Soul Shred MTG Card

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 112

Masters Edition IV (ME4)
2011-01-10 - Number 98

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Generates card advantage by exiling opponents’ top card stack, gaining crucial game information.
Creates Treasure tokens for resource boost, enhancing mana pool when legendary cards are exiled.
Instant speed allows tactical plays, striking in response to opponents’ moves for maximum disruptiveness.

Text of card

Soul Shred deals 3 damage to any one creature that isn't black. You gain 3 life.

It would be a shame to let life slip away to nothing.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Soul Shred brings the potential to disrupt your opponent’s strategy by exiling their top four cards, giving you the upper hand by diminishing their resources while simultaneously providing insight into their deck’s composition.

Resource Acceleration: If a legendary card is exiled with Soul Shred, you’ll not only hinder your opponent’s plan but also create a Treasure token. This acts as a resource accelerator, giving you additional mana that can be instrumental in turning the tide of the match in your favor.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Soul Shred at instant speed adds a layer of versatility, allowing you to wait for the most opportune moment. Whether it’s during your opponent’s draw step or in response to an action that reveals the top card of their library, you have the power to act swiftly and decisively.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Soul Shred requires players to discard two cards if its surge cost is paid. This condition may deplete a player’s hand, hindering their ability to maintain card advantage and respond to opponents’ moves.

Specific Mana Cost: The necessity to use specific colors in its mana cost could restrict this spell’s inclusion to particular multicolor decks, possibly impairing the deck’s versatility or speed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that demands careful resource allocation, players might find themselves at a strategic disadvantage against faster decks that capitalize on lower-costing spells to dominate early game progress.

Reasons to Include Soul Shred in Your Collection

Versatility: Soul Shred exemplifies adaptability, slotting smoothly into a variety of black-centered decks. Its ability to selectively disrupt opponents by exiling cards from their library based on colors offers strategic edge regardless of the format you’re playing.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with strategies that capitalize on opponents’ graveyard depletion. It opens up combo routes with cards that benefit from or trigger off exiles, amplifying your gameplay and tactical advantage.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often sees multicolored decks at the forefront, Soul Shred finds its place as a counter. In games where mana fixing and color diversity play key roles, being able to interfere with your opponent’s plans can be crucial, making this card a timely choice for your arsenal.

How to beat

Soul Shred is a powerful card that can be challenging to play against in Magic: The Gathering. The card’s ability to exile a swath of a player’s library can be a game-changer, particularly in formats where specific combos or key cards are essential. To counteract Soul Shred, consider diversifying your deck with alternative win conditions. This reduces your reliance on any single combo and diminishes the impact of having crucial cards exiled.

Adding cards that can shuffle the graveyard back into the library, like Elixir of Immortality, can also be a way to mitigate the damage caused by Soul Shred. Cards that provide graveyard protection or that can remove threats from the stack, such as counterspells, are essential. Utilizing instant-speed card draw can help you find these answers more quickly. Keeping a watchful eye on your opponent’s mana and potential to cast Soul Shred can allow you to play more conservatively, holding back key pieces until the threat has passed.

Remember, adapting to the situation and considering the deck you’re facing are critical for maintaining the upper hand against disruptive cards like Soul Shred. Playing smart and being prepared for game-shifters can make all the difference in securing victory.

Cards like Soul Shred

Soul Shred finds its niche in the realm of board impacting spells within Magic: The Gathering. It echoes effects seen in cards like Damnation, which also serves as a reset button by destroying all creatures. What distinguishes Soul Shred, however, is its unique exile component that does not just destroy but rather removes creatures from the game entirely. This denies opponents the chance to recover their creatures from the graveyard, which is a luxury afforded by Damnation.

In the same domain of selective exile spells, there’s Anguished Unmaking. Though this spell targets any nonland permanent at the cost of three mana and loss of three life, the specificity makes it less sweeping than the broad reach of Soul Shread. Moreover, significant life loss can turn the tide in a close match. On the flip side, while Anguished Unmaking offers instant speed and versatility, Soul Shred’s sheer potential to turn games around by dealing with all creatures cannot be undervalued.

Examining the strategic depths of such spells, Soul Shred carves out its own strategic value in MTG card arsenals, offering a decisive edge in games where maintaining board control with exile effects becomes paramount. It stands as a potent choice for players who prioritize removing threats permanently over flexible but narrower solutions.

Cards similar to Soul Shred by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soul Shred MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Masters Edition IV, 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 Soul Shred and other MTG cards: