• Cruel Edict (Original Sketch)
  • Cruel Edict (Original Sketch)

    Cruel Edict (Original Sketch)

    Artist
    Jeffrey R. Busch
    Year
    1997
    Medium
    Graphite
    Set
    Portal Second Age
    Card Color
    Black
    Card Rarity
    Common
    Card Type
    Sorcery
    Game
    Magic the Gathering
    C.O.A.
    no
    Painted A.P.
    no
    Substrate Material
    Tracing Paper
    Substrate Dimensions
    9"H x 12"W
    Image Area Dimensions
    6 1/8"H x 7 3/4"W
    Frame Dimensions
    Unframed
    Handmade Protective Case
    No
    Reserved List
    No

    Cruel Edict is a two-mana black instant from Portal Second Age (1997) that forces a player to sacrifice a creature. Unlike targeted removal, Cruel Edict bypasses protection, shroud, and indestructible effects, making it especially effective against single-creature strategies. The card quickly earned a reputation as one of black’s most reliable answers to problematic creatures, particularly during eras dominated by untargetable threats. Its instant speed and low cost made it a favorite in control decks, where it could punish overextended or carefully protected creatures. Cruel Edict remains relevant today, especially in Commander and Pauper-style formats, where sacrifice effects retain high strategic value. Cruel Edict is not on the Reserved List.
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