Harsh Mercy
Onslaught 39 • rare
- Set
- Onslaught
- Collector number
- 39
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 2 generic mana white mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- White
- Artist
- John Matson
- Market price
- $1.90
What it does
Each player chooses a creature type. Destroy all creatures that aren't of a type chosen this way. They can't be regenerated.
"There is no greater burden than choosing who to save."— Kamahl, druid acolyte
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- 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.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Harsh Mercy was released in 2002 as part of the Onslaught expansion for Magic: The Gathering. As the first set in the Onslaught block, it shifted the game's focus toward creature-heavy gameplay and the tribal mechanics that defined the era. The card serves as a board-clearing spell specifically designed to punish opponents by forcing them to sacrifice their most powerful creatures, aligning with the strategic depth required for tournament-level play during that period.
The artwork for the card was created by artist Daren Bader, whose contributions are noted for their high-fantasy aesthetic and detailed character rendering. Bader’s illustration sought to capture the visceral nature of the spell's effect, depicting a harsh, decisive moment of judgment. Upon release, the card was received as a functional, if situational, tool for white-aligned decks, recognized for its ability to navigate around protection and indestructible effects that were becoming more prevalent in the game’s design.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About Harsh Mercy
Harsh Mercy is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Onslaught 39 • 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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