Decree of Silence MTG Card


Decree of Silence - Scourge
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Cycling
Released2003-05-26
Set symbol
Set nameScourge
Set codeSCG
Number32
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byAdam Rex

Key Takeaways

  1. Decree of Silence can counter three spells, giving players a strong tactical edge and board control.
  2. Cycling ability enables instant speed action and adds depth to deck strategies by drawing cards.
  3. Heavy blue mana investment and high casting cost can limit its integration into diverse decks.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent plays a spell, counter that spell and put a depletion counter on Decree of Silence. If there are three or more depletion counters on Decree of Silence, sacrifice it. Cycling When you cycle Decree of Silence, you may counter target spell.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Decree of Silence gives players a significant upper hand by countering any three spells an opponent plays, thereby potentially negating multiple threats with a single card. This can lead to a considerable advantage in the momentum of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct accelerator, this card fits well into strategies that utilize cards that benefit from spells being countered or cycling mechanics. Cycling Decree of Silence allows you to dig deeper into your deck, which can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by drawing into ramp cards.

Instant Speed: Decree of Silence can be cycled at instant speed, meaning you can wait to make the most informed decision possible while also triggering any effects that occur when you cycle a card or when a spell is countered. This flexibility gives you added control over the pace and state of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Decree of Silence can sometimes mean losing crucial hand advantage. As the game advances, every card in hand counts, and having to discard can set a player back, especially in formats where hand size is pivotal to maintaining control.

Specific Mana Cost: With its specific mana demands, Decree of Silence calls for a heavy blue mana investment. This can be restrictive as it fits primarily into mono-blue or heavy blue-based decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring six mana to cast, Decree of Silence’s cost is quite steep when compared to other counterspell options. Despite its potent effect, the high cost may detract from its playability in competitive environments where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Decree of Silence in Your Collection

Versatility: Decree of Silence is a unique card that serves as a powerful deterrent against opponents’ spells. As a control card, it can be a cornerstone in controlling decks but also has the flexibility to be a surprise element in combo decks.

Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well with other cards that allow you to put counters on or remove them from permanents. With the right set up, Decree of Silence can continuously counter opponents’ spells, creating a lock-out situation that can be a game-changer.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where spell-heavy or combo decks are prevalent, Decree of Silence can significantly disrupt your opponents’ strategies. Its ability to shut down sequences of plays makes it a relevant addition in a diverse and changing meta.


How to beat

Decree of Silence is an intriguing magic card that can pose a substantial barrier in the game, stepping up as a control tool that counters the first three spells your opponents play. This blue enchantment can make for a weary and difficult path for adversaries as they strive to advance their board state or disrupt yours. Navigating your approach against this card requires strategy and the selective use of spells to expend its counters.

Targeted removal or uncounterable spells become key in dismantling the protection Decree of Silence offers. Disenchant or Naturalize serve as practical answers to directly remove it from play, bypassing its ability. Additionally, employing cards like Abrupt Decay or Supreme Verdict, which can’t be countered, ensures your important spells resolve and your gameplay progresses unhindered. The task is managing resources effectively to either bait out or exhaust the Decree’s counters before deploying critical threats or using spells the Decree cannot counteract. This way, you clear a path for your game plan to unfold smoothly, circumventing those cumbersome silence counters.

Ultimately, while Decree of Silence holds the power to stifle an opponent’s offense, informed play choices and deck construction can turn the tide, rendering it a surmountable obstacle in your journey to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Decree of Silence is an exceptional card that commands respect on the battlefield. Tailored for control enthusiasts and players looking to sway the game’s momentum, it’s a power play in your MTG arsenal. Factor in its synergy with cycling mechanics and its ability to stave off multiple threats, and you have a card that can pivot any match in your favor. Explore its potential, harness its strengths, and integrate it into your deck-building strategy for a game-changing experience. Dive deeper into nuanced strategies and ensure your deck can face any opponent with savvy. Embark on a journey with us to refine your play and discover how Decree of Silence can silence the competition.


Cards like Decree of Silence

Decree of Silence boasts a unique position within the counter spell family of Magic: The Gathering. As a spell that can counter up to three spells, it is in league with the powerful ‘counter all’ effects, although it stops short of the endless negation that a card like Expropriate provides with its potential to achieve multiple extra turns and replicate the counterspell effect each turn. However, Decree of Silence stands out by being able to dodge the stack with its cycling ability, enticing players to prevent any spell and also draw a card, something that Expropriate cannot claim.

Looking to other similar cards, we find Counterbalance, which while offering ongoing control, depends on the luck of the top deck to control the game and cannot outright counter multiple spells without the right setup. Silent Arbiter also enters the conversation, not as a direct counter card but as a preventive measure, controlling the combat by limiting to one attack and blocker each turn, aligning with Decree of Silence’s general goal of controlling opponent’s options.

Through comparison, Decree of Silence stands as a formidable card that not only offers repeated counterspell capabilities but also carries the additional benefit of a cycling effect that synergizes well with other deck strategies, thus solidifying its value amongst control tactics in Magic: The Gathering.

Expropriate - MTG Card versions
Counterbalance - MTG Card versions
Silent Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Expropriate - MTG Card versions
Counterbalance - MTG Card versions
Silent Arbiter - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Decree of Silence by color, type and mana cost

One with the Multiverse - MTG Card versions
One with the Multiverse - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Decree of Silence MTG card by a specific set like Scourge, 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 Decree of Silence and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Decree of Silence has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-10-01 Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.
2008-10-01 The cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. If the triggered ability doesn’t resolve (due to being countered with Stifle, for example, or if all its targets have become illegal), the cycling ability will still resolve and you’ll draw a card.
2008-10-01 When you cycle this card, first the cycling ability goes on the stack, then the triggered ability goes on the stack on top of it. The triggered ability will resolve before you draw a card from the cycling ability.
2008-10-01 You can cycle this card even if there are no targets for the triggered ability. That’s because the cycling ability itself has no targets.

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