Desecration PlagueHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Desecration Plague is a targeted destruction spell. It specifically targets either an enchantment or a land. When the spell resolves, the chosen permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. Because it is a sorcery, you can only cast it during your main phase when the stack is empty.

Resolving the Spell Step-by-Step

First, you cast Desecration Plague by paying its mana cost of three generic and one green mana. Second, you choose a single target: either one enchantment or one land. If the target is illegal when the spell tries to resolve (for example, if the land is sacrificed in response), the spell will fail to resolve and have no effect. If the target is still legal, the permanent is destroyed.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is trying to target other permanent types like creatures or artifacts; Desecration Plague strictly only affects enchantments or lands. Additionally, players sometimes forget that destroying a land does not stop abilities that have already been activated or triggered from that land. Ensure you target the land before your opponent can utilize its specific utility if possible.

Strategic Timing

Use this card to remove problematic mana fixers or powerful global enchantments. In the early game, destroying a land can set back an opponent who is struggling with mana, while in the late game, it is better saved for game-winning enchantments or non-basic lands with powerful activated abilities.

Interaction examples

Combating Ramp Strategies

Cultivate

Your opponent casts Cultivate to put a basic Forest onto the battlefield. On your following turn, you cast Desecration Plague targeting that specific Forest. Since the Forest is a land, it is destroyed, effectively undoing the mana advantage your opponent just gained.

Interrupting Mana Development

Kodama's Reach

Similar to Cultivate, if an opponent uses Kodama's Reach to search for a land and places it on the field, you can cast Desecration Plague to destroy that land. This is particularly effective if they are playing a multi-color deck and you destroy the only land of a specific color they have.

Standard Removal

If an opponent controls a powerful enchantment that is buffing their creatures, you simply cast Desecration Plague targeting that enchantment. Upon resolution, the enchantment is destroyed and moved to the graveyard.