Essence Backlash
Return to Ravnica 160 • common
- Set
- Return to Ravnica
- Collector number
- 160
- Rarity
- Common
- Mana cost
- 2 generic mana blue mana red mana
- Type
- Instant
- Colors
- Red · Blue
- Artist
- Jung Park
- Market price
- $0.09
What it does
Counter target creature spell. Essence Backlash deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller.
"The other guilds will learn the hard way not to interfere with our investigations."— Bori Andon, Izzet blastseeker
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerLegal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperLegal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- 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.
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Where it came from
Essence Backlash was released in 2012 as part of the Return to Ravnica expansion for Magic: The Gathering. The card was designed to reflect the mechanics and flavor of the Izzet League, one of the ten guilds of Ravnica, which is known for its chaotic mix of blue and red mana. The card's effect, which counters a creature spell and deals damage to its controller equal to that creature's power, embodies the guild's penchant for volatile, reactive magic that turns an opponent's strength against them.
The artwork for the card was created by Zoltan Boros, a long-time illustrator for the franchise. Boros focused on depicting the signature high-energy, lightning-infused aesthetic associated with the Izzet mages. Upon its debut, the card was received as a functional, flavorful addition to the set, frequently utilized in Limited formats where its ability to swing the momentum of a game by neutralizing a high-cost threat proved highly effective for players.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Essence Backlash
Essence Backlash is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Return to Ravnica 160 • common. 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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