Liberate
Instant
Exile target creature you control. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Invasion
- Price
- $0.37
- EDHREC rank
- #17692
Liberate saves a creature from any removal spell for two mana — instant speed, no targeting restriction, and the creature comes back next upkeep rather than immediately, which is the real cost. It does the job, but that delayed return means it's a defensive tool only, not a blink enabler.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Liberate sees virtually no play in Legacy or Vintage despite being legal — two mana for delayed protection is too slow when those formats end games before the upkeep trigger matters. Commander is where Liberate has any realistic home, specifically in white decks that want cheap insurance against targeted removal on a key creature; the one-turn delay hurts less in a longer game, though most competitive Commander lists prefer instant-return blink effects or hexproof grants. Oathbreaker is legal but the format's compressed game length makes the delayed return even more punishing.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.37 bulk tier
At $0.37, Liberate is bulk — easy to acquire, easy to cut if something better comes along. It won't gain value; the card has too many functional superiors in white to ever drive demand.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.