Choice of Damnations MTG Card

Choice of Damnations - Saviors of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery — Arcane
Released	2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Saviors of Kamigawa
Set code	SOK
Number	62
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tim Hildebrandt

Key Takeaways

Choice of Damnations manipulates game flow by forcing opponents into tough, momentum-shifting decisions.
The card requires careful planning due to its high mana cost and the need for a strategic setup.
It stands out with its potential to integrate into a range of decks that anticipate meta shifts.

Text of card

Target opponent chooses a number. You may have that player lose that much life. If you don't, that player sacrifices all but that many permanents.

"Life is a series of choices between bad and worse." —Toshiro Umezawa

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Choice of Damnations offers a unique spin on card advantage by forcing your opponent to make a difficult decision that could lead to significant card loss on their side. This can tip the scales of the game in your favor as they grapple with choosing the lesser of two evils.

Resource Acceleration: Though it doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, the power of Choice of Damnations can indirectly act as resource acceleration by depleting your opponent’s board or hand. This opens up the game for you to advance without the same level of resistance, effectively accelerating your path to victory.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the strategy provoked by playing Choice of Damnations can put opponents in a bind during their own turns. Anticipating the consequences at instant speed during gameplay creates unexpected advantages—like preserving your resources for pivotal moments.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Some MTG players find the trade-off with Choice of Damnations to be a steep one. The card forces your opponent to make a tough choice, but in exchange, it requires a specific setup that can be cumbersome. If your hand is already stretched thin with valuable cards, the last thing you want is a strategy that demands more resources without a guaranteed high payoff.

Specific Mana Cost: Choice of Damnations demands a strict mana arrangement to cast — precisely three black mana. This requirement restricts its usability to decks that can reliably generate multiple black mana, potentially excluding it from more versatile or multi-colored strategies that could benefit from its unique effect.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its six mana cost, Choice of Damnations asks a lot from players in terms of resources. In the grand scheme, there are other cards and options available that may lead to a more cost-effective board impact. Its mana investment can be significant hindrance, especially in fast-paced games where every mana point is critical.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Choice of Damnations offers a unique choice mechanic that can be adapted to various deck styles. Whether you’re facing aggro or control, this card has the potential to disrupt your opponent’s strategy significantly.

Combo Potential: This card’s flexibility can set up powerful interactions, particularly in decks that manipulate opponent’s choices or benefit from variable life totals and board states.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, so do the threats and strategies. Choice of Damnations has a place in the meta that rewards strategic planning and prediction, making it a worthwhile speculative addition to collections against a diverse array of competitive decks.

How to beat

Choice of Damnations presents a unique challenge during gameplay, making it an intriguing force in Magic: The Gathering. This card from the Saviors of Kamigawa set compels opponents to choose their own fate, often leading to a difficult dilemma. To effectively combat this, savvy players may resort to manipulating the number of options available, thereby minimizing the impact of the choice enforced by Choice of Damnations.

One effective strategy is to maintain a minimal board presence, limiting the damage that Choice of Damnations can inflict. By doing so, players restrict the options for their opponent to make a painful decision. Additionally, cards that grant hexproof or indestructible attributes to your permanents can reduce the impact of this devastating sorcery. Managing your life total is also key, as the card’s effect scales with the chosen number. Players should strive to keep their life totals high enough to withstand the loss chosen by the spell’s resolution.

Understanding the crucial balance between permanents on the board and life total is vital when facing this powerful card. With careful play and strategic foresight, players can mitigate the detrimental effects of Choice of Damnations and maintain control over the course of the game.

Cards like Choice of Damnations

Choice of Damnations offers a unique psychological edge in the pantheon of decision-driven cards in Magic: The Gathering. It invokes a scenario akin to Delirium Skeins, wherein players must choose and sacrifice something of value. Nonetheless, Choice of Damnations turns the tables by allowing your opponent to make the harrowing decision between losing life or permanents, creating a complex tactical landscape.

Additionally, we find Pain’s Reward, which also indulges in life-point strategy; however, it presents a bidding war rather than a singular choice. Its interaction is more limited to life points, while Choice of Damnations encompasses a wider array of game aspects. Conversely, Exquisite Archangel provides a safety net for life points, an antithesis to the take-it-or-leave-it style of Choice of Damnations, ensuring stability in your game state that the other cannot.

Summarizing their attributes, Choice of Damnations stands out by flexing its strategic depth and ability to capitalize on opponents’ decisions. Comparatively, its unique gameplay incorporation not only enriches MTG’s intricate dynamics but also highlights its creators’ innovation in card design.

Cards similar to Choice of Damnations by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Choice of Damnations MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Choice of Damnations and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Choice of Damnations has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2005-06-01	After the opponent chooses a number, Choice of Damnations’ controller may choose to make that opponent either lose that much life or make that opponent sacrifice permanents.
2005-06-01	If the opponent must sacrifice all but a number of permanents, that opponent chooses that many permanents and then sacrifices the rest. If the number chosen is greater than the number of permanents the opponent controls, the player sacrifices nothing.