Rites of Reaping MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2012-10-05
Set symbol
Set name	Return to Ravnica
Set code	RTR
Number	191
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	David Rapoza

Key Takeaways

Rites of Reaping provides a swing in power balance by strengthening your creature while weakening an opponent’s.
It condenses resource use, representing two actions with one card, saving cards and mana for later plays.
While powerful, its sorcery speed and discard requirement demand strategic play and careful resource management.

Text of card

Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Another target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.

Don't cross a Devkarin elf unless you long for an early grave.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rites of Reaping assists in tipping the scales in your favor by allowing a notable swing in creature power dynamics. By simultaneously beefing up your own creature and weakening an opponent’s, it emulates drawing an additional removal or buff spell.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, Rites of Reaping can effectively save resources. By potentially eliminating a threat and bolstering a creature in one move, it’s akin to condensing two actions into one, preserving cards and mana for future turns.

Instant Speed: This card’s sorcery speed requires strategic planning for your own turn, fostering a playstyle that rewards foresight and tactical sequencing of spells. It demands that you consider the best moment during your phase to cast it, ensuring maximum impact on the board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Part of playing Rites of Reaping involves the possible trade-off of valuable cards from your hand. Discarding can reduce your tactical advantage, especially if you’re forced to let go of key cards needed for upcoming strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Rites of Reaping comes with a strict mana requirement, including both generic and colored mana. This can sometimes pose a challenge, particularly in multi-color decks that might struggle with the necessary mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a demanding mana cost that needs to be met, you may find this card competing for a slot against others with more impactful board presence or utility for the same, or even a lower investment. In some situations, alternatives may offer a stronger impact on the game for the same resource expenditure.

Reasons to Include Rites of Reaping in Your Collection

Versatility: Rites of Reaping is a card that can serve multiple roles within different deck archetypes. Its ability to strengthen your own creature while weakening an opponent’s adds a layer of adaptability, whether you’re on the offensive or in need of defense.

Combo Potential: This spell’s dual functionality lends itself well to strategies focused on counters or creature-based synergies. It pairs nicely with effects that capitalize on power disparities or targeted creature buffing.

Meta-Relevance: With a metagame that rewards control and tempo plays, Rites of Reaping offers a cost-effective way to swing the board in your favor. Its position in the current environment can be a tactical advantage against creature-heavy decks.

How to beat

Rites of Reaping is a compelling card in the MTG arsenal, offering both removal and buff capabilities. It allows players to simultaneously weaken an opponent’s creature and strengthen one of their own. This card can certainly tip the scales in the midst of battle, where a sudden shift in creature stats can make or break a game strategy.

To effectively counter Rites of Reaping, consider using cards that grant hexproof or shroud to your creatures—making them untargetable by such spells. Additionally, instant-speed removal can disrupt this sorcery before it fully resolves, allowing you to maintain board presence. Timing is critical; playing your defensive cards in the right moment can negate the impact Rites of Reaping aims to have.

Furthermore, countermagic remains a strong line of defense. Counterspells are perfect for stopping Rites of Reaping in its tracks, preserving the balance of power on the board. Lastly, focusing on card advantage and maintaining a hand that can respond to threats quickly will help keep such impactful cards from turning the tide against you.

Cards like Rites of Reaping

Rites of Reaping stands out in the repertoire of buff-and-debuff cards in Magic: The Gathering, offering a distinctive swing in battlefield dynamics. Cards like Agony Warp offer a similar dual utility, allowing a player to both weaken an opponent’s creature and strengthen their own. However, Rites of Reaping offers a larger scale effect, able to provide a considerable power shift with its potent +3/-3 swing that can tilt the balance of power dramatically in a single move.

Comparatively, Tribute to Hunger provides an alternative form of creature debilitation while also conferring a benefit to the caster in the form of life gain. This can be particularly effective for stabilizing a precarious health total, though it lacks the customizable distribution of power modification inherent to Rites of Reaping. Meanwhile, cards like Incremental Blight show a wider targeted debuff capability, affecting multiple creatures but without the added benefit of empowering your own creatures on the battlefield.

Analyzing the options, it becomes evident that Rites of Reaping occupies a unique position, excelling in situations that call for a decisive alteration of creature status, potentially transforming the tides in one’s favor with a single cast in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Rites of Reaping by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rites of Reaping MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica, 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 Rites of Reaping and other MTG cards: