Alarum MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Number	2
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Andrew Robinson

Key Takeaways

Alarum offers both surprise tactics and card advantages, making it a strategic play.
It provides flexibility and may enable powerful combos or meta-relevant plays.
Ideal for control-oriented gameplans, requiring precision and smart timing.

Text of card

Untap target nonattacking creature. That creature gets +1/+3 until end of turn.

"One timely cry of warning can save nine of surprise." —Sidar Jabari

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Alarum allows you to untap all creatures that came under your control this turn. This can lead to potential card advantage as it enables your creatures to perform double duty—attacking for damage and then being available to block or use their tap abilities again.

Resource Acceleration: By untapping recently played creature-based mana dorks or creatures with abilities that produce mana, Alarum can effectively accelerate your resources, giving you an unexpected burst of mana to utilize during your turn.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Alarum at instant speed offers significant flexibility. It allows you to react in the midst of combat, surprise an opponent with untapped blockers, or utilize tap abilities multiple times in a single turn cycle, creating surprising interactions and advantageous board states.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Alarum’s playability is contingent on discarding another nonland card, which may not always be advantageous, particularly when your hand is already running short on options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands white mana in its casting cost, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks that can produce white mana consistently or are centered around white’s mechanics and synergies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is relatively steep for its effect, Alarum might be outpaced by other cards in the same mana range that could present a more immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include Alarum in Your Collection

Versatility: Alarum shines in its ability to untap creatures, making it a suitable addition to decks that capitalize on summoning sickness, or require creatures to be ready for multiple actions in a turn.

Combo Potential: This card can be a cog in an engine that combines with cards allowing you to use creatures’ tap abilities more than once. It might support an infinite combo or just a powerful synergistic play, significantly increasing your board state advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where quick responses and tempo plays are crucial, Alarum can unexpectedly turn the tides during combat or at the end of an opponent’s turn, allowing a well-timed deployment of creature abilities or an additional use of an influential creature’s power.

How to beat

Alarum is an intriguing option in the realm of untapping creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It allows players to untap target creature and gain an extra draw – a double boon for those looking to surprise opponents with unexpected blockers or to reuse activated abilities. To counter this, it’s essential to restrict the opponent’s creatures, either through removal spells or abilities that keep creatures tapped down or locked in place. This inhibits the effectiveness of untap strategies like Alarum.

Dispelling such strategies demands precision and the right cards. Consider using instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push when the opponent attempts to untap their creature. This will neutralize the advantages bestowed by Alarum before they impact the board. Furthermore, cards with the ability to tap or freeze opponents’ creaturres, like Icy Manipulator or Frost Breath, can also ensure that Alarum doesn’t swing the momentum in your opponent’s favor.

Ultimately, the key to overcoming Alarum in a game of Magic: The Gathering lies in timing, control, and disruption. By anticipating your adversary’s moves and being one step ahead, you gain leverage in maintaining an edge throughout the match.

Cards like Alarum

Alarum is a unique card in Magic: The Gathering that offers a blend of untapping potential and surprise tactics. Similar to Alarum in its untapping ability is Unwind, a card that not only untaps lands but counters a noncreature spell, shifting the dynamics effectively during a game. Alarum, however, is tailored more towards creature flexibility, allowing players to untap any single creature and grant it a temporary defensive edge.

Another card that echoes the spirit of Alarum is To Arms!, an instant that untaps all creatures you control, which can be a game-changer in a multiplayer battle. While To Arms! affects more creatures, Alarum’s low mana cost makes it extremely accessible during the early stages of the game or in tight mana situations. Then we have Vitalize, echoing similarities with Alarum’s immediate action, but with a focus on untapping all creatures which could potentially enable a mass wave of blockers or end-step plays.

Comparing these options, Alarum stands distinct with its one-target functionality, offering players pinpoint response to shift the tide of the match. While other cards offer broader effects, the precision and cost-efficiency of Alarum can be just what’s needed in a tightly-contested game of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Alarum by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Alarum MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Alarum and other MTG cards: