Reaping the Rewards

Instant

Buyback-Sacrifice a land. (You may sacrifice a land in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

You gain 2 life.

Forbid

Instant

Buyback-Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Counter target spell.

Culling the Weak

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Culling the Weak, sacrifice a creature.

Add to your mana pool.

"The blood of the weak shall be the ink with which we scribe great Yawgmoth's glorious name."
-Stronghold architect, journal

Hatred

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Hatred, pay X life.

Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.

"I will flay the skin from your flesh and the flesh from your bones and scrape your bones dry. And still you will not have suffered enough."
-Greven il-Vec, to Gerrard

Scare Tactics

Instant

Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.

"Fear rules those weak enough to accept it."
-Greven il-Vec

Slaughter

Instant

Buyback-Pay 4 life. (You may pay 4 life in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Fighting Chance

Instant

For each blocking creature, flip a coin. If you win the flip, prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by that creature this turn.

A stroke of luck can smite an army.

Price of Progress

Instant

Price of Progress deals damage to each player equal to twice the number of nonbasic lands that player controls.

Man versus nature is not a fair fight.

Shattering Pulse

Instant

Buyback (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Destroy target artifact.

Sonic Burst

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Sonic Burst, discard a card at random.

Sonic Burst deals 4 damage to target creature or player.

Music scythes the savage beast.

Resuscitate

Instant

Until end of turn, creatures you control gain ": Regenerate this creature."

"It is the art of convincing someone to live."
-Orim, Samite healer

Clear

Instant

Destroy target enchantment.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Humble

Instant

Target creature loses all abilities and becomes 0/1 until end of turn.

"It is not your place to rule, Radiant. It may not even be mine."
-Serra

Waylay

Instant

Put three 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield. Exile them at the beginning of the next cleanup step.

"You reek of corruption," spat the knight. "Why are you even here?"

Annul

Instant

Counter target artifact or enchantment spell.

The most effective way to destroy a spell is to ensure it was never cast in the first place.

Curfew

Instant

Each player returns a creature he or she controls to its owner's hand.

". . . But I'm not tired!"

Rescind

Instant

Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Stroke of Genius

Instant

Target player draws X cards.

After a hundred failed experiments, Urza was stunned to find that common silver passed through the portal undamaged. He immediately designed a golem made of the metal.

Sunder

Instant

Return all lands to their owners' hands.

The flow of time was disrupted; like a flooding river it rose from its banks. Tolaria was drowned in an instant that stretched toward infinity.

Turnabout

Instant

Choose artifact, creature, or land. Tap all untapped permanents of the chosen type target player controls, or untap all tapped permanents of that type that player controls.

The best cure for a big ego is a little failure.

Breach

Instant

Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains fear until end of turn. (It can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

Expunge

Instant

Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Rain of Filth

Instant

Until end of turn, lands you control gain "Sacrifice this land: Add to your mana pool."

"When I say it rained, it was not small drops, but a thick, greasy drool pouring from the heavens."
-Urza, journal

Brand

Instant

Gain control of all permanents you own. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

"By this glyph I affirm your role."
-Urza, to Karn

Falter

Instant

Creatures without flying can't block this turn.

Like a sleeping dragon, Shiv stirs and groans at times.

Fault Line

Instant

Fault Line deals X damage to each creature without flying and each player.

We live on the serpent's back.
-Viashino saying

Headlong Rush

Instant

Attacking creatures gain first strike until end of turn.

A landslide of goblins poured toward the defenders-tumbling, rolling, and bouncing their way down the steep hillside.

Outmaneuver

Instant

X target blocked creatures assign their combat damage this turn as though they weren't blocked.

"Push one goblin into sight, an' run a lot. That's tactics."
-Jula, goblin raider

Scrap

Instant

Destroy target artifact.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Shower of Sparks

Instant

Shower of Sparks deals 1 damage to target creature and 1 damage to target player.

The viashino had learned how to operate the rig through trial and error-mostly error.

Lull

Instant

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Symbiosis

Instant

Two target creatures each get +2/+2 until end of turn.

Although the elves of Argoth always considered them a nuisance, the pixies made fine allies during the war against the machines.

Burst of Energy

Instant

Untap target permanent.

"I stand ready to die for our world. Who will stand with me?"
-Radiant, archangel

Hope and Glory

Instant

Untap two target creatures. Each of them gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

"Serra ruled by faith. I cannot afford that luxury."
-Radiant, archangel

Iron Will

Instant

Target creature gets +0/+4 until end of turn.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Peace and Quiet

Instant

Destroy two target enchantments.

"In time our realm will shine again. But it will gleam only when we scour away the taint of doubt."
-Radiant, archangel

Radiant's Judgment

Instant

Destroy target creature with power 4 or greater.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Frantic Search

Instant

Draw two cards, then discard two cards. Untap up to three lands.

Motivation was high in the academy once students realized flunking their exams could kill them.

Intervene

Instant

Counter target spell that targets a creature.

"At first I simply observed. But I found that without investment in others, life serves no purpose."
-Karn, silver golem

Miscalculation

Instant

Counter target spell unless its controller pays .

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Rebuild

Instant

Return all artifacts to their owners' hands.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Snap

Instant

Return target creature to its owner's hand. Untap up to two lands.

Good riddance.

Sick and Tired

Instant

Two target creatures each get -1/-1 until end of turn.

The Phyrexians' only interest in organic life is discerning its weakness.

Swat

Instant

Destroy target creature with power 2 or less.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

About Face

Instant

Switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

The overconfident are the most vulnerable.

Last-Ditch Effort

Instant

Sacrifice any number of creatures. Last-Ditch Effort deals that much damage to target creature or player.

"If you're gonna lose, at least make sure they don't win as much."
-Jula, goblin raider

Parch

Instant

Choose one - Parch deals 2 damage to target creature or player; or Parch deals 4 damage to target blue creature.

"Your porous flesh betrays you."
-Fire Eye, viashino bey

Rack and Ruin

Instant

Destroy two target artifacts.

"My people are bound by masters centuries dead. Each artifact we destroy is another link broken in that chain."
-Barb Tail, viashino heretic

Crop Rotation

Instant

As an additional cost to cast Crop Rotation, sacrifice a land.

Search your library for a land card and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.

"Hmm . . . maybe lotuses this year."

Harmonic Convergence

Instant

Put all enchantments on top of their owners' libraries.

When the eternal stars align, can mere mortals resist?

Repopulate

Instant

Shuffle all creature cards from target player's graveyard into that player's library.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Silk Net

Instant

Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains reach until end of turn. (It can block creatures with flying.)

Sometimes it's possible to pull a meal out of thin air.

Fend Off

Instant

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by target creature this turn.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

The best defense is to not get hit.

Scent of Jasmine

Instant

Reveal any number of white cards in your hand. You gain 2 life for each card revealed this way.

Scour

Instant

Exile target enchantment. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with the same name as that enchantment and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

Quash

Instant

Counter target instant or sorcery spell. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with the same name as that spell and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

Rescue

Instant

Return target permanent you control to its owner's hand.

"Urza, I've discovered more promising students than you and my husband have, combined. And I haven't lost a single one."
-Rayne, Academy Chancellor

Scent of Brine

Instant

Reveal any number of blue cards in your hand. Counter target spell unless its controller pays for each card revealed this way.

Rapid Decay

Instant

Exile up to three target cards from a single graveyard.

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

The grave robbers arrived the day after the burial. They were a day too late.

Scent of Nightshade

Instant

Reveal any number of black cards in your hand. Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.

Magnify

Instant

All creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn.

The seed torches' pollen gives off light, but the elves find it heightens their senses as well.

Scent of Ivy

Instant

Reveal any number of green cards in your hand. Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.

Honor the Fallen

Instant

Exile all creature cards from all graveyards. You gain 1 life for each card exiled this way.

"May the River claim Cho-Manno's body, wherever it lies."
-Ta-Karnst, Cho-Arrim healer

Moment of Silence

Instant

Target player skips his or her next combat phase this turn.

The silence commemorates not those who've died, but those about to.

Orim's Cure

Instant

If you control a Plains, you may tap an untapped creature you control rather than pay Orim's Cure's mana cost.

Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

Ramosian Rally

Instant

If you control a Plains, you may tap an untapped creature you control rather than pay Ramosian Rally's mana cost.

Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.

Renounce

Instant

Sacrifice any number of permanents. You gain 2 life for each permanent sacrificed this way.

Gerrard offered no defense to Orim's condemnation; the mission was under his command, and he was responsible.

Reverent Mantra

Instant

You may exile a white card from your hand rather than pay Reverent Mantra's mana cost.

Choose a color. All creatures gain protection from the chosen color until end of turn.

Soothing Balm

Instant

Target player gains 5 life.

Orim taught Ta-Karnst and the other Cho-Arrim healers a far less invasive method of healing.

Gush

Instant

You may return two Islands you control to their owner's hand rather than pay Gush's mana cost.

Draw two cards.

Don't trust your secrets to the sea.

Hoodwink

Instant

Return target artifact, enchantment, or land to its owner's hand.

The youths of Rishada's marketplace are always ready for a quick footrace.

Karn's Touch

Instant

Target noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost until end of turn. (It retains its abilities.)

Misdirection

Instant

You may exile a blue card from your hand rather than pay Misdirection's mana cost.

Change the target of target spell with a single target.

Shoving Match

Instant

Until end of turn, all creatures gain ": Tap target creature."

Rishadan barkeeps know something the Mercadians have yet to learn: if you keep pushing, someone will eventually push back.

Thwart

Instant

You may return three Islands you control to their owner's hand rather than pay Thwart's mana cost.

Counter target spell.

Tidal Bore

Instant

You may return an Island you control to its owner's hand rather than pay Tidal Bore's mana cost.

You may tap or untap target creature.

The dry riverbed became a raging torrent, and the Cho-Arrim claimed their prize.

Ghoul's Feast

Instant

Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard.

Mercadians not wealthy enough to buy a tomb are thrown into a bog called "the Ghoul's Larder."

Rouse

Instant

If you control a Swamp, you may pay 2 life rather than pay Rouse's mana cost.

Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

Snuff Out

Instant

If you control a Swamp, you may pay 4 life rather than pay Snuff Out's mana cost.

Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Squee watched his Kyren cousins fall with a mixture of sympathy and relief.

Blood Oath

Instant

Choose a card type. Target opponent reveals his or her hand. Blood Oath deals 3 damage to that player for each card of the chosen type revealed this way. (Artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal are card types.)

Brawl

Instant

Until end of turn, all creatures gain ": This creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature."

Anything can happen when patience is scarce and wine is abundant.

Crash

Instant

You may sacrifice a Mountain rather than pay Crash's mana cost.

Destroy target artifact.

Gerrard shook his head as the ground rushed to meet him. "This," he thought, "is not the start I was hoping for."

Lunge

Instant

Lunge deals 2 damage to target creature and 2 damage to target player.

Cho-Arrim righteousness was no match for Benalish combat training.

Mercadia's Downfall

Instant

Each attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each nonbasic land defending player controls.

With an explosion that shook the foundation of the city, the Weatherlight burst from the underground hangar.

Puppet's Verdict

Instant

Flip a coin. If you win the flip, destroy all creatures with power 2 or less. If you lose the flip, destroy all creatures with power 3 or greater.

"What was heads again?"
-Mercadian magistrate

Thunderclap

Instant

You may sacrifice a Mountain rather than pay Thunderclap's mana cost.

Thunderclap deals 3 damage to target creature.

Warpath

Instant

Warpath deals 3 damage to each blocking creature and each blocked creature.

Cho-Manno had never seen Mercadia City's forces fight so well. The magistrate must have hired a new hero.

Invigorate

Instant

If you control a Forest, rather than pay Invigorate's mana cost, you may have an opponent gain 3 life.

Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.

Angelic Favor

Instant

If you control a Plains, you may tap an untapped creature you control rather than pay Angelic Favor's mana cost.

Cast Angelic Favor only during combat.

Put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.

Off Balance

Instant

Target creature can't attack or block this turn.

A heavy weapon deals plenty of damage-but it does have to hit.

Sivvi's Ruse

Instant

If an opponent controls a Mountain and you control a Plains, you may cast Sivvi's Ruse without paying its mana cost.

Prevent all damage that would be dealt this turn to creatures you control.

Sivvi's Valor

Instant

If you control a Plains, you may tap an untapped creature you control rather than pay Sivvi's Valor's mana cost.

All damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn is dealt to you instead.

Accumulated Knowledge

Instant

Draw a card, then draw cards equal to the number of cards named Accumulated Knowledge in all graveyards.

"I have seen and heard much here. There are secrets within secrets. Let me show you."
-Takara, to Eladamri

Daze

Instant

You may return an Island you control to its owner's hand rather than pay Daze's mana cost.

Counter target spell unless its controller pays .

Dominate

Instant

Gain control of target creature with converted mana cost X or less. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

"I've come to reclaim what is mine. And you, Greven, are mine."
-Volrath

Ensnare

Instant

You may return two Islands you control to their owner's hand rather than pay Ensnare's mana cost.

Tap all creatures.

Rootwater has become as dangerous to its denizens as to its enemies.

Infiltrate

Instant

Target creature is unblockable this turn.

Getting in was the easy part. Getting out proved to be more difficult.

Pale Moon

Instant

Until end of turn, if a player taps a nonbasic land for mana, it produces colorless mana instead of any other type.

Denizens of Rath had never seen the moon before. It was a symbol of change, not constancy.

Submerge

Instant

If an opponent controls a Forest and you control an Island, you may cast Submerge without paying its mana cost.

Put target creature on top of its owner's library.

Dark Triumph

Instant

If you control a Swamp, you may sacrifice a creature rather than pay Dark Triumph's mana cost.

Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn.

All that's left is the coronation.