Circle of Despair
Mirage 259 • rare
- Set
- Mirage
- Collector number
- 259
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 1 generic mana white mana black mana
- Type
- Enchantment
- Colors
- Black · White
- Artist
- Scott M. Fischer
- Market price
- $2.60
What it does
1 generic mana, Sacrifice a creature: The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to any target this turn, prevent that damage.
"Life is a resource that should belong only to the strong."— Shauku, Endbringer
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Circle of Despair was released in 1996 as part of the Mirage expansion for Magic: The Gathering. As the first set designed specifically as a self-contained environment for drafting, Mirage sought to evoke an African-inspired aesthetic while introducing new mechanical concepts like phasing and flanking. The card reflects the set's darker, atmospheric tone, functioning as a black-aligned enchantment that punishes opponents for creature combat.
The artwork was provided by Scott M. Fischer, a prolific illustrator whose style during this period often emphasized surrealism and high-contrast visuals. Fischer’s work on this piece captures the card’s thematic sense of dread through a distorted, ethereal composition. Upon its release, the card was received as a niche utility option, valued by players for its defensive capabilities in limited formats rather than for competitive constructed play.
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Who's collecting this
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About Circle of Despair
Circle of Despair is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Mirage 259 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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