Death Ward MTG Card


Grants creatures robust defense, thwarting opponents’ removal efforts and preserving your battlefield investment. Instant casting allows surprise protection, dramatically altering the course of battles and trades. Encourages strategic hand management, challenging players to balance card retention with tactical plays.
Card setsReleased in 15 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Regenerates target creature.


Cards like Death Ward

Death Ward presents a unique spin on creature protection in Magic the Gathering. Its impact resembles cards such as Gods Willing or Shelter, which also serve to safeguard creatures from harm. Where Death Ward shines is in its ability to completely negate the damage or effects that would destroy a creature, rather than just preventing one type of damage or providing a temporary boost to toughness.

Comparably, we find Stave Off, offering temporary protection through targeting a creature to gain protection from the color of your choice until the end of the turn. While Stave Off can be strategically valuable to avoid specific threats, Death Ward’s ability to resurrect a creature if it were to die that turn gives it an edge, specifically in longer, more drawn-out engagements.

In weighing these options, Death Ward’s reuse due to its “regenerate” clause holds distinct tactical advantages in ensuring creature longevity. This is particularly useful in deck builds centered on key creatures, where you aim to repeatedly thwart your opponent’s attempts to remove your critical piece from the battlefield. Although other protective spells offer versatility, the resilience provided by Death Ward in maintaining a strong board presence is invaluable.

Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Stave Off - MTG Card versions
Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Stave Off - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Death Ward by color, type and mana cost

Blaze of Glory - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Purelace - MTG Card versions
Guardian Angel - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Righteousness - MTG Card versions
Indestructible Aura - MTG Card versions
Glyph of Life - MTG Card versions
Warning - MTG Card versions
Heal - MTG Card versions
Anoint - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Rewards - MTG Card versions
Rally the Troops - MTG Card versions
Scent of Jasmine - MTG Card versions
Moment of Silence - MTG Card versions
Enlightened Tutor - MTG Card versions
Orim's Touch - MTG Card versions
Pollen Remedy - MTG Card versions
Sacred Rites - MTG Card versions
Pay No Heed - MTG Card versions
Blaze of Glory - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Purelace - MTG Card versions
Guardian Angel - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Righteousness - MTG Card versions
Indestructible Aura - MTG Card versions
Glyph of Life - MTG Card versions
Warning - MTG Card versions
Heal - MTG Card versions
Anoint - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Rewards - MTG Card versions
Rally the Troops - MTG Card versions
Scent of Jasmine - MTG Card versions
Moment of Silence - MTG Card versions
Enlightened Tutor - MTG Card versions
Orim's Touch - MTG Card versions
Pollen Remedy - MTG Card versions
Sacred Rites - MTG Card versions
Pay No Heed - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Death Ward’s proactive protection helps in preserving key creatures on the battlefield, effectively denying opponents the ability to diminish your board presence without burning more than one spell or ability, thus maintaining a card advantage over them.

Resource Acceleration: While Death Ward doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it ensures that your valuable creatures can survive potential threats, indirectly maintaining the pace of resource development by preserving the creatures that contribute to your overall mana strategy or offensive capabilities.

Instant Speed: Death Ward’s strength lies in its instant-speed casting ability, allowing you to respond swiftly to any removal or damaging spell cast by an adversary. This tactical flexibility provides the element of surprise and can lead to advantageous trades or frustrate the opponent’s attempts to disrupt your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Death Ward does not make you discard directly, having to hold it until the right moment can indirectly pressure your hand, forcing you to choose between card retention and playing other spells.

Specific Mana Cost: Death Ward requires white mana, which may not align with multicolored or colorless strategies, potentially restricting it to white-based decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: As a single-use effect with a one white mana requirement, Death Ward might seem efficient, but given its limited scope of protection, you might find yourself investing in mana that could be better spent on versatile or recurring protection options.


Reasons to Include Death Ward in Your Collection

Versatility: Death Ward offers protection for your key creatures, allowing them to survive board wipes and targeted removal. This makes it valuable in decks that depend on certain creatures being in play to execute their strategy.

Combo Potential: With the ability to regenerate a creature, Death Ward works well in combos that require creatures to tap or sacrifice themselves, since it can save them to be reused. This opens up opportunities for repeated effects and interactions within the same turn.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where removal spells are prevalent, having a card like Death Ward can help maintain your board presence. This is particularly beneficial when facing control decks that rely heavily on dismantling your battlefield to gain the upper hand.


How to beat

Death Ward presents a unique challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering; it’s a tool for resilience, allowing creatures to survive what would otherwise be lethal damage. To effectively counter this spell, it’s crucial to understand its mechanics. Death Ward can only regenerate a creature that is already on the battlefield, meaning that preemptive measures are key. Utilizing instant-speed removal when your opponent is tapped out, thus unable to cast Death Ward, is an adept strategy. Additionally, exile effects bypass regeneration completely. Cards that force sacrifice are also effective, as regeneration does not prevent a creature from being sacrificed.

Another approach is to limit your opponent’s resources, making it more difficult for them to cast Death Ward. Land destruction, discard spells, or countering key spells that would set up their defenses ensure that Death Ward won’t interrupt your strategy. Assess your own deck and consider adding specific counters to Death Ward. If you’re able to adapt to its rigidity, you’ll find that this card can be handled with relative ease, maintaining control over the game and your path to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Death Ward MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Death Ward and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Death Ward Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 171993NormalBlackMark Poole
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 181993NormalBlackMark Poole
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 181993NormalWhiteMark Poole
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 181993NormalBlackMark Poole
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 181993NormalBlackMark Poole
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 161993NormalBlackMark Poole
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 161993NormalWhiteMark Poole
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 161993NormalWhiteMark Poole
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 211993NormalWhiteMark Poole
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 211993NormalBlackMark Poole
111995-06-03Ice AgeICE 191993NormalBlackHarold McNeill
121997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 251997NormalWhiteMark Poole
132007-09-10Masters EditionME1 81997NormalBlackMark Poole
142022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 172015NormalBlackMark Poole
152022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3141997NormalBlackMark Poole

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Death Ward has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal