Magic The Gathering Cards That Can Be Cast For Free By Meeting Specific Conditions

In the trading card game Magic: The Gathering, players typically spend mana to cast spells. However, certain cards possess alternative casting costs or conditions that allow them to be played without spending mana. These cards provide significant tactical advantages by enabling players to utilize resources other than land-based mana, such as exiling cards from hand, sacrificing permanents, or discarding specific card types. An article on the Cards Realm website details 20 such cards, noting that while some are well-known, many are less popular options that can be effective in specific deck strategies. The article defines "free" cards as those that can be cast without mana cost once specific conditions are met, distinguishing them from cards that simply have reduced costs under certain circumstances.

The source material describes a variety of cards that utilize different resource types to facilitate free casting. These include cards that require exiling cards from the hand, discarding specific land types, sacrificing creatures, or returning lands to the hand. The mechanics vary by color and card type, offering solutions for card draw, creature removal, board wipes, and spell counters. The following sections detail specific cards mentioned in the source material, categorized by the primary method used to cast them for free.

Exiling Cards from Hand

Several cards allow players to cast them for free by exiling specific cards from their hand. This mechanic is often found in blue and black cards, requiring the player to trade card advantage for immediate board impact.

Snapback Snapback is a blue instant card. It can be cast for free by exiling a blue card from the player's hand. Its effect allows the player to return a target creature to its owner's hand. The source notes that this spell can be used both offensively to disrupt an opponent's attack and defensively to protect a player's own creature.

Disrupting Shoal Disrupting Shoal is an X-cost blue card that can be cast for free by exiling a blue card from the hand. When cast this way, it counters a target spell with a converted mana cost equal to the converted mana cost of the exiled card. The source compares its function to that of Kozilek, the Great Distortion.

Reverent Mantra Reverent Mantra is a white card that can be cast for free by exiling a white card from the hand. It grants protection from a color of the player's choice to all creatures until the end of the turn. The source warns that this effect applies to all creatures on the battlefield, including those controlled by opponents.

Unmask Unmask is a black sorcery. By exiling a black card from the hand, a player can cast Unmask for free to look at an opponent's hand and force them to discard a nonland card.

Soul Spike Soul Spike is a black instant that deals 4 damage to any target and grants the caster 4 life. It can be cast for free by exiling two black cards from the hand.

Fury of the Horde Fury of the Horde is a red card that allows a player to play an extra combat phase and an additional main phase. To cast it for free, a player must exile two red cards from their hand.

Sunscour Sunscour is a white sorcery that destroys all creatures on the battlefield. It can be cast for free by exiling two other white cards from the hand.

Cave-In Cave-In is a red sorcery that deals 2 damage to each creature and each player. It can be cast for free by exiling a red card from the hand.

Allosaurus Rider Allosaurus Rider is a green creature—an Elf Warrior mounted on a Dinosaur. It can be cast for free by exiling two green cards from the hand. Its power and toughness are determined by the number of lands the player controls (1 plus that number).

Discarding Lands

Some cards require the player to discard specific types of land cards to cast them for free. This mechanic is often associated with white and green cards.

Abolish Abolish is a white card that destroys a target artifact or enchantment. To cast it for free, a player must discard a Plains from their hand.

Snag Snag is a green instant that prevents all combat damage that would be dealt by unblocked creatures for the turn. It can be cast for free by discarding a Forest from the hand instead of paying its mana cost.

Foil Foil is a blue instant that counters a target spell. It can be cast for free by discarding an Island and another card from the hand.

Sacrificing Permanents

Certain cards require the sacrifice of permanents, such as creatures or lands, to be cast without a mana cost.

Demon of Death's Gate Demon of Death's Gate is a black creature with Flying and Trample (9/9). It has an alternative cost that allows it to be cast for free by sacrificing three black creatures and paying 6 life. The source notes that the sacrificed creatures can be tokens.

Flare of Cultivation Flare of Cultivation is a green sorcery that functions similarly to Cultivate. It allows the player to search their library for two basic lands, put one onto the battlefield tapped, and keep the other in their hand. It can be cast for free by sacrificing a creature.

Land Grant Land Grant is a green sorcery that allows a player to reveal their hand. If they have no lands in hand, they can play Land Grant for free to search their deck for a Forest and put it into their hand.

Graveyard and Other Conditions

Other cards utilize the graveyard or specific game states to enable free casting.

Spinning Darkness Spinning Darkness is a black instant that deals 3 damage to a target nonblack creature and gains the caster 3 life. It can be cast for free by exiling three black cards from the graveyard.

Thwart Thwart is a blue instant that counters a target spell. It can be cast for free by returning three Islands from the battlefield to the player's hand.

Summoning Trap Summoning Trap is a green instant. If a creature spell the player casts was countered by an opponent's spell or ability, Summoning Trap can be cast for free. Upon casting, the player looks at the top seven cards of their library, puts a creature card from among them onto the battlefield, and shuffles the rest into their library.

Nourishing Shoal Nourishing Shoal is a green sorcery that grants the caster life equal to X. It can be cast for free by exiling a card from the hand. The value of X is equal to the converted mana cost of the exiled card. For example, exiling a Ghalta, Primal Hunger (converted mana cost 12) would result in gaining 12 life.

The source material also mentions several other cards that fit the definition of being free under specific conditions but provides fewer details about them. These include Mind Swords, which the source notes "has no friends," and other cards referenced in the introductory text such as Deflecting Swat, Force of Negation, and Snuff Out. Deflecting Swat is described as free as long as the player controls a commander. Force of Negation is free if it is not the player's turn and they exile a blue card from their hand. Snuff Out is free if the player controls a Swamp and pays 4 life.

Conclusion

The provided source material offers a detailed look at specific Magic: The Gathering cards that can be cast without mana by meeting alternative conditions. These conditions generally involve sacrificing resources other than mana, such as exiling cards from hand, discarding specific land types, sacrificing creatures, or utilizing cards in the graveyard. The mechanics described allow players to bypass traditional mana costs for powerful effects, ranging from creature removal and card draw to board wipes and spell counters. The article emphasizes that these cards, while sometimes less popular than well-known staples, provide strategic depth and alternative play patterns for deck construction.

Sources

1. MTG 20 Best Cards You Can Cast for Free Once You Meet Their Conditions