Setessan Tactics MTG Card


Setessan Tactics - Journey into Nyx
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Fight,Strive
Released2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameJourney into Nyx
Set codeJOU
Number140
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMark Winters

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants card advantage by potentially removing multiple creatures with one card.
  2. Instant speed permits reactive and strategic plays during opponent’s turn.
  3. Specific mana cost and discard requirement can limit deck versatility.

Text of card

Strive — Setessan Tactics costs more to cast for each target beyond the first. Until end of turn, any number of target creatures each get +1/+1 and gain ": This creature fights another target creature."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Setessan Tactics allows you to significantly swing the board in your favor by potentially removing multiple opposing creatures with one card, thereby providing substantial card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Setessan Tactics might not directly increase your mana pool or other resources, it does accelerate your winning potential by removing threats and paving the way for your creatures’ dominance.

Instant Speed: The play-ability of Setessan Tactics at instant speed is a major boon. It provides you the opportunity to react decisively and strategically during your opponent’s turn, disrupting their plans and presenting lifelines in combat situations.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the hurdles faced while playing Setessan Tactics is the discard requirement, which means you need to let go of an extra card whenever you want to play this card itself. This might not seem significant at first, but imagine being low on cards, with each one of them essential for your strategy, and having to discard one for just a single play.

Specific Mana Cost: Another slight bump to beware of is the specific mana cost related to Setessan Tactics. The requirement of a forest mana type could potentially limit its applicability, especially when playing multi-color decks, making it challenging to fetch during crunch situations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: If we analyze closely, the two green mana cost to activate the fight mechanic of Setessan Tactics could seem quite high. There could be instances where you stumble on more efficient cards that offer a similar effect or even better, but at a lower mana price. However, well-played Setessan Tactics can often single-handedly turn the tide of a game in your favor.


Reasons to Include Setessan Tactics in Your Collection

Versatility: As a unique combat orienting Instant card, Setessan Tactics exhibits a flexibility that fits into a range of decks. Aimed at those that wish to control the battlefield, it allows you to manipulate opponents’ creatures directly to your advantage.

Combo Potential: With a Strive cost that isn’t exorbitant, Setessan Tactics enables numerous combo opportunities. You can adjust the fighting power of multiple creatures to course correct the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where attacking and blocking tactics play a pivotal role, Setessan Tactics with its fighting mechanic stays relevant. It’s an invaluable asset in metas that have a high presence of creature-heavy decks, providing an edge over the opponent.


How to Beat

Setessan Tactics is a prominent piece among fight cards in Magic: The Gathering. This enchantment provides a unique twist as it enables the player to turn their creatures into potent and determined warriors. However, overcoming this card requires strategic planning and rigorous tactics.

One of the best methods to counter Setessan Tactics is to control the battlefield with counter spells and removal. While your opponent is ready to pull off a decisive fight, disruption can significantly dampen their tactic thereby protecting your creatures from engaging in disadvantageous combat. Also, leveraging cards that have hexproof or indestructible abilities can protect your creatures from the dire effects of Setessan Tactics.

In parallel to the given strategies, it is also crucial to press an advantage with sturdy creatures that are capable of surviving fights. Creatures with high toughness stand a good chance in the face of any Setessan Tactics onslaught. Braving the combat and standing tall post the conflict will allow you to seize control of the game effectively.

Consequently, while Setessan Tactics is a powerful card in MTG, overcoming it involves precise planning, intelligent battlefield management, and well-timed reactionary measures. Thus, these examined strategies prove vital in mitigating the impacts of Setessan Tactics in any MTG game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Setessan Tactics offers a certain finesse to those who appreciate strategic creature combat in MTG. Its ability to turn enemies into unwilling combatants grants you a considerable edge, potentially clearing the board in your favor. While it comes with its own set of challenges, such as the specific mana cost and potential card disadvantage, the right deck could harness its power effectively. Interested in adding Setessan Tactics to your collection or seeking ways to counter this formidable card? Dive deeper with us, learn the nuances, and empower your strategic arsenal to outmaneuver opponents in battle.


Cards like Setessan Tactics

Serving as an impressive addition to the bucket of fight spells in Magic: The Gathering, Setessan Tactics makes its mark. Up for comparison are cards like Pit Fight and Prey Upon. Pit Fight possesses the instant spell trait, enabling some surprising gameplay moves, in contrast with Setessan Tactics, which falls under the sorcery category. Nevertheless, Setessan Tactics offers the alluring potential of multiple fights, something that the other cards don’t provide.

Significant to note is Savage Smash, another competitive card in this discussion. Unlike Setessan Tactics, Savage Smash grants an additional power to the creature, which can shift the course of battle. This is a great perk, but it’s constrained by the lack of multiple fights Setessan Tactics wholeheartedly provides.

Ultimately, card selection relies on the dynamics of the game and the contingencies of the player. With its remarkable ability to instigate multiple fights, Setessan Tactics undeniably carves a niche space among fight spells in Magic: The Gathering, proving invaluable in a more creature-invested deck.

Pit Fight - MTG Card versions
Prey Upon - MTG Card versions
Savage Smash - MTG Card versions
Pit Fight - Gatecrash (GTC)
Prey Upon - Innistrad (ISD)
Savage Smash - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Cards similar to Setessan Tactics by color, type and mana cost

Tranquil Domain - MTG Card versions
Resuscitate - MTG Card versions
Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Urge - MTG Card versions
Tangle - MTG Card versions
Krosan Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Seedtime - MTG Card versions
Nourish - MTG Card versions
Wear Away - MTG Card versions
Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions
Resize - MTG Card versions
Squall Line - MTG Card versions
Regenerate - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Defiance - MTG Card versions
Tribute to the Wild - MTG Card versions
Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions
Sheltering Word - MTG Card versions
Druid's Deliverance - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Domain - Mirage (MIR)
Resuscitate - Exodus (EXO)
Heavy Fog - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Aggressive Urge - Jumpstart (JMP)
Tangle - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Krosan Reclamation - Judgment (JUD)
Seedtime - Judgment (JUD)
Nourish - Darksteel (DST)
Wear Away - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Might of the Nephilim - Dissension (DIS)
Resize - Coldsnap (CSP)
Squall Line - Time Spiral (TSP)
Regenerate - Magic 2010 (M10)
Tel-Jilad Defiance - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Tribute to the Wild - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Plummet - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Titanic Growth - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Sheltering Word - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Druid's Deliverance - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Naturalize - Core Set 2019 (M19)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Setessan Tactics MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Setessan Tactics and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Setessan Tactics has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-04-26 Each of the two creatures that fight deals damage equal to its power to the other. If either one of the creatures isn't on the battlefield when the ability that instructs them to fight resolves, no damage is dealt.
2014-04-26 If a spell or ability allows you to cast a strive spell without paying its mana cost, you must pay the additional costs for any targets beyond the first.
2014-04-26 If all of the spell's targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. If one or more of its targets are legal when it tries to resolve, the spell will resolve and affect only those legal targets. It will have no effect on any illegal targets.
2014-04-26 If such a spell is copied, and the effect that copies the spell allows a player to choose new targets for the copy, the number of targets can't be changed. The player may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, the player can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
2014-04-26 The mana cost and mana value of strive spells don't change no matter how many targets they have. Strive abilities affect only what you pay.
2014-04-26 You choose how many targets each spell with a strive ability has and what those targets are as you cast it. It's legal to cast such a spell with no targets, although this is rarely a good idea. You can't choose the same target more than once for a single strive spell.

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