if this isn't a five for sheer power i dont know what is
Cenelder
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(7 votes)
old favorite makes a come back. The only thing not 5/5 on this card is the art, but we can't be greedy now can we ;) (im not saying the art is terrible, just that it could have been more appropiate)
ratchet1215
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
It sometimes feels like there are certain points in Magic where Wizards just decide they're going to fundamentally alter the paradigm of a certain card type. For example, they shook up the vanilla two-drop with Watchwolf and pushed "destroy with no regen" to a totally new level with this little beauty.
SavageBrain89
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(6 votes)
So powerful, so amazing, so deadly.
RobinHood3000
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(11 votes)
As good as targeted removal gets. And the name is just bone-chilling.
Asinine-Ultimatum
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(6 votes)
A better kill spell will neer be made. I hope a better one is never made...
Majkel
★★☆☆☆ (2.1/5.0)(7 votes)
Terror 2.0
True_Mumin
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Terminate. That's all. Nothing left to say. 5/5.
God_of_Destruction
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I love this card... Just look at the art, and you'll see what happens next to the targeted creature... Gives me the additional power to dominate the zone...
Ziquallx
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
i only wish i had this......
John-Bender
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
RB to destroy a creature AND it common!?!?!
deadguyred
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
wow.
Mprime818
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I call this card Mr. Get it done...
BrutalJim
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
One of the cheapest and most effective creature removal spells in the game, 4 goes into any b/r deck. 5/5.
Rainyday2012
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Very powerful indeed. But it requires two colours, and it just destroys the creature. I think Path to Exile is better spot removal.
Grimn777
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(13 votes)
Well, nothing much to say but amazing card. Path to exile, while it does cost less, is horrible early game card. the cost difference means next to nothing in the mid-late game, where path should be used anyway. If you path turn 1 or 2, you are giving the opponent a huge mana acceleration... not wise. Both have built in no-regeneration. Terminate sends to the graveyard, which can be more useful (for haunting echoes etc.) or less useful (if they have unearth/persist) depending. Then again, how can you compare cards in completely different colors? Different play styles, different uses. So although you may think that path to exile is better spot removal, which would you run in a B/R deck? Exactly. 5/5
True_Smog
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
the best creature destroy spell in history
Guest2146443305
★☆☆☆☆ (1.4/5.0)(5 votes)
The fact that this card has this many comments and ratings, means that something is wrong with it being a common
Eggroll
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
OP? No. Friggen amazing? YES
FD_02
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
4 times auto-include in any black-red deck.
Lestat13
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Best removal ever printed ever since ever. The mana cost isn't even weird! It's very common ally colored.
djpraiseadelik
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run a red, green, and black weenie burn deck and 4 of these, 4 Lightning Bolts, and 4 Colossal Mights = a quick end to my opponents.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This is seriously the best instant kill spell. Two mana. No draw backs. Nothing matches it. 5/5
darkfury
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i think i can speak for everyone that the first time they saw this card, they thought: You have been Terminated. beautifully powerful creature destruction, except that it cant be used with anything with Protection from black or protection from red
PaladinOfSunhome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A good and cheap card for getting rid of anything. Art is awesome too.
4.0
CSM-101
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Simple and perfect.
Re-Quest
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Doesn't get much better than this. One of the top 5 spot removal spells in MtG. 5/5
FreakyM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A long time coming, this card should have honestly seen a reprint way back in Ravnica. A perfect emodiment of what a multicolor spell should be: the best of both worlds, in this case, red and black's policy of destruction. Targeted, extremely efficient destruction.
Only, this card really takes it to the limits. Red zaps you with bolts of lightning. Black frightens you to death. And this card.. the poor victim is simply annihilated.
Donovan_Fabian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Essentially one step up from doomblade, and 1 step down from path to exile.. although path to exile is pretty nuts no matter how you swing it. The value of terminate over path to exile is when its comboed with a card that needs the creature in the graveyard, such as rise from the grave.
goblinrunner09
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Makes me wana cry *sniff sniff*. You almost wana add some dual lands in even a different colored deck just to have this card.
trooperofdoom
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What a lovely card.
AbyssalManZero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@Grimn777
'Path to exile' or 'terminate' on first or second turn??
What kind of creature could anyone play that would be worth using a kill spell on??
Seems like it'd be a complete waste anyhow!
I for one love Path to exile btw, the land aspect just keeps it from being completely broken and to a point, a minor sacrifice to me; but something I would/do save for the BIG creatures, I wouldn't waste it or terminate on anything tiny-- unless we are talking Path To Exile when the opponent has an Anger in play lol.. I know you may mean more the idea of the thing but just because both removal spells are cheap don't mean they should nessarily be planned to be used FIRST or second turn anyhow... Well, I wouldn't consider such a thing anyhow.
And let me say this, Path is a nice card to have incase my opponent might be running a Darksteel Colossus, so, I got NOTHING bad to say about it-- ever lol. I wont even compare it to another card in a negative fashion. Journey to Nowhere is fine but all they'd need was a disenchant, so... Yeah...
And as far as which you'd play in a red-black deck, it's only cause Path To Exile is a white card one would go with Terminate, if 'path' were red and/or black I wouldn't touch Terminate, personally!
And yet I still thought Doom Blade was an awesome card (still IS, when not playing RED & BLACK anyhow)!
But this card lol.. But this card is TOO awesome! Specially love the regen blocking aspect! Cause regen is such a pain in the arse to go up against at times...
And on top of that it can kill ANY non-indestructable creature XD
I'm always running both Lingering Death & Doom Blade in my black decks cause doom blade can take the enemy black creatures (and Lingering death is perfect for indestructables; sure all they need is disenchant, but still, a chance at the unlikely kill spell kill with a black deck)... But with Black & red I can just run my set of terminate (just useless against Indestructables) XD
Neutralion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Old artwork and flavor is MUCH better.
Gaussgoat
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Any card that is better than Terror is pretty terrifying indeed. Sure, it is two colored, but if you are running Red/Black, this guy is an auto-include.
5/5
Eved
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
well, um, I understand the hype over this card because it doesn't have the "cannot target black creatures" clause and prevents regeneration. But the thing that puts me off this card is that shroud, troll shroud, protection from red, and protection from black means there are a lot of cards out there this can't touch. When playing this should be a no brainer for it's utility. But I am personally fond of Diabolic Edict.
NeoSin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Eved you realize that card is black, correct?
storm_crow4presidnt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1 of few times that a reprint made me all gitty like a school girl
Andon_A
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Neosin: Just because Diabolic Edict is black doesn't mean that a creature with pro-black can't be sacked to it. In this case, the player has to have either shroud or pro-black, and while the first does exist I can't think of anything that gives the second. Granted, the new guy, the Tajuru Preserver, makes it useless, but that's a lot less likely than a pro-black creature.
Terminate is an awesome utility card, as because it is only two mana you can kill practically anything at almost any time. If someone gets something big and nasty out stupidly fast, you can terminate it. Even if they don't, it's not too difficult to keep two mana up for when they get something out.
Ezenthar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The ONLY thing doomblade might have on this (aside from easier mana cost?) If the card has protection from red. Other than that, superior to Doomblade in every way.
Tweak88
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@AbyssalManZero
You are clearly used to play with creature decks. Try playing a control deck with 1 or 2 creatures in it, and see if you won't play path to exile or terminate as soon as something hits the table. If you play a non-blue control deck you will run much more than 4 removal cards, so it's not a waste to use them. Is just the deck's strategy.
True, most control decks don't use red, but they could now!
achilleselbow
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(13 votes)
I kind of wish they hadn't printed this card back in Planeshift. It is basically the main reason that on the comments page for any creature there are about a hundred idiots going "IT DIES TO REMOVAL". Obviously there was tons of removal before, but it was balanced. In the old days the only spot removal options were black, white, and red burn. Each had its own drawback: black couldn't deal with black creatures, white was either situational like Exile or helped your opponent like Swords to Plowshares, and red of course couldn't deal with huge creatures or regenerators. Creatures would actually stay out for more than one turn and maybe even get an attack or two in. Imagine that. And if you had a black creature with protection from white like Ihsan's Shade, you were basically set. Nowadays nearly every color combination has unconditional or almost unconditional removal, and too many games just turn into a back-and-forth of casting one creature after another only to see it removed the next turn while doing the same to your opponent until one of you runs out of kill spells.
Duskdale_Wurm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can't believe it's a common. O_O Yeah my eyeballs were like that when I first saw it.
6/5
Blackworm_Bloodworm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
This card defines 's specialty perfectly.
allmighty_abacus
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(6 votes)
Anyone who doesn't think this card is OP is an idiot
UndecidedLetter
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Any fool who says that multicolored sucks should lookat this card, as well as Watchwolf, and Lightning Helix, and other great multicolored cards. Also, amazing removal, and the name is just so perfect. I mean, when someone has a big creature, it isn't too much fun to say 'Path to Exile'. But Terror, good, Doom Blade, better, Dark Banishing, fun, Terminate, win.
donjohnson
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
My five color deck just got a little better....5 stars for Terminate.
n00bmag1
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
While I didn't like the overall balance in this block, this in particular struck me as perfect.
dragonking987
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
terminate is my favorite cheap kill card.
TheSwarm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
The card isnt op. Fantastic, but not op. Regen isnt that huge of an ability anymore and the any creature clause is balanced by the red mana. Aint op.
Tevish_Szat
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Two mana, kill anything without shroud or protection. It's such a wonderful, simple premise that I'm surprised it didn't show up somewhere before Invasion. Terminate is worth a solid 5/5 for being just that elegant.
MasterOfEtherium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(6 votes)
Hmmmmmm I Love It Evry time I See It I Think Of Demigod And Winning. Pretty Fun Cascadin Into It Too. Black Red's Love Child
divine_exodus
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
No matter who it is, what it is, or where it is, that is going to hurt.
Superllama12
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(5 votes)
Shoulda done a Wrath of God-centered text, no flavor text
wstonefi
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Every cheap removal spell has a restriction. Doom Blade and Dark Banishing can't hit black creatures, Go for the Throat can't hit artifact creatures, and Terror can't hit either. Terminate can hit any creature... but even it has a restriction, namely the red mana symbol in the cost. Only a handful of decks can run it. This prevents it from going out of control and warping every format ever.
That being said, I still think the card is a bit OP... but what can you do. Wizards printed it, we need to deal with it.
If you're running a red/black deck in any format where Terminate is legal, there is absolutely no reason not to run 4 copies. It's the most efficient spot removal ever printed.
ArmoredMercenary
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Simple card, does its job well. Cheap casting cost. You really can't ask for more.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It ain't OP because of stupid paladins and knights having protection from the bottom of the color pie. However, it is still a great kill spell.
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I remember looking through my card shop's binder and finding a whole bunch of spells that just had the name, the cost, and full art. No text regarding their effect. This was one of them, and I think Treasure Hunt was another, but I'm not sure on that one. I'm not seeing any of those ones here, can someone give some insight?
dragonhat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Your low-cost solution to those pesky Cudgel Trolls, Trollhides, and whatever else plagues your path to success. We created this card using very little mana, and we pass the savings on to you. Order yours today, and watch your opponents become annoyed because you finally swapped out your Doom Blade for something that can kill their Phyrexian Obliterator!
(And as a side note, why do people comment "dies to removal and kill spells"? THAT'S WHY THOSE CARDS EXIST! TO REMOVE AND KILL STUFF!)
spirit_of_blue
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@ divine_exodus: Suq'Ata Firewalker disagree with you. :-) It always matters who it is. Always!
Awesome card. Not quite Dreadbore but more brutal than Murder
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Anything without hexproof, shroud, indestructible, protection from red/black, or means of self bouncing is going to be blown up by this 2 mana common instant.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ah, Terminate, the answer to almost anything creature related.
Great card 5/5
FlashCaster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Let's get something straight; this isn't the best removal spell ever as some people are saying, it's easily Swords to Plowshares.
Granted they are different in many ways, but comments like "as good as targeted removal gets" and "best removal ever printed ever since ever" are just plain incorrect.
Swords is so good that even if you were playing it in a burn deck the life you give opponent is still worth it considering the versatility of the card.
Take Wurmcoil Engine for example, Terminate will kill it but it is swords that prevents opponent from gaining tokens as a result. Swords just gets it done, especially in really tricky situations where you are staring down a Blightsteel Colossus, etc.
There are so many good creatures like this with "when this creature dies" abilities as well. Swords gets around all of them since it's not actually killing the creature.
Obviously this is true for Path to Exile and other targeted exile as well.
Even considering this I still give Terminate 5/5 since it's way way up there and is an iconic and classic removal spell.
As far as it versus Dreadbore I think in the end the edge goes to Terminate overall. Dreadbore is better Sideboard tech though since it is more versatile.
Comments (69)
beautifully powerful creature destruction, except that it cant be used with anything with Protection from black or protection from red
4.0
Only, this card really takes it to the limits. Red zaps you with bolts of lightning. Black frightens you to death. And this card.. the poor victim is simply annihilated.
'Path to exile' or 'terminate' on first or second turn??
What kind of creature could anyone play that would be worth using a kill spell on??
Seems like it'd be a complete waste anyhow!
I for one love Path to exile btw, the land aspect just keeps it from being completely broken and to a point, a minor sacrifice to me; but something I would/do save for the BIG creatures, I wouldn't waste it or terminate on anything tiny-- unless we are talking Path To Exile when the opponent has an Anger in play lol.. I know you may mean more the idea of the thing but just because both removal spells are cheap don't mean they should nessarily be planned to be used FIRST or second turn anyhow... Well, I wouldn't consider such a thing anyhow.
And let me say this, Path is a nice card to have incase my opponent might be running a Darksteel Colossus, so, I got NOTHING bad to say about it-- ever lol. I wont even compare it to another card in a negative fashion. Journey to Nowhere is fine but all they'd need was a disenchant, so... Yeah...
And as far as which you'd play in a red-black deck, it's only cause Path To Exile is a white card one would go with Terminate, if 'path' were red and/or black I wouldn't touch Terminate, personally!
And yet I still thought Doom Blade was an awesome card (still IS, when not playing RED & BLACK anyhow)!
But this card lol.. But this card is TOO awesome! Specially love the regen blocking aspect! Cause regen is such a pain in the arse to go up against at times...
And on top of that it can kill ANY non-indestructable creature XD
I'm always running both Lingering Death & Doom Blade in my black decks cause doom blade can take the enemy black creatures (and Lingering death is perfect for indestructables; sure all they need is disenchant, but still, a chance at the unlikely kill spell kill with a black deck)... But with Black & red I can just run my set of terminate (just useless against Indestructables) XD
5/5
Terminate is an awesome utility card, as because it is only two mana you can kill practically anything at almost any time. If someone gets something big and nasty out stupidly fast, you can terminate it. Even if they don't, it's not too difficult to keep two mana up for when they get something out.
You are clearly used to play with creature decks.
Try playing a control deck with 1 or 2 creatures in it, and see if you won't play path to exile or terminate as soon as something hits the table. If you play a non-blue control deck you will run much more than 4 removal cards, so it's not a waste to use them. Is just the deck's strategy.
True, most control decks don't use red, but they could now!
6/5
That being said, I still think the card is a bit OP... but what can you do. Wizards printed it, we need to deal with it.
If you're running a red/black deck in any format where Terminate is legal, there is absolutely no reason not to run 4 copies. It's the most efficient spot removal ever printed.
(And as a side note, why do people comment "dies to removal and kill spells"? THAT'S WHY THOSE CARDS EXIST! TO REMOVE AND KILL STUFF!)
Suq'Ata Firewalker disagree with you. :-) It always matters who it is. Always!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun! Dun! Dun-Dun!
DUN-DUN! DUN! DUN-DUN!
You can go to magiccards.info and search for Terminate.
This URL might help, too:
http://magiccards.info/mprp/en/39.html
Great card 5/5
Granted they are different in many ways, but comments like "as good as targeted removal gets" and "best removal ever printed ever since ever" are just plain incorrect.
Swords is so good that even if you were playing it in a burn deck the life you give opponent is still worth it considering the versatility of the card.
Take Wurmcoil Engine for example, Terminate will kill it but it is swords that prevents opponent from gaining tokens as a result. Swords just gets it done, especially in really tricky situations where you are staring down a Blightsteel Colossus, etc.
There are so many good creatures like this with "when this creature dies" abilities as well. Swords gets around all of them since it's not actually killing the creature.
Obviously this is true for Path to Exile and other targeted exile as well.
Even considering this I still give Terminate 5/5 since it's way way up there and is an iconic and classic removal spell.
As far as it versus Dreadbore I think in the end the edge goes to Terminate overall. Dreadbore is better Sideboard tech though since it is more versatile.
4.5/5 Stars