What is the Difference Between Discard and Sacrifice in MTG?
The difference between discard and sacrifice in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) lies in the source of the card being removed and the context in which it is removed, with discard referring to the act of putting a card from your hand into your graveyard, and sacrifice meaning to move a permanent you control from the battlefield to its owner’s graveyard. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for strategic gameplay, as discard and sacrifice have different implications and applications in the game, affecting deck management, creature removal, and strategy.
Understanding Discard and Sacrifice
Definitions and Implications
- Discard is an action that involves putting a card from your hand directly into your graveyard, which does not include playing the card or using its abilities.
- Sacrifice, on the other hand, involves removing a permanent (such as a creature, enchantment, or artifact) from the battlefield to the graveyard. This action is often used to fulfill costs for certain abilities, spells, or to trigger specific effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Sacrifice the Same as Discard in MTG? No, sacrifice and discard are not the same. Sacrifice involves moving a permanent from the battlefield to the graveyard, while discard involves putting a card from your hand into the graveyard.
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What is the Difference Between Destroy, Discard, and Sacrifice?
- Destroy typically refers to the removal of a creature or permanent from the battlefield to the graveyard due to a spell or ability, often targeted at an opponent’s permanents.
- Discard is the act of putting a card from your hand into your graveyard.
- Sacrifice is moving a permanent you control from the battlefield to your graveyard, often as part of a cost or to trigger an effect.
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Does Discarding Count as Sacrifice in MTG? No, discarding does not count as sacrificing. Discarding involves cards from the hand, while sacrificing involves permanents on the battlefield.
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What Does Sacrifice Mean in MTG? Sacrifice means to move a permanent you control from the battlefield to its owner’s graveyard. It’s a keyword action used to fulfill costs, trigger effects, or as part of gameplay strategies.
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Does Sacrificing Destroy a Creature? Yes, in the sense that the creature is removed from the battlefield to the graveyard, but technically, sacrifice and destroy are distinct in how they remove permanents and the rules that apply to each.
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Can You Counter a Sacrifice? Generally, no, a sacrifice cannot be countered except by specific cards that counter activated abilities, as sacrifice is a keyword action rather than a spell or ability being cast.
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Can I Sacrifice a Creature at Any Time? No, you cannot sacrifice a creature at any time. You need a card effect or ability that allows or requires you to sacrifice a permanent.
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Is Sacrificing Considered Dying in MTG? Yes, sacrificing a creature is considered a form of “dying” since it moves from the battlefield to the graveyard.
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Can You Sacrifice Something Twice in MTG? No, you cannot sacrifice the same permanent twice because once it’s in the graveyard, it’s no longer on the battlefield and thus cannot be sacrificed again.
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Can You Sacrifice Opponents’ Cards? No, you can only sacrifice permanents that you control. You cannot sacrifice your opponent’s permanents.
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What are the Two Types of Sacrifices? In a broader cultural context, sacrifices can be categorized into regular and special sacrifices based on their frequency. However, in MTG, sacrifices are primarily strategic actions within the game and do not have types in this sense.
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Does Sacrifice Go Through Indestructible? Yes, sacrificing a permanent can move it to the graveyard even if it’s indestructible because indestructible prevents destruction and lethal damage, not sacrificing.
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Does Discarding Count as Dying? No, discarding a card from your hand does not count as the card “dying” because “dying” refers to creatures moving from the battlefield to the graveyard.
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Does Exiling a Card Count as Discarding? No, exiling a card is distinct from discarding. Exiling moves a card to the exile zone, not the graveyard.
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When Should I Discard to 7 in MTG? You should discard down to 7 cards in your hand during the cleanup step at the end of your turn if you have more than 7 cards, as having more than 7 cards in hand at the end of your turn forces you to discard down to 7.