Disharmony MTG Card


Disharmony offers a surprise element, gaining temporary control of creatures at instant speed. It has strategic versatilities like altering opponent attacks or enabling surprise combos. Although potent, Disharmony’s mana cost and color specificity may limit its deck compatibility.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Text of card

Target attacking creature comes under your control untapped. Return to former controller at end of turn. This creature is no longer considered to have attacked. Play before defense is chosen.


Cards like Disharmony

Disharmony falls into a unique slot within the realm of control magic in MTG. Analogous to cards like Act of Treason, it grants temporary control over an opponent’s creature. Unlike Act of Treason, Disharmony only takes control of the creature during the declare attackers step and immediately removes it from combat, not offering a chance to attack with the creature yourself.

Moving along the spectrum of control spells, we can compare Disharmony to Ray of Command. While Ray of Command is an instant that provides similar immediate control, it allows the player to engage the creature in combat, unlike Disharmony. This difference significantly impacts the strategic use and timing of these spells. Additionally, Harness by Force stands as a comparative point, allowing for control of any number of targets with its strive mechanic, offering a wider scope of influence during key combats, in contrast to Disharmony’s more singular focus.

Upon evaluating the dynamics and strategic applications, Disharmony maintains its position as an intriguing card in MTG, particularly in scenarios where neutralizing an immediate threat without committing to a full turn’s control is critical.

Act of Treason - MTG Card versions
Ray of Command - MTG Card versions
Harness by Force - MTG Card versions
Act of Treason - MTG Card versions
Ray of Command - MTG Card versions
Harness by Force - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Disharmony by color, type and mana cost

Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
Turf Wound - MTG Card versions
Char - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Aura Barbs - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Staggershock - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions
Rally the Forces - MTG Card versions
Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
Turf Wound - MTG Card versions
Char - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Aura Barbs - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Staggershock - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions
Rally the Forces - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Disharmony is a unique card that can temporarily steal an opponent’s creature during the combat phase. This often leads to immediate card disbalance, as you can effectively neutralize a threat and even utilize it for your advantage in a turn, which may result in a significant swing not just in board presence but in potential card economy as well.

Resource Acceleration: While Disharmony does not directly provide resource acceleration in the traditional sense, using the stolen creature effectively can accelerate your game plan. By redirecting an impending attack, securing a blocker, or even conducting a strategic offensive play, you’re leveraging resources that aren’t originally yours to potentially hasten the pace towards your victory.

Instant Speed: The capacity to act at instant speed gives players the flexibility to adapt to dynamic game states. Disharmony, castable during the combat phase, allows for a level of unpredictability and strategic depth. It’s a tool that can surprise an opponent mid-battle, often when they least expect their offense to be turned against them or when they are committed to an advantageous attack, thus giving you the element of surprise and control over the pace of combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Disharmony requires you to have a red mana source. If your deck isn’t optimized for red mana, this could compromise its playability in multicolor decks that don’t prioritize red.

Specific Mana Cost: Disharmony comes with a somewhat restrictive casting cost that includes both generic and red mana. Because of this specific requirement, it might be challenging to cast in a timely manner especially in a deck with a strained mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to deploy Disharmony can be considered steep for its temporary control-stealing effect. There are options in the game that could give you control of a creature permanently or provide additional benefits for a similar or lower cost, potentially offering a bigger advantage.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Disharmony is a valuable tool for decks that thrive on temporarily taking control of opponents’ creatures. Its flexibility allows for both offensive and defensive plays, effectively turning the tide of the game.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to seize a creature before the combat phase offers synergy with sacrifice outlets or effects that capitalize on attacking with additional creatures. It can orchestrate unexpected combos, disrupting your opponent’s strategy.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of creature-heavy decks, Disharmony can be a tactical inclusion. It exploits key creatures from opponents, often neutralizing threats or using them to your advantage before they revert to their owner.


How to beat

Disharmony is a unique spell in Magic: The Gathering that can temporarily disrupt your opponent’s board state by taking control of one of their creatures during your turn. While this may seem daunting, the key to overcoming Disharmony lies in maintaining control of the board and being cautious with your creature’s engagements. One common strategy is to include instant-speed removal or bounce spells in your deck, which allows you to respond to the Disharmony by either sending the targeted creature back to your hand or permanently removing it from the game before your opponent has the chance to reap any benefits from it.

Additionally, playing creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects can mitigate the loss of value if they are taken by Disharmony, as you’ll still gain the initial benefit of the creature when it enters the battlefield under your control. As with any interaction, understanding the timing and having a counter strategy is crucial for maintaining the upper hand against disruptive cards like Disharmony. Effective sideboarding with cards that can neutralize or bypass Disharmony’s effects can also be a defining factor in overcoming this challenging spell during a match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Disharmony MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Masters Edition III, 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 Disharmony and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Disharmony Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Bryon Wackwitz.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 1421993NormalBlackBryon Wackwitz
22009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 951997NormalBlackBryon Wackwitz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Disharmony has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Disharmony works even if the attacker was not tapped to attack.
2004-10-04 The creature untaps (if it was tapped) before you get control of it.
2008-10-01 Disharmony can target a creature you control.
2008-10-01 The current wording explicitly removes the creature from combat. It is no longer an attacking or blocking creature.
2009-10-01 If you cast Disharmony during an opponent’s turn, you may then block with the creature you gain control of (assuming there’s an attacking creature it can block).
2013-09-20 If a turn has multiple combat phases, this spell can be cast during any of them as long as it’s before the beginning of that phase’s Declare Blockers Step.