Circle of Despair MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Number	259
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Scott M. Fischer

Key Takeaways

Provides substantial card advantage and can disrupt multiple threats while conserving hand resources.
Enables instant-speed reactions to opponents, improving strategic play regardless of the game phase.
Demands careful resource management due to its discard requirement and specific mana costs.

Text of card

o1, Sacrifice a creature: Prevent all damage to any creature or player from any one source.

"Life is a resource that should belong only to the strong." —Shauku, Endbringer

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Circle of Despair card provides significant card advantage by potentially disrupting multiple threats while retaining cards in hand.

Resource Acceleration: When Circle of Despair is in play, its ability to efficiently manage resources can often result in a favorable board state, allowing for better allocation of mana in future turns.

Instant Speed: This card’s versatility shines in its instant-speed activation, permitting players to respond swiftly to an opponent’s actions, therefore optimizing their own strategy during any phase of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Circle of Despair is that activating its ability comes with the cost of discarding a card. This can be particularly restrictive when your hand size is dwindling and every card counts. Players must carefully consider the diminishing returns, especially in longer games where resources become pivotal.

Specific Mana Cost: Circle of Despair requires both black and white mana for its activation. This specificity can occasionally pose constraints for decks not tailored to a black and white color scheme. It narrows the card’s compatibility and prescribes a more color-focused deck construction, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an activation cost that is somewhat steep, players might find Circle of Despair to be a significant investment for the effect it provides. When factoring in mana availability, there might be alternative cards that can achieve similar outcomes for a lower cost, thereby affecting this card’s playability in an efficiently designed deck.

Reasons to Include Circle of Despair in Your Collection

Versatility: Circle of Despair can be effortlessly integrated into a variety of decks, particularly those that require a robust defense mechanism against an array of threats. Its ability to nullify damage or destroy unwelcome spells offers flexibility in response to diverse situations.

Combo Potential: This card shines in its capacity to synergize with other cards, forging potent combinations that can swiftly change the tide of the game. It encourages creative deck-building around its defensive attributes and can create unexpected opportunities by preserving key creatures or important permanents from harm.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive and combo decks reign supreme, Circle of Despair stands as a sentinel for control strategies. Its presence can discourage opponents from committing to an all-out assault, securing a more controlled and stable board state for the player wielding this powerful enchantment.

How to beat

Circle of Despair is an intriguing MTG card that poses a significant challenge in matches, acting as a formidable tool of resource denial for your opponents. Its unique ability allows players to invest mana to negate the effects of spells that target creatures or enchantments, turning potentially game-changing turns into frustrating dead ends. To navigate past this card, it’s essential to adopt strategies that can either overwhelm it with sheer card quantity or bypass it altogether.

To outmaneuver the Circle of Despair, consider employing a multi-pronged approach. Utilize spells that affect all creatures rather than target individual ones, such as board wipes, which are immune to the Circle’s influence. Alternatively, direct your removal or counter cards to the Circle itself, thus freeing your path to target creatures and enchantments once again. Keeping up the pressure with a swarm of cheap creatures can also stretch the Circle of Despair’s defense thin, making it difficult for your opponent to decide what’s worth saving.

Ultimately, beating the Circle of Despair entails a mix of strategic planning and having a variety of actions at your disposal. Efficiency is key—aim to tax your opponent’s resources or find ways to make the Circle a nonfactor. With the right game plan and execution, this challenging card can be rendered far less despairing.

Cards like Circle of Despair

In Magic: The Gathering, Circle of Despair stands out as a unique piece of the enchantment puzzle, guarding players in moments of potential doom. A card to consider in parallel is Martyr’s Cause, which, like Circle of Despair, allows you to sacrifice a creature to prevent damage. Unlike Circle of Despair, Martyr’s Cause redirects the damage to another target, which can be pivotal in certain strategic plays, but lacks Circle of Despair’s succinctness in just preventing the damage entirely.

Next up, Fanatical Devotion speaks a similar language, offering creature sacrifice for the noble cause of protection. It’s a more straightforward shield, negating the damage to creatures rather than to players. However, Circle of Despair holds an edge with its broader scope, watching over both creatures and players alike. When we slide our gaze towards the aggressive side of defense, we encounter the Dawn Charm. Though it’s not an enchantment, it flexes versatility by preventing damage, countering spells that target you, or regenerating a creature – all at instant speed, which is something Circle of Despair, bound by its static enchantment nature, cannot claim.

Considering these comparisons, Circle of Despair proves its worth as a multifaceted defense tool on the battlefield, especially in games where every point of damage prevented could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Cards similar to Circle of Despair by color, type and mana cost

Etchings of the Chosen - MTG Card versions

Pillory of the Sleepless - MTG Card versions

Athreos, God of Passage - MTG Card versions

Profane Procession // Tomb of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions

Ascent of the Worthy - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Circle of Despair 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 Circle of Despair and other MTG cards: