Desperate Charge MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances creatures powerfully without overextending your hand, influencing board states decisively.
  2. Casting at instant speed provides surprise combat advantages, making it a strategic combat trick.
  3. The need for specific mana and discard costs are notable trade-offs for its potential impact.

Text of card

All your creatures get +2/+0 until the end of the turn.

"Lieutenants dishonored, corpses carted home; The general raises troops again to take revenge."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Desperate Charge enhances the value of your creatures, potentially swaying the board state to your favor without the need to commit more cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially lowering your opponent’s life total significantly, Desperate Charge hastens the game towards a conclusion, effectively accelerating your path to victory without the need for extensive setup or resource investment.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Desperate Charge at instant speed lets you catch an opponent off guard, making it easier to turn the tide of combat in your favor and to make decisive plays at the most opportune moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Desperate Charge demands you disperse prime cards from your hand, potentially weakening your tactical position and stripping you of crucial resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s casting cost necessitates a particular blend of mana, which can be restrictive and not seamlessly align with multi-colored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When weighed against other cards within the same mana range, Desperate Charge’s cost-benefit analysis may deter players given its limited impact on the game state.


Reasons to Include Desperate Charge in Your Collection

Versatility: Desperate Charge is a card that doesn’t just shine in one type of deck. Its ability to give a sizeable power boost at a low mana cost makes it a strong addition to aggressive strategies aiming to close games quickly.

Combo Potential: This card can be a game-changer when combined with creatures that have lifelink or trample, turning a moderate threat into a game-ending force. Its synergy with wide board states also makes it a surprise element in combo-centric decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Desperate Charge can be the difference-maker, allowing for overwhelming attacks that can tip the scales in your favor. Its immediate impact on the board is what keeps it relevant in changing environments.


How to beat

Desperate Charge is a card that can catch players off guard in Magic the Gathering, especially when an opponent’s creatures gain that sudden burst in power. This sorcery not only boosts the attack strength of creatures for the turn but can also be the difference between a victorious strike and a stalled battlefield. Understanding its timing and the boost it grants is key in crafting a strategy against it.

To effectively counter Desperate Charge, it’s vital to keep a watchful eye on the mana available to your opponent. If you suspect this card might be coming, hold back on deploying blockers that could be wiped out by the enhanced creatures. It’s also helpful to have instant-speed removal or damage prevention spells at the ready. By disrupting the combat phase or neutralizing the threat before damage is dealt, Desperate Charge’s impact can be mitigated. Finally, consider running cards that limit sorcery casting or grant your creatures indestructible until the end of turn, ensuring their survival against an amplified assault.

Navigating around Desperate Charge involves anticipation, as well as a defensive toolkit ready for its surprise surge. Controlled play and well-timed responses are the keys to overcoming the momentum that Desperate Charge attempts to create on the battlefield.


Cards like Desperate Charge

Desperate Charge stands as a unique spell in the MTG world with its potential to turn the tide in combat. Nested among other sorceries that boost creature power, Desperate Charge provides an exemplar comparison. For instance, it’s akin to Trumpet Blast, which also offers a temporary power increase to your creatures but Desperate Charge exclusively targets one creature for a more substantial buff.

Another related card is Brute Strength, which, similar to Desperate Charge, gives a singular combatant both a power hike and trample, key for breaking through defensive lines. Brute Strength, however, costs less mana, making it a more immediate option. On the flip side, there’s Rush of Blood, a spell that might provide a larger power increase depending on the creature’s existing power, granting the flexibility for a massive combat trick.

Evaluating these cards side by side, Desperate Charge displays its muscle in MTG by offering significant temporary power at a pivotal moment. It’s this distinct capability for changing the flow of combat that positions it as a formidable choice within the spectrum of power-boosting sorceries.

Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Brute Strength - MTG Card versions
Rush of Blood - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Brute Strength - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Rush of Blood - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Cards similar to Desperate Charge by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Crippling Fatigue - MTG Card versions
Flaying Tendrils - MTG Card versions
Victimize - MTG Card versions
Pain's Reward - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Demonic Attorney - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Jovial Evil - Legends (LEG)
Touch of Death - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Wicked Pact - Portal (POR)
Nature's Ruin - Portal (POR)
Buried Alive - Odyssey (ODY)
Choking Sands - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Brush with Death - Stronghold (STH)
Infernal Contract - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Hand of Death - Starter 1999 (S99)
Forced March - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Stupor - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Coercion - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Noxious Vapors - Planeshift (PLS)
Mind Rot - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Crippling Fatigue - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Flaying Tendrils - Friday Night Magic 2016 (F16)
Victimize - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Pain's Reward - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Desperate Charge MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms and Masters Edition III, 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 Desperate Charge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Desperate Charge Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-05-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Chen Weidong.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-05-01Portal Three KingdomsPTK 741997normalwhiteChen Weidong
22009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 631997normalblackChen Weidong

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Desperate Charge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2009-10-01 Desperate Charge affects only creatures you control at the time it resolves. A creature that enters the battlefield later in the turn won’t get +2/+0.

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