Reality Smasher MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Eldrazi
Abilities Haste,Trample
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Reality Smasher provides card advantage by pressuring opponents into unfavorable trades when targeted.
  2. Its early game presence due to mana acceleration disrupts opponents, often swaying game momentum.
  3. Instant speed interactions within the deck bolster Reality Smasher’s board dominance and versatility.

Text of card

( represents colorless mana.) Trample, haste Whenever Reality Smasher becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, counter that spell unless its controller discards a card.

As easy to stop as it is to comprehend.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Reality Smasher is an impressive force on the battlefield that often requires your opponent to use more than one card to deal with it. Not only does it bring a significant power and toughness to the table, but its ability to draw a card when targeted creates a form of card advantage, forcing opponents into unfavorable exchanges.

Resource Acceleration: This five-cost creature can come down earlier than expected thanks to the abundance of mana acceleration in the colorless Eldrazi decks. Resource acceleration here isn’t about producing mana but about enabling the casting of this substantial threat ahead of curve, which can be a game-changing turn of events.

Instant Speed: While Reality Smasher itself isn’t an instant, its ability to cast spells like Warping Wail at instant speed can catch opponents off-guard, effectively protecting it and disrupting the opponent’s plays. The threat of activation maintains a tight grip on the game’s pace, giving Reality Smasher an indirect benefit from instant-speed interactions in your deck.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One notable drawback of Reality Smasher is its triggered ability that forces a discard whenever it becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls. This can put a strain on your hand, especially if you’re running low on cards or holding onto key pieces for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Reality Smasher, you’re looking at a specific mana cost that isn’t always easily achieved outside of dedicated decks. Its requirement of one colorless mana means that without the proper lands or mana-fixing artifacts, casting this creature could be challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Reality Smasher boasts a beefy stat line and an impactful set of abilities, but this comes at a five mana value. In formats where efficiency is paramount, there are situations where this cost can be restrictive, potentially slowing down your game plan compared to other options with a lower mana threshold.


Reasons to Include Reality Smasher in Your Collection

Versatility: Reality Smasher brings a high level of adaptability to the table. This card can be seamlessly integrated into various aggressive decks, thanks to its solid 5/5 stats and trample, ensuring damage gets through to opponents.

Combo Potential: Reality Smasher’s unique ability to require an opponent to discard a card if they target it with a spell gives it an edge in protecting itself and disrupting your opponent’s hand, making it a valuable combo piece in decks that aim to control the opponent’s resources.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG environment frequently adapts, Reality Smasher remains relevant in metas where fast-paced, aggressive strategies are needed to outrun control or combo decks. Its resilience against point removal makes it a consistent threat on the board.


How to Beat Reality Smasher

Reality Smasher is a powerhouse on the battlefield, offering both agility and resilience. This creature has trample, haste and presents a unique challenge with its ability to make opponents discard a card whenever it becomes the target of a spell that one controls. To navigate around this formidable opponent, it’s crucial to either have a strategy that doesn’t rely on targeting it directly or to use spells that can handle multiple creatures at once.

Board wipes are an efficient answer to the Reality Smasher dilemma. Spells like Day of Judgment or Wrath of God can clear the board without needing to target individual creatures, sidestepping the Smasher’s discard trigger. On a similar note, leveraging the use of sacrifice effects where the opponent has to choose a creature to sacrifice can also effectively bypass the Reality Smasher’s defensive ability. Ultimately, when facing Reality Smasher, focus on minimizing its impact by using non-targeted removal or choosing a path that pressures your opponent into difficult decisions where the Reality Smasher becomes a liability rather than a threat.

Keep in mind that being prepared with the appropriate answers in your deck and understanding the best timing to deploy them is essential in mastering the matchup against this powerful adversary.


Cards like Reality Smasher

Reality Smasher is an impactful force in the realm of MTG, making waves much like its peer, Thought-Knot Seer. Both are Eldrazi creatures with abilities that disrupt an opponent’s game plan. While Thought-Knot Seer looks into an opponent’s hand and exiles a card, Reality Smasher offers a different approach to annoyance. Any spell that targets it forces its caster to discard another card, protecting it from easily being dealt with.

Another card worth mentioning is Matter Reshaper, a creature full of surprises. Upon destruction, it allows you to put a permanent card with converted mana cost 3 or less from the top of your library onto the battlefield, somewhat like a lottery ticket with a guaranteed win. It doesn’t have the raw power of Reality Smasher but adds a level of deck resilience that’s not to be underestimated.

Comparing these cards, Reality Smasher stands out for its immediate board impact with its trample ability, making it a formidable threat. Each creature contributes uniquely to strategic gameplay, but Reality Smasher often clinches the spot in decks seeking to close games quickly and efficiently.

Thought-Knot Seer - MTG Card versions
Matter Reshaper - MTG Card versions
Thought-Knot Seer - Oath of the Gatewatch Promos (POGW)
Matter Reshaper - Oath of the Gatewatch Promos (POGW)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reality Smasher MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch Promos and Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Reality Smasher and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Reality Smasher Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-01-22Oath of the Gatewatch PromosPOGW 7s2015normalblackJason Rainville
22016-01-22Oath of the GatewatchOGW 72015normalblackJason Rainville
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11532015normalborderlessAleksi Briclot

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reality Smasher has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-01-22 The last ability will trigger due to any spell controlled by an opponent (including an Aura spell) that targets Reality Smasher.

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