Persecute MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Persecute offers hand disruption by targeting and discarding cards of a certain color.
  2. Its higher mana cost and specificity can limit deck inclusion and timing efficiency.
  3. Despite drawbacks, well-timed Persecute plays can significantly impact the game.

Text of card

Choose a color. Look at target player's hand. That player discards all cards of the chosen color.

"My finest warrior was lost to the Phyrexians. I pray that Lady Selenia died honorably." —Radiant, archangel


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Persecute is a compelling choice for stripping away a significant portion of your opponent’s hand. When played strategically, it can ensure you disrupt the intricate plans your opponent has been crafting, leaving them with a diminished line of defense and offense.

Resource Acceleration: Although Persecute does not directly accelerate your resources, its ability to target a specific color can severely delay your opponent’s resource development. This, in turn, allows you more time to develop your board and gain an upper hand in the game.

Instant Speed: While Persecute is played at sorcery speed, its impact is often so disruptive that it can feel as immediate and game-changing as an instant. Timing this card right can simulate the swing in tempo typically gained from an instant, by leaving your opponent unable to respond on their crucial turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of playing Persecute in your deck is that your opponent must have a hand in order for the card to have an effect. If they don’t, or if their hand is significantly reduced before you cast Persecute, it can end up being a dead draw, not impacting the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Persecute requires a specific mana cost that includes both generic and black mana. This can sometimes be a hurdle, particularly in multi-colored decks that may struggle with producing enough black mana consistently when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Persecute sits at a higher mana cost bracket, requiring one black and three generic mana. While the card has the potential to disrupt your opponent’s hand severely, the mana investment is considerable, and in fast-paced games, this may not be the most tempo-efficient play.


Reasons to Include Persecute in Your Collection

Versatility: Persecute offers the flexibility to disrupt various opponent strategies by targeting a specific color and stripping key cards from their hand, making it a solid sideboard candidate in multiple deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with decks that capitalize on opponent’s hand disruption. It pairs effectively with cards that punish players for a low hand count or benefit from knowing the opponent’s hand contents.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by single-color decks or decks leaning heavily on a particular color, Persecute can be particularly devastating. It enables you to dismantle an opponent’s planned moves and gain a considerable advantage.


How to beat

Overcoming Persecute in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic hand management and an understanding of the game’s nuances. This black sorcery spell forcibly reveals a player’s hand and discards all cards of the color named by the caster. As a targeted approach to dismantling an opponent’s strategy, it can be crippling if you’re relying heavily on a particular color.

To mitigate Persecute’s impact, diversify your deck’s color palette or have a robust multicolor presence, lessening the blow of losing cards from a single color. Employ tactics that allow you to replenish your hand quickly or use cards that function well from the graveyard, bypassing the downside of this potent disruption. Additionally, running instant-speed spells that can be played in response to Persecute will help you maintain resources, or including cards that offer protection from black spells, can safeguard your hand from such invasive tactics.

Ultimately, with a flexible approach and resilience built into your deck design, you can swiftly recover from Persecute’s effect and maintain control of the game, ensuring that this powerful spell becomes more of a minor setback than a game-ending play.


Cards like Persecute

Persecute stands as a compelling choice for players aiming to disrupt their opponents’ hands in Magic: The Gathering. It draws a parallel to Duress or Thoughtseize, with all three aiming to interfere with the opponent’s strategy. However, Persecute provides a broader sweep, targeting an entire type of card in the opponent’s hand – which can be particularly devastating for their game plan.

While Duress and Thoughtseize are restricted to non-creature and non-land cards respectively, and act with surgical precision, Persecute can unearth numerous cards of a chosen type. On the flip side, Persecute is pricier in terms of mana cost, requiring four mana against the one and two required by Duress and Thoughtseize, but the potential impact on the opponent’s resources justifies this cost.

Another comparable card is Mind Rot, which forces a discard of any two cards at random. Persecute’s control over the type of cards being discarded can be advantageous, depending on the matchup, though it’s contingent on the knowledge of the opponent’s hand. This strategic insight can be crucial in timing Persecute effectively to ensure maximum disruption.

The sheer potential for a sweeping effect makes Persecute a unique tool for players. If used at an opportune moment, this card can be a game-changer in Magic: The Gathering, destabilizing an opponent’s strategy comprehensively.

Duress - MTG Card versions
Thoughtseize - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Duress - Urza's Saga (USG)
Thoughtseize - Lorwyn (LRW)
Mind Rot - Portal (POR)

Cards similar to Persecute by color, type and mana cost

Stench of Evil - MTG Card versions
Mind Warp - MTG Card versions
Fatal Lore - MTG Card versions
Final Strike - MTG Card versions
Ancient Craving - MTG Card versions
Unmask - MTG Card versions
Reprocess - MTG Card versions
Befoul - MTG Card versions
Agonizing Memories - MTG Card versions
Mutilate - MTG Card versions
Extinction Event - MTG Card versions
Terisiare's Devastation - MTG Card versions
Profane Prayers - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Cranial Extraction - MTG Card versions
Devouring Greed - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Aphetto Dredging - MTG Card versions
Dread Return - MTG Card versions
Consuming Vapors - MTG Card versions
Stench of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Mind Warp - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Fatal Lore - Alliances (ALL)
Final Strike - Portal (POR)
Ancient Craving - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)
Unmask - From the Vault: Lore (V16)
Reprocess - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Befoul - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Agonizing Memories - Tenth Edition (10E)
Mutilate - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Extinction Event - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Terisiare's Devastation - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Profane Prayers - Onslaught (ONS)
Zombify - Masters 25 (A25)
Cranial Extraction - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Devouring Greed - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Diabolic Tutor - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Aphetto Dredging - Premium Deck Series: Slivers (H09)
Dread Return - Commander Masters (CMM)
Consuming Vapors - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Persecute MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and World Championship Decks 1999, 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 Persecute and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Persecute Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1461997normalblackD. Alexander Gregory
21999-08-04World Championship Decks 1999WC99 js146sb1997normalgoldD. Alexander Gregory
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1541997normalwhiteLuca Zontini
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 154★1997normalblackLuca Zontini
52001-08-08World Championship Decks 2001WC01 tvdl154sb1997normalgoldLuca Zontini
62003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1512003normalwhiteD. Alexander Gregory
72003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 151★2003normalblackD. Alexander Gregory
82005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 151★2003normalblackD. Alexander Gregory
92005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1512003normalwhiteD. Alexander Gregory

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Persecute has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 The color is chosen on resolution.

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