It Was Once a Modern Staple, But Now It’s an Endangered Species

Not so long ago, Path to Exile was one of the most played removal spells in Modern. But looking at the metagame today, the card is nowhere to be seen.

Path to Exile

Modern does not have access to Swords to Plowshares Swords to Plowshares Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power. , the best single-target removal spell in white’s color identity. But Path to Exile is the next best thing. Or, at least it used to be.

The difference between the two cards seems small, but in actuality, Path to Exile is far inferior. When you exile a card with Swords, your opponent gains life. But when you exile a card with Path, they put a basic land from their library onto the battlefield tapped, and giving your opponent extra mana has grave consequences, especially when it comes to trading PoE currencies strategies.

True 1-for-1’s like Lightning Bolt Lightning Bolt Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target. and Fatal Push Fatal Push Destroy target creature if it has mana value 2 or less.
Revolt — Destroy that creature if it has mana value 4 or less instead if a permanent left the battlefield under your control this turn. are always better options. And recently, white got some new 1-for-1 toys.

Is Path to Exile a Bad Card?

No, Path to Exile is not a bad MTG card. It is still an instant speed, mana-efficient removal spell. It is played, but not in Modern because there are simply better removal spells that exist in white’s color identity today.

Why Did Path Decrease in Play?

Magic: the Gathering has many alternatives to Path to Exile these days. They are either more versatile or more efficient than Path, and consequently, push Path to Exile out of the metagame.

Prismatic Ending

Prismatic Ending is one of the most versatile removal spells ever printed.

It kills all of the best permanents in Modern, answering Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer Whenever Ragavan deals combat damage to a player, create a Treasure token and exile the top card of that player's library. Until end of turn, you may cast that card.
Dash {1}{R} (You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.) on Turn 1, removing pesky planeswalkers like Wrenn and Six Wrenn and Six +1: Return up to one target land card from your graveyard to your hand.
−1: Wrenn and Six deals 1 damage to any target.
−7: You get an emblem with "Instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard have retrace." (You may cast instant and sorcery cards from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying their other costs.) , and dealing with common sideboard cards like Chalice of the Void Chalice of the Void This artifact enters with X charge counters on it.
Whenever a player casts a spell with mana value equal to the number of charge counters on this artifact, counter that spell. and Rest in Peace Rest in Peace When this enchantment enters, exile all graveyards.
If a card or token would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead. .

There are a few downsides to Prismatic Ending compared to Path to Exile:

1. It is sorcery speed. You can’t disrupt your opponents on their turns like Path can.
2. Prismatic Ending is limited in what it can exile by the number of colors in your deck. Because most decks play 2-3 colors, Prismatic Ending can only remove lower costed permanents. And it can never exile anything over five mana.

But the advantages of Prismatic Ending heavily outweigh its disadvantages. The ability to exile any nonland permanent is extremely important. And it does not give your opponent a free land like Path to Exile does.

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Solitude

You can’t play Swords to Plowshares Swords to Plowshares Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power. in Modern. But in a way, you can. Solitude is like Swords to Plowshares on a creature and you can even cast it for zero mana. Again, there are downsides to this card. But it also has crazy potential when paired with cards like Ephemerate Ephemerate Exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.) , once again outclassing Path to Exile.

Read More: This Mythic Modern Card Exploded in Value Overnight – Did You Buy Yours?

March of Otherworldly Light

Here’s a new alternative to Path to Exile that came out of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. Like Prismatic Ending, March of Otherworldly Light can hit a variety of permanents. It can even kill Urza’s Saga Urza’s Saga (As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I — This Saga gains "{T}: Add {C}."
II — This Saga gains "{2}, {T}: Create a 0/0 colorless Construct artifact creature token with 'This token gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.'"
III — Search your library for an artifact card with mana cost {0} or {1}, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. for one mana.

RELATED: Is March of Otherworldly Light the Best Removal Spell from Kamigawa?

Does Path See Any Play Today?

Path to Exile is still a playable Magic card. As far as Modern goes, some decks like Burn and Hammer Time still include Path in their sideboards as an answer to Wurmcoil Engine Wurmcoil Engine Deathtouch, lifelink
When this creature dies, create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Wurm artifact creature token with deathtouch and a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Wurm artifact creature token with lifelink. , Primeval Titan Primeval Titan Trample
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. , and other big-mana threats that Prismatic Ending has a hard time dealing with.

But for the most part, Path to Exile has predominantly become a Commander card. Although it still isn’t as good as Swords to Plowshares Swords to Plowshares Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power. , Path is an efficient, instant-speed answer that can answer big threats and disrupt opposing creature-combos.

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