Parch MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	1999-02-15
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Legacy
Set code	ULG
Number	86
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Spencer

Key Takeaways

Gain advantage by using Parch’s targeted damage to disrupt opponents strategically.
Enhance your plays with Parch’s capability at instant speed for flexible tactics.
Navigate its higher mana cost and discard requirement with smart deck building.

Text of card

Choose one Parch deals 2 damage to target creature or player; or Parch deals 4 damage to target blue creature.

"Your porous flesh betrays you." —Fire Eye, viashino bey

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Parch provides a strategic edge by dealing a precise amount of damage, which often leads to eliminating key opponent creatures or planeswalkers and, in turn, preserving your hand while depleting theirs.

Resource Acceleration: While Parch itself may not directly accelerate resources, it serves as a catalyst for other gameplay dynamics, like enabling prowess or magecraft abilities that lead to indirect resource acceleration in the course of a game.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Parch at instant speed affords flexibility and unpredictability to your play. This reactive use-case allows you to optimally time your spell to disrupt the opponent’s strategy without sacrificing your turn’s main plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Parch requires players to discard a card, posing a challenge when card advantage is crucial in a match.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes both red and another color, Parch can be tricky to cast in multicolored decks without the right mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Parch delivers utility, its mana cost is relatively steep compared to other damage-dealing spells, potentially slowing down your game tempo.

Reasons to Include Parch in Your Collection

Versatility: Parch can be a key card in decks that aim to disrupt opponent’s strategies. It excels in formats where specific card types dominate, allowing for precise control over the boarding state.

Combo Potential: The ability to selectively target spells or cards in an opponent’s hand opens up combinations with other cards that benefit from depleted hands or restricted casting options.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where blue spell decks or hand manipulation tactics are common, Parch provides an edge by efficiently removing obstacles and shaping the pace of the game.

How to beat Parch

Parch is a nuanced magic card that brings a level of disruption to your opponent’s mana base, particularly targeting decks with a reliance on blue spells. Its ability to force the discard of a blue card from a player’s hand or inflict two damage if they cannot can be a minor setback in the early game or a substantial hurdle as the game progresses. Confronting Parch effectively requires strategic planning and a certain flexibility in deck construction.

To navigate around Parch’s constraints, consider incorporating cards that can rebalance your hand, such as those with cycling abilities to exchange less useful cards for new options or spells with madness to turn a disadvantage to your benefit. Diversify your mana sources to mitigate against color-specific targeting, including artifact-based or land fetching alternatives. Lastly, instant-speed spells can be key, as they allow you to respond to Parch even if cast during your upkeep, reducing its potential to disrupt your tactics.

Ultimately, overcoming Parch involves a blend of preparing your deck to handle disruption and maintaining the agility to adapt during play. Smart deck-building and keen play strategy are your greatest tools against this challenging card.

Cards like Parch

Parch exemplifies a common utility found in red’s slice of the color pie in Magic: The Gathering – pinpoint damage to players or creatures. It shares traits with cards such as Shock, a staple in red decks for its cost-efficient 2 damage to any target. Parch, unlike Shock, offers a narrow focus, targeting only creatures without flying and players, limiting its versatility but ensuring its tactical use against ground-based strategies.

Another related spell, Pyroclasm, also delivers damage to creatures without the ability to target players. Parch stands distinct with its lesser damage output, but it compensates with its ability to affect the opponent directly, a trade-off that can be decisive in damaging strategies. Comparatively, Pyroclasm excels as a board sweeper against swarms of small creatures, emphasizing red’s capability to control the battlefield through damage.

Scrutinizing these options, Parch finds its niche in MTG as a scalpel in red’s arsenal, trading widespread impact for precision and direct pressure on the opponent, offering players a strategic tool to puncture specific weaknesses in their adversaries’ formations.

Cards similar to Parch by color, type and mana cost

Smash to Smithereens - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Parch MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy, 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 Parch and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Parch has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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