Tivadar's CrusadeHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Tivadar's Crusade is a niche board wipe that targets a specific creature type: Goblins. Unlike a traditional Wrath of God, it does not affect any other creatures, allowing you to clear your opponent's board while keeping your own non-Goblin creatures safe. It is a simple, effective sorcery that destroys all Goblins regardless of who controls them.

How It Resolves

When you cast Tivadar's Crusade, it goes onto the stack like any other sorcery. Upon resolution, the game checks for every permanent currently on the battlefield with the 'Goblin' creature type. All such permanents are destroyed simultaneously and put into their owners' graveyards. Note that this effect does not target, so creatures with Shroud or Hexproof will still be destroyed.

Common Mistakes

A common error is forgetting that Tivadar's Crusade destroys all Goblins, including your own. If you happen to be playing a deck with Changeling creatures or your own Goblin utility cards, they will be caught in the crossfire. Additionally, remember that Indestructible Goblins will not be destroyed by this effect, as 'destroy' effects are ignored by the Indestructible keyword.

When to Play It

This card is most effective when your local metagame or opponent is heavily invested in Goblin tribal synergies. Because it costs only three mana, it can be deployed early enough to stop aggressive starts before they become overwhelming. It is also an excellent target for recursion spells due to its low mana value.

Interaction examples

Recycling the Crusade

Sevinne's Reclamation

If Tivadar's Crusade is in your graveyard, you can cast Sevinne's Reclamation targeting it. Since the Crusade has a mana value of 3, it is returned to the battlefield and immediately put back into the graveyard as it is a sorcery; however, because it cannot enter the battlefield, it simply fails to resolve this way. Correct usage involves using Sevinne's Reclamation to bring back other utility permanents while having the Crusade ready for your next turn if you have ways to cast it from the grave, or simply using the Reclamation to rebuild your own board after the Crusade has cleared the way.

Strategic Tutoring

Open the Armory

In a deck running both cards, it is important to note their limitations. While Open the Armory can search for Auras or Equipment to buff your creatures, it cannot find Tivadar's Crusade because the Crusade is a Sorcery, not an Aura or Equipment. You would use Open the Armory to find protection for your non-Goblin creatures, ensuring they survive other threats while your Crusade handles the Goblin tokens.

Clearing the Hord

Imagine your opponent has ten Goblin tokens and a Goblin King. You cast Tivadar's Crusade. Since all eleven creatures share the Goblin subtype, they are all destroyed at once, regardless of the King's buff, effectively resetting your opponent's board for just three mana.