Prison Realm MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Scry
Released	2019-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	War of the Spark
Set code	WAR
Number	26
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daarken

Key Takeaways

Facilitates board control by exiling creatures or planeswalkers while offering a valuable scry ability.
Boosts tempo effectively without forcing card disadvantage, pivotal for maintaining momentum.
Ideal for decks seeking resilient removal with added deck manipulation benefits.

Text of card

When Prison Realm enters the battlefield, exile target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls until Prison Realm leaves the battlefield. When Prison Realm enters the battlefield, scry 1.

After millennia to craft victory, Bolas had eternity to contemplate defeat.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The enchantment not only exiles a target creature or planeswalker upon entry but also grants you the opportunity to scry 1, subtly bolstering your ability to control upcoming draws and thus sustaining card quality advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Prison Realm does not directly generate additional mana, it efficiently deals with expensive threats for a low cost. By removing key opposing pieces, it effectively accelerates your game plan by hindering the opponent’s resources and maintaining your tempo.

Instant Speed: Though Prison Realm operates at sorcery speed, its impact is comparable to instant speed interactions due to the immediate effect on the board state. It removes problematic creatures or planeswalkers just as swiftly as an instant could, making it an invaluable control tool in many situations.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some exile or removal spells, Prison Realm doesn’t come with the downside of having to discard, allowing you to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Prison Realm requires a precise mana setup of one white and two generic, potentially clashing with decks that run a tight mana base or those with little color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exorbitant, three mana for a single-target exile enchantment may be considered a bit steep, especially when compared to more efficient removal spells available in the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Prison Realm offers a straightforward solution to problematic planeswalkers and creatures alike, neatly fitting into a range of white-based control and midrange decks. Its ability to potentially remove any nonland permanent makes it a flexible solution for diverse threats.

Combo Potential: The scry effect when Prison Realm enters the battlefield can help set up your next draws, ensuring you find key pieces for your ongoing strategies or to further disrupt your opponents’ plans.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where formidable creatures and planeswalkers often dictate the pace of play, having an efficient answer like Prison Realm can drastically swing games in your favor. It’s a card that remains consistently useful across various matchups.

How to beat

Prison Realm stands out in the world of MTG as an effective creature removal enchantment, presenting quite a challenge to overcome. Imagine a card that not only exiles a target creature or planeswalker, but also offers the controller a scry 1 ability to help fine-tune their next moves. Its resilience lies in its straightforward design, yet the key to countering this dreaded card is not as complex as one might assume.

The most direct route to reclaim your exiled cards revolves around enchantment removal. Naturalize, Disenchant, or any variant that can destroy or return target enchantments can swiftly return your key pieces to play. Flexibility and timing are crucial here. Also, baiting out your opponent’s Prison Realm with a lesser threat can keep your more powerful cards safe, requiring your opponent to play strategically rather than just reactively.

Bear in mind, dealing with Prison Realm involves understanding when it can hurt you the most and ensuring you have a planned response. Spells that grant hexproof or shroud can preemptively protect your creatures. By integrating these tactics into your deck, you’re not just trying to beat a single card but are adapting to a myriad of similar challenges, solidifying your position in the game.

Cards like Prison Realm

Prison Realm joins the ranks of MTG enchantments designed to manage threats on the battlefield. Mechanically, it echoes the functionalities of cards like Banishing Light or Oblivion Ring. All of them offer the ability to exile target nonland permanents, keeping opponents’ key pieces at bay. However, Prison Realm boasts an added scry advantage, enabling players to manipulate their deck’s upcoming cards for strategic planning.

Another counterpart, Conclave Tribunal, operates on a similar axis. It exiles target nonland permanents too, but with the synergy bonus in a deck with numerous creatures, allowing for a reduced casting cost through its convoke ability. Conclave Tribunal’s flexibility in its casting can be a tactical edge in creature-heavy decks. While Detention Sphere from older sets also exiles, it extends its reach to all permanents with the same name, offering a unique form of sweep against tokens and duplicate threats.

Choosing the right removal spell hinges on the deck composition and strategic goals. Prison Realm not only serves as a reliable removal but also as a valuable tool for those seeking to streamline their deck’s performance through its scrying capability.

Cards similar to Prison Realm by color, type and mana cost

The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions

Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prison Realm MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark, 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 Prison Realm and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prison Realm has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Commander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-05-03	Auras attached to the exiled permanent will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled permanent will cease to exist. When the card returns to the battlefield, it will be a new object with no connection to the card that was exiled.
2019-05-03	If Prison Realm leaves the battlefield before its first triggered ability resolves, the target permanent won’t be exiled.
2019-05-03	If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won’t return to the battlefield.
2019-05-03	You’ll still scry 1 even if Prison Realm’s first ability has no legal target or if that target becomes an illegal target before the ability resolves.