Withdraw MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Number	54
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Adam Rex

Key Takeaways

Withdraw can disrupt opponents or reuse your own creatures, impacting the board state significantly.
The need to discard for its casting cost may deter some players despite its flexibility.
While mana-intensive, Withdraw’s ability to target two creatures can offer a competitive advantage.

Text of card

Return target creature to its owner's hand. Then return another target creature to its owner's hand unless its controller pays o1.

"We outnumber them! Charge! Charge! Hey, where'd you guys go? Retreat! Retreat!"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Withdraw offers the strategic benefit of returning two creatures to their owner’s hand, outmaneuvering your opponent by disrupting their board presence and potentially generating card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, the ability to bounce your own mana-producing creatures back to your hand allows for re-utilization, effectively accelerating your resource development on subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Acting at instant speed, Withdraw gives you the flexibility to respond dynamically to threats or to create advantageous game states during the most critical moments of a match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in gameplay where you’re poised to leverage every card in hand can face a setback with Withdraw. One of the prerequisites for casting this card is the need to discard another from your hand, which could potentially strip you of a crucial play in tight match scenarios.

Specific Mana Cost: Constructing a mana base for a varied deck can be a tactical feat, but Withdraw demands a commitment to blue mana. This particular mana requirement might not blend well with multicolored decks or those that veer towards a different color scheme, thus restricting its inclusion solely to those with an ample supply of blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the control it gives you over the battlefield by returning creatures to their owner’s hand, Withdraw comes at a mana value that some players may find steep. When you consider other options in the arsenal of MTG cards, you might find ones that achieve similar effects or provide additional benefits at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Withdraw offers a flexible solution to temporary removal in blue-based control or tempo decks. Its ability to bounce two creatures or one creature and a land means it can adapt to various board states and keep you ahead.

Combo Potential: With the capability to return your own creatures to hand, Withdraw can be combined with enter-the-battlefield effects for incremental advantage, or to save key pieces from removal.

Meta-Relevance: In gameplay environments where aggressive creature strategies are prevalent, Withdraw can disrupt your opponent’s tempo and give you the upper hand, maintaining its relevance in various meta scenarios.

How to beat

Confronting the Withdraw card in MTG can be a strategic puzzle, especially given its potential to disrupt your battlefield presence by returning creatures to their owner’s hand. This card’s flexibility allows players to target their own creatures, rescuing them from imminent threats, or to use it as a tool against opponents by unsettling their board set-up, often during critical phases of the game.

To effectively counter Withdraw’s impact, consider playing cards that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructible, shielding them from being targeted. Additionally, low-cost creatures or tokens can minimize the consequences of having your creatures returned to your hand. Deploying spells that counteract noncreature spells, spell stacks, or abilities can also neutralize Withdraw’s effect before it manifests on the board.

Strategically, maintaining mana reserves during your opponent’s turn grants you the flexibility to react to Withdraw with instants or tricks that can save your creatures or mitigate its advantages. Ultimately, while Withdraw presents tactical hurdles, an aware player with the right protections in place can preserve their board and turn the tide in their favor.

Cards like Withdraw

Withdraw stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a multifaceted control card, with its nearest relatives found in bounce spells that target creatures or permanents. Unsummon, for example, serves a similar primary function by returning a creature to its owner’s hand. However, Withdraw’s flexibility to target an additional creature if an additional cost is met elevates it above Unsummon’s singular focus.

Another comparable spell is Boomerang, which allows players to return any permanent to its owner’s hand at the same converted mana cost as Withdraw. While Boomerang expands the range of targets to include non-creature permanents, Withdraw provides control players with a potential two-for-one advantage, though requiring more strategic planning to maximize its benefit.

Examining these cards closely, Withdraw provides an interesting blend of functionality and potential card advantage, essential for control decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to influence the board with precise targeting options makes it a valuable card for players looking to maintain tempo and outmaneuver their opponents.

Cards similar to Withdraw by color, type and mana cost

Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions

Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions

Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Withdraw 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 Withdraw card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Must target two different creatures.
2004-10-04	The creature’s controller gets the option to pay when the spell resolves.
2004-10-04	The two creatures may have different controllers.
2004-10-04	You choose on announcement which creature is the one that can be paid to prevent the effect. The payment itself is made on resolution (if at all).