Worldpurge MTG Card


Worldpurge - Shadowmoor
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Released2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameShadowmoor
Set codeSHM
Number156
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byChippy

Key Takeaways

  1. Worldpurge can set players for card advantage by resetting the board, favoring prepared decks.
  2. It offers resource acceleration by evenly clearing all permanents, rewarding quick recovery strategies.
  3. The sorcery’s surprise-like effect can provide a significant tempo advantage against unprepared opponents.

Text of card

Return all permanents to their owners' hands. Each player chooses up to seven cards in his or her hand, then shuffles the rest into his or her library. Empty all mana pools.

The Aurora is not the only magic capable of remaking a world.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Worldpurge, while not drawing cards directly, you set the stage for significant card advantage. This card resets the board, allowing you to leverage any asymmetrical draw engines or hand refill strategies that you’ve set up previously, putting you ahead in resources long-term.

Resource Acceleration: One subtle yet powerful benefit of Worldpurge is its implicit resource acceleration. By returning all permanents to their owner’s hands, players are back to square one with their mana bases. If you’ve built your deck to recover quickly from such a reset, you can accelerate ahead of your opponents, deploying threats while they are still rebuilding.

Instant Speed: Although Worldpurge is a sorcery, it effectively mimics the surprise factor of instant speed. This is because it clears the board at a moment when opponents are usually least prepared for it—after they’ve committed all their resources to the battlefield. The aftermath often gives you the equivalent of a time walk, as opponents scramble to re-establish their board presence.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The mechanics of Worldpurge include resetting the board by bouncing all permanents to their owner’s hands, but this also forces players to discard their hands, significantly reducing available resources and potentially disrupting your own strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With a stringent requirement of two white and two blue mana plus four additional mana of any type, this card demands a dedicated color commitment, which can make it difficult to cast in a multicolored or less mana-flexible deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Carrying an eight-mana price tag places Worldpurge on the higher end of the mana curve. In formats where speed and efficiency are key, the high cost can hinder your tempo and leaves you vulnerable while you accumulate the necessary resources.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Worldpurge stands out due to its ability to reset the game state by bouncing all permanents to their owners’ hands. This can be advantageous in decks that can quickly rebuild their board or benefit from a clean slate.

Combo Potential: This card presents intriguing synergy with strategies that capitalize on having numerous cards in hand or that can manipulate casting costs and timings to break symmetry.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by heavy permanent-based strategies or when opponents tend to overcommit to the board, Worldpurge can act as a powerful equalizer, disrupting the pace and giving you an edge to regain control of the match.


How to beat

Worldpurge stands as a colossal reset button in the world of Magic: The Gathering, creating scenarios where players must rebuild from scratch. This white and blue sorcery resets the playing field by bouncing nearly everything back to its owner’s hand while setting each player’s mana back to zero. To navigate this card, it’s essential to either pressure your opponent into a corner where casting it would be disadvantageous, or to maintain card advantage so you can rebuild more quickly post-shuffle.

Another tactic is running low-cost creatures and spells that allow you to rebuild your board presence swiftly. Additionally, keeping up instant-speed disruption can neutralize the threat. Counterspells, for example, can prevent Worldpurge from resolving altogether. Cards that grant you hexproof can protect your permanents from such global effects, maintaining your stronghold on the board. Be vigilant and responsive; use efficient resource management to outpace the setback this powerful spell can induce.

In essence, combating Worldpurge requires foresight and strategic resource allocation, ensuring that when the tides turn, you are ready to forge ahead, re-establish your position swiftly, and capitalize on the imbalance it brings to the game.


Cards like Worldpurge

Worldpurge stands as a unique and powerful white and blue sorcery in the realm of MTG. Its closest relatives are cards like Upheaval and Sunder, which also revolve around the theme of resetting the game’s board state. Worldpurge, however, goes a step further by floating each player’s permanents back into their hands and setting both players’ life totals to seven, dramatically altering the game’s pacing and power balance.

Comparatively, Upheaval allows for a total reset of all permanents to players’ hands without the life total adjustment, offering a more conventional approach to board clearing. Sunder is even more focused, bouncing only lands back to owners’ hands, potentially leaving players scrambling for resources. The thoroughness of Worldpurge can be both a blessing and a curse—its high mana cost and the fact that it strips players of their hands post-resolution make it a risky yet potentially game-winning play.

Understanding the nuances between these game-reset spells can be crucial for players. While Worldpurge requires careful timing and situational awareness, its impact can be unparalleled, creating opportunities for dramatic comebacks or sealing victories from a leading position. Its role in MTG is defined by its exceptional ability to reshape the battlefield in ways few cards can match.

Upheaval - MTG Card versions
Sunder - MTG Card versions
Upheaval - Odyssey (ODY)
Sunder - Urza's Saga (USG)

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Worldpurge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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