Deft Dismissal
Instant
Deft Dismissal deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target attacking or blocking creatures.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Aether Revolt
- Price
- $0.06
- EDHREC rank
- #29822
Deft Dismissal destroys up to two target creatures or artifacts for four mana at instant speed — broad enough to trade up in Commander where token doublers, Equipment, and creature combos all share the same board. The catch is the mana: four mana for a conditional two-for-one is below rate in a format where Swords to Plowshares and Generous Gift exist.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Deft Dismissal finds its best home in white decks that need instant-speed answers to go-wide artifact builds or creature pairs forming combo pieces, though the four-mana ask competes poorly against single-target removal that costs one or two. In competitive Constructed formats like Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer, it simply doesn't see play — surgical one-mana removal dominates those formats, and hitting two targets for four mana is never the right rate when games end on turn four. Oathbreaker shares enough of Commander's dynamics that the same verdict applies: situationally useful, never the first pick off the removal shelf.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.06 bulk tier
At $0.06, Deft Dismissal is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard, not demand. That price is stable because the card sees minimal competitive play, so there's no pressure pushing it up.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.