Soul Tithe MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
| Released | 2012-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Return to Ravnica |
| Set code | RTR |
| Number | 23 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dave Kendall |
Key Takeaways
- Soul Tithe offers both indirect card advantage and opponent resource taxation built into one card.
- The card’s specific mana requirements may limit its integration into diverse MTG deck strategies.
- Despite the tax effect, players can counter Soul Tithe with smart resource management and deck diversity.
Text of card
Enchant nonland permanent At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted permanent's controller, that player sacrifices it unless he or she pays , where X is its converted mana cost.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Soul Tithe presents a taxing dilemma for your opponents. It forces them to decide between forging ahead with crucial resources tied up or sacrificing a nonland permanent. This can indirectly contribute to your card advantage, as opponents may lose key components of their strategy.
Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct tool for resource acceleration, Soul Tithe can slow down your opponent’s game plan, making it easier for you to outpace them with your own resource development. It can tie up an opponent’s mana each turn, effectively stunting their efforts to build a stronger board presence while you move ahead.
Instant Speed: While Soul Tithe is an enchantment with an aura subtype, thus played at sorcery speed, the threat of activating it on a freshly cast nonland permanent can alter an opponent’s playstyle. Knowing you have cards that can disrupt their tempo at critical junctures may cause them to hold back, providing you the benefit of more strategic flexibility.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Soul Tithe doesn’t directly require a discard, it does put pressure on the opponent to decide between discarding or losing valuable permanents, potentially depleting their resources either way.
Specific Mana Cost: Soul Tithe has a specific mana requirement, necessitating white mana, which may not seamlessly fit into all deck strategies, especially those not aligned with white’s ethos.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing only two mana, in an environment where fast-paced, low-cost removal spells are prevalent, Soul Tithe’s mana cost may be a bit steep just to potentially tax an opponent’s resources.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Soul Tithe offers a unique form of removal that can undermine your opponents’ carefully laid plans. Capable of targeting any nonland permanent, it’s a flexible option that fits into numerous white-based control or tempo decks, ready to disrupt a wide range of threats.
Combo Potential: This card shines in scenarios where taxing your opponent’s resources meshes with your strategy. It can amplify the effects of other cards that restrict mana or punish opponents for having expensive permanents on the battlefield, paving the way for impactful synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players lean on artifacts, enchantments, or costly creatures, Soul Tithe gains considerable value. It can serve as an efficient tool to keep pace in a game or even tip the scales in your favor against high-value targets that dominate the current meta.
How to beat
Soul Tithe presents a unique enchantment challenge for Magic: The Gathering players. As a spell that puts opponents in a bind, forcing them to decide between losing their nonland permanent or paying a growing upkeep cost, it disrupts strategies and can tilt the game in favor of the caster. It’s part of a larger tactic often seen in taxing and control decks designed to put pressure on opponents’ resources.
To effectively counteract Soul Tithe, it’s essential to prioritize resource management. Key moves can include keeping mana untapped to pay the tithe, leveraging low-cost removal spells to dismantle the enchantment, or utilizing abilities that allow you to sacrifice the enchanted permanent for value, circumventing the tax altogether. Additionally, cards with hexproof or protection from white can serve as robust defenses, as Soul Tithe cannot target them. Lastly, maintaining a diverse array of threats on the board can reduce the impact of losing any single one to Soul Tithe’s effect, ensuring your game plan remains uninterrupted even if this taxing enchantment comes into play.
Remember, flexibility and foresight in deck building and during gameplay are essential when facing off against disruptive cards like Soul Tithe. By preparing for such scenarios, you maintain the upper hand and keep your strategy on track.
Cards like Soul Tithe
When evaluating removal options in MTG, Soul Tithe stands out for the flexibility it offers in disrupting opponents’ strategies. Relative to cards such as Pacifism, which solely restrict creatures from attacking or blocking, Soul Tithe adds another layer. It not only restricts the enchanted permanent but also presents a taxing choice on its controller’s upkeep.
Oblivion Ring shares the trait of being able to target nonland permanents; however, it completely exiles the target until Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield. Soul Tithe, on the other hand, gives the opponent the opportunity to pay and keep the permanent, leading to potential mana deprivation. Moreover, Journey to Nowhere operates similarly but is limited to exiling creatures. Unlike Soul Tithe, it doesn’t provide the same psychological pressure or mana tax to the affected opponent.
All things considered, Soul Tithe adds a nuanced dynamic to the game, positioning itself as a valuable control tool. It offers players the chance to benefit strategically from an opponent’s resource limitations, and in this way, it holds a unique spot among its counterparts in MTG.
Cards similar to Soul Tithe by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Soul Tithe 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 Soul Tithe and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Soul Tithe has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Soul Tithe card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-10-01 | If the permanent has in its mana cost, X is 0. |
| 2012-10-01 | The converted mana cost of a creature token is 0, unless that token is a copy of another creature, in which case it copies that creature’s mana cost. |
