Mage Duel
Sorcery
This spell costs 
less to cast if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Target creature you control gets +1/+2 until end of turn. Then it fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Strixhaven: School of Mages
- Price
- $0.06
- EDHREC rank
- #21035
Mage Duel gives target creature +2/+2 until end of turn, then makes it fight another target creature — a removal spell in most cases, at instant speed for two mana. It's a clean, efficient answer and a staple in any deck that wants to turn a small blocker into a threat-taker.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Mage Duel does exactly what a budget removal slot needs: it answers a threat at instant speed for two mana while keeping you up on board. Pauper is where Mage Duel earns its most serious look — the format's creature density is high and efficient fight spells are premium tools. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer the competition from modal or lower-cost removal pushes it out of most sideboards, but it remains legal and occasionally useful in creature-heavy matchups. Oathbreaker mirrors the Commander read: fine role-player, not a priority slot.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.06 bulk tier
At $0.06, Mage Duel is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard and shipping, not the card itself. Price stability is near-certain at this floor; there's no scenario where a common fight spell appreciates meaningfully.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.