Invoke Despair MTG Card


Invokes card advantage, inducing opponents to lose multiple resources at once and pressuring their play options. Despite the high mana cost and speed limitation, its board impact can be decisive, swaying outcomes. Efficient in black-centric decks, it’s versatile, with combo potential and significant meta relevance.
Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Target opponent sacrifices a creature. If they can't, they lose 2 life and you draw a card. Then repeat this process for an enchantment and a planeswalker.


Cards like Invoke Despair

Invoke Despair stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a notable black card that offers both creature and life reduction advantages. While it may remind players of another powerful spell, Mind Twist, which also disrupts opponents’ hands by forcing discards, Invoke Despair carries the added weight of reducing life totals and creature presence. Unlike Mind Twist, Invoke Despair doesn’t target a single opponent, resulting in a broader impact across multiplayer games.

Cost comparison is critical, with Invoke Despair demanding a heftier mana investment similar to In Garruk’s Wake, which also offers a sweeping effect but at a higher cast cost. However, while In Garruk’s Wake focuses on destroying creatures and planeswalkers solely, Invoke Despair spreads the pain more evenly by decreasing opponents’ life totals and creatures while forcing card discards, offering players a multi-front assault.

To sum up, Invoke Despair is a promising choice for those willing to reach deeper into their mana reserves for a broad and multifaceted attack. It shines in its category for the diverse avenues of pressure it presents to opponents, making it a powerful and fear-inducing card for any MTG player’s arsenal.

Mind Twist - MTG Card versions
In Garruk's Wake - MTG Card versions
Mind Twist - MTG Card versions
In Garruk's Wake - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Invoke Despair by color, type and mana cost

Reign of Terror - MTG Card versions
Soul Shred - MTG Card versions
Living Death - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Unrest - MTG Card versions
Final Punishment - MTG Card versions
Soul Feast - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Bidding - MTG Card versions
Aether Snap - MTG Card versions
Dance of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Sever Soul - MTG Card versions
Head Games - MTG Card versions
Promise of Power - MTG Card versions
Rise from the Grave - MTG Card versions
Incremental Blight - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Plague - MTG Card versions
Spread the Sickness - MTG Card versions
Monomania - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Revelation - MTG Card versions
Crux of Fate - MTG Card versions
Fugue - MTG Card versions
Reign of Terror - MTG Card versions
Soul Shred - MTG Card versions
Living Death - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Unrest - MTG Card versions
Final Punishment - MTG Card versions
Soul Feast - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Bidding - MTG Card versions
Aether Snap - MTG Card versions
Dance of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Sever Soul - MTG Card versions
Head Games - MTG Card versions
Promise of Power - MTG Card versions
Rise from the Grave - MTG Card versions
Incremental Blight - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Plague - MTG Card versions
Spread the Sickness - MTG Card versions
Monomania - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Revelation - MTG Card versions
Crux of Fate - MTG Card versions
Fugue - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Invoke Despair. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Black MidrangeMono-Black Midrange PioneerMono-Black MidrangePioneer League 2024-04-16 (1)
Mono-Black CoffersMono-Black Coffers ModernMono-Black CoffersModern League 2024-04-16
Mono-Black DiscardMono-Black Discard PioneerMono-Black DiscardPioneer Preliminary 2024-04-23 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Invoke Despair shines in generating card advantage by potentially forcing an opponent to lose multiple resources, including creatures, enchantments, and hand cards in a single play. This effect not only diminishes their board presence but also applies pressure on their strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: While Invoke Despair itself does not directly accelerate resources, the impact of reducing your opponent’s resources can indirectly lead to a situation where your resources are effectively accelerated in comparison. This can lead to a significant tempo swing, giving you the upper hand to deploy threats unhindered.

Instant Speed: Although not castable at instant speed, the sheer potency of Invoke Despair’s effect at sorcery speed compensates for this. The card’s ability to dismantle an opponent’s game state can be a decisive move that sets up victory, making timing of the play crucial despite its speed restriction.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Invoke Despair demands a precise blend of mana, including two black. This requirement could limit its inclusion only to decks that can reliably produce the necessary black mana symbols, potentially straining the mana base in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana, including three generic and two black, the card could be deemed expensive for its effect. Players may find that by the time they gather enough mana to cast it, the game’s dynamic could have shifted, making it less impactful.

Discard Requirement: Although Invoke Despair doesn’t require discarding as a cost, its effectiveness is partially dependent on opponents having cards in hand to discard. This can make it considerably less potent later in the game when opponents might already be running low on resources, making it less disruptive than other discard spells.


Reasons to Include Invoke Despair in Your Collection

Versatility: Invoke Despair offers a dynamic play across numerous deck archetypes. It’s particularly effective in black-centric or multicolor schemes that can leverage both the life drain and card disadvantage it inflicts on opponents.

Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies focused on sacrificing creatures for benefit or utilizing death triggers. It can be a game-changer when combined with cards that capitalize on opponent’s loss of life or creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Given the landscape of competitive play, where resource attrition can be key, Invoke Despair could play a critical role. It disrupts opponent’s plans while bolstering your own board state, making it a strategic inclusion in decks aiming to dominate in the current meta.


How to beat Invoke Despair

Invoke Despair is a powerful addition to the roster of MTG multicolor cards, known for its potential to upset the balance on the battlefield. The key to countering this card lies in managing your resources and board presence carefully. Unlike a straightforward removal card, Invoke Despair applies pressure by forcing sacrifices from multiple angles—creatures, life, and cards from your hand. To mitigate its impact, maintaining a diverse board with expendable creatures can be crucial. This preserves your more valuable creatures while still obeying the sacrifice requirement. Cards that generate token creatures become invaluable in this context. Additionally, life gain strategies can help cushion the blow from the life loss aspect of Invoke Despair. Playing around this card means you’ll have to anticipate when it could be cast and prepare accordingly, keeping an extra creature or two on the board or holding onto a card in your hand that you can afford to discard. Finally, consider using counter spells to directly negate Invoke Despair’s effects. A well-timed counterspell can completely neutralize the threat, keeping your resources intact and preserving your strategy.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is a journey of discovery, and Invoke Despair is a card that presents fascinating strategic depth. Understanding how to leverage its strengths and counteract its weaknesses can be the difference between a stalled board and a sweeping win. Dive deeper into MTG strategies and refine your gameplay. We encourage you to learn more about Invoke Despair and integrate it creatively into your decks to seize control of the game. Knowledge is power in MTG, and we’re here to help you harness it, ensuring every match leaves your opponents in awe of your tactical prowess. Step up your game and join us on this captivating quest.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Invoke Despair MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Invoke Despair and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Invoke Despair Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 979672015NormalBlackDonato Giancola
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 979652015NormalBlackOlivier Bernard
32022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 3792015NormalBlackTomohito
42022-02-18Neon Dynasty Art SeriesANEO 572015Art seriesBorderless
52022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 1012015NormalBlackOlivier Bernard
62022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty PromosPNEO 101p2015NormalBlackOlivier Bernard
72022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty PromosPNEO 101s2015NormalBlackOlivier Bernard
82022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 5062015NormalBlackDonato Giancola
92022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 4552015NormalBlackOlivier Bernard

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Invoke Despair has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardBanned
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureBanned
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-02-18 The target opponent doesn't choose whether to sacrifice a creature or not, although they do choose which creature they control to sacrifice.
2022-02-18 When you repeat the process, you don't choose a new player. The same player sacrifices each of the three permanents, if able.
2022-02-18 You repeat the process for an enchantment and a planeswalker whether the target opponent was able to sacrifice a creature or not.