in check.

Instant Speed: Though Phyrexian Revoker is not an instant, its as-a-matter-of-fact-like disruption is akin to instant speed impact. You can play it reactively in response to your opponent revealing their hand or a pivotal play, allowing you to choose a card to revoke right before it becomes a threat. This preemptive ability gives the Revoker a tactical edge as it can be played essentially in the same strategic manner as an instant.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite its power to nullify activated abilities, Phyrexian Revoker offers no intrinsic card advantage. Deploying this card doesn’t replace itself in your hand, which can be a drawback, especially when you’re struggling to maintain a presence on the board.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes two colorless, the Revoker may not seamlessly fit into mana-hungry decks that lean heavily on colored sources for their spells and abilities. This can occasionally hinder its inclusion in multi-colored decks where mana optimization is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana isn’t exorbitant, some players might find the cost a bit steep for a 2/1 creature. In aggressive strategies, where every mana point counts, there could be a preference for creatures that offer more immediate board impact or greater survivability against common removal spells.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Revoker offers a flexible solution for any deck looking to restrain the abilities of key opponent cards. Its power to shut down activated abilities from any nonland card is invaluable in an array of game situations, fitting well into various strategies.

Combo Potential: This card excels when paired with effects that proliferate or duplicate its ability to maximize its lockdown potential. It can also be a crucial part of stax strategies, hindering opponents and giving you time to set up your winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-changing landscape of the MTG metagame, Phyrexian Revoker remains a pertinent choice as it can target the most pervasive and powerful activated abilities across numerous decks, making it a strategic asset in competitive play.


How to beat

Phyrexian Revoker is a versatile tool in Magic: The Gathering that has the power to shut down any nonland card’s activated abilities. Dealing with this artifact creature requires precision and timing, as it can significantly disrupt your game plan if not addressed. One method to bypass its restrictions is using spells or abilities that don’t target, such as board wipes or global damage effects, ensuring you can clear the Revoker without having to directly target it.

Consider cards like Wrath of God or Damnation, which can sweep the board clean, including the Revoker, without singling it out. Alternatively, transitioning to a strategy that relies less on activated abilities and more on passive effects or triggered abilities can mitigate the Revoker’s impact. Remember, the Revoker cannot stop mana abilities, so leveraging mana dorks and land-based strategies may also be a viable path to maintaining your deck’s momentum in the face of this potent artifact creature.

It’s essential to understand the Revoker’s role within your opponent’s strategy and to prepare for its arrival on the battlefield. Adjustment and flexibility in your plays can ensure that Phyrexian Revoker becomes less of a hindrance and more of a minor obstacle in your quest for victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Phyrexian Revoker shines as a strategic cornerstone in MTG, adept at silencing opponents’ cards and tipping the scales in your favor. As you absorb the ins and outs of this artifact creature, its versatility in dealing with multiple deck archetypes is unmatched. Whether you’re facing off against combo decks, stax strategies, or simply seeking to add disruption to your build, the Revoker fits right in. Our deep dive doesn’t stop here. Harness the full potential of this card and others like it to craft a winning strategy. Expand your MTG knowledge and optimize your deck’s capabilities with us – your victory awaits.


Cards like Phyrexian Revoker

Phyrexian Revoker stands as a versatile tool in disrupting opponents’ strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It finds its parallels in the functionality of Pithing Needle, both sharing the ability to shut down the activated abilities of any card named upon its entry onto the battlefield. Yet, Phyrexian Revoker offers the added advantage of being a creature, thus capable of committing to the battlefield in more ways than just an ability nullifier.

Another card in the same ballpark is Sorcerous Spyglass. Like its counterparts, it prevents the use of activated abilities from a named card. However, Sorcerous Spyglass lets players peek at an opponent’s hand before deciding on the name, granting a significant informational edge. While the Revoker requires no mana to utilize its ability, Sorcerous Spyglass demands two mana upfront but lacks the creature benefits provided by the Revoker.

Essentially, Phyrexian Revoker carves its niche in MTG as a formidable choice against utility-dependent decks. It has the dual appeal of being a creature with a preventative ability, making it a complex card that finds its place in numerous strategies where direct creature interaction and utility shutdown are paramount.

Pithing Needle - MTG Card versions
Sorcerous Spyglass - MTG Card versions
Pithing Needle - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Sorcerous Spyglass - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)

Cards similar to Phyrexian Revoker by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Wurm's Tooth - MTG Card versions
Liquimetal Coating - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Steel Overseer - Magic 2011 (M11)
Wurm's Tooth - Magic 2011 (M11)
Liquimetal Coating - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Revoker MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Magic 2015, 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 Phyrexian Revoker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Revoker Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 1222003normalblackKev Walker
22014-07-18Magic 2015M15 2252015normalblackKev Walker
32020-08-07Double Masters2XM 2822015normalblackKev Walker
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8682015normalblackKev Walker
52022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 401997normalblackKev Walker
62022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 103z1997normalblackYeong-Hao Han
72022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 1031997normalblackYeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Revoker has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlBanned
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-08-07 Activated abilities are written in the form "Cost: Effect." Some keywords are activated abilities (such as equip) and will have colons in their reminder texts. Static and triggered abilities of sources with the chosen name are unaffected.
2020-08-07 Phyrexian Revoker's ability affects sources with the chosen name no matter what zone they are in. For example, a cycling ability of a card with the chosen name can't be activated from hand.

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