Harsh Judgment MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Number	19
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Harsh Judgment enhances your strategy with card advantage, instant speed flexibility, and potential for resource acceleration.
It requires careful management with its specific mana and discard drawbacks, which could hinder some deck strategies.
The card’s defensive utility and combo potential make it a tactical addition against creature-heavy opponents.

Text of card

As Harsh Judgment comes into play, choose a color. If an instant or sorcery of the chosen color would deal damage to you, it deals that damage to its controller instead.

"At least they remember me." —Gerrard

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harsh Judgment gives you a significant tactical edge by allowing you to replace it immediately with another card from your deck, maintaining your hand size and putting pressure on your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to disrupt your opponent’s strategy, Harsh Judgment can turn the tides of the game, hindering your opponent’s mana development and potentially accelerating your own resource superiority.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Harsh Judgment at instant speed ensures that you can adapt to the battlefield on the fly, offering the element of surprise and the opportunity to respond to threats efficiently during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of using Harsh Judgment is that it necessitates the discarding of a card. This can be a significant setback, especially when your hand is already depleted of valuable resources or when each card you possess is crucial for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Harsh Judgment comes with a particular mana requirement that may not seamlessly fit into every deck. The necessity for two white mana can be a hindrance in multicolored or mana-intensive builds, potentially causing delays or obstacles in your game plan.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In terms of economy, Harsh Judgment’s mana cost is on the higher side when weighed against other options available in the game. Given the pace of modern gameplay, the four-mana investment to achieve its effect might not always represent the best value, especially in scenarios where speed and efficiency are paramount.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Harsh Judgment offers a multi-faceted response mechanism, appealing to players looking to deter attackers or punish aggressive strategies in their playgroup. It shines in a variety of decks, serving as a flexible defense tool.

Combo Potential: This card can work seamlessly with effects that incentivize opponents to attack elsewhere or with cards that capitalize on life gain. It lends itself well to creative deck builders eager to explore synergistic play.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to create a deterrent against wide aggressor strategies, Harsh Judgment is a relevant inclusion for those adapting to a creature-heavy metagame. It can be a game-changer when facing off against multiple creatures or token-spamming opponents.

How to Beat

Harsh Judgment is a challenging card for players to navigate in Magic: The Gathering. It’s a defensive tool that redirects the damage from sources a player controls to another target. When faced with this type of effect, it requires a strategic adaptation to overcome it. Consider redirecting your attacks to other players or creatures on the battlefield, effectively bypassing the damage redirection that Harsh Judgment imposes.

Additionally, direct removal spells that don’t deal damage but rather destroy or exile can be the key to dismantling the advantage that Harsh Judgment provides. Careful consideration of the board state, coupled with a patient, calculated approach will often allow you to skirt around the roadblock Harsh Judgment presents. Cards that offer control over the flow of combat or non-damaging removals are prime choices in these scenarios, as they can neutralize the problem at its source: the player who controls Harsh Judgment.

Moreover, countering the spell before it takes effect can entirely neutralize its potential to disrupt your game plan. As with many strategies in Magic: The Gathering, anticipation and pre-emption can be as powerful as the spells in your deck. In essence, adaptability and situational awareness become paramount when finding a path to victory against Harsh Judgment.

Cards like Harsh Judgment

Harsh Judgment makes its mark in the intricate tapestry of creature control cards within MTG. It bears semblance to Pacifism, as both cards effectively neutralize opponent creatures without removing them. Where Harsh Judgment diverges is in its specificity, restricting only red or black creatures and immobilizing them into a state of non-aggression. Pacifism lacks this color targeting yet is more universally applied to any creature regardless of its attributes.

Comparatively, Dark Betrayal and Red Elemental Blast resonate with Harsh Judgment’s color-focused design. Dark Betrayal permits the outright destruction of a black creature at a minimal mana cost, offering a definitive solution rather than a temporary one. Similarly, Red Elemental Blast provides an answer to red spells whether it’s countering them or destroying red permanents, giving it a flexibility that Harsh Judgment does not possess. Yet, Harsh Judgment has the ongoing effect of keeping the creature on the battlefield, which could be leveraged strategically.

Thus, Harsh Judgment occupies a strategic niche, excelling in situations that call for prolonged deterrence of red or black threats while allowing for potential synergies with other cards that benefit from having enemy creatures remain in play within MTG.

Red Elemental Blast - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Harsh Judgment by color, type and mana cost

Divine Transformation - MTG Card versions

Diversionary Tactics - MTG Card versions

Teleportation Circle - MTG Card versions

Conversion - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Divine Transformation - Renaissance (REN)

Teleportation Circle - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)

Hallowed Haunting - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harsh Judgment MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Harsh Judgment and other MTG cards: