A pitch spell is any spell card of any type with a static ability that allows it to be cast for an alternative cost; rather than paying a pitch spell's mana cost, it may be cast by exiling, or "pitching", at least one card of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand.[1]
Pitch spells were first printed in Alliances,[2] and they have more often than not appeared in cycles;[note 1] and, thus far, there are six cycles of such cards in six different sets.
List of pitch spell cycles
| Set name | Description and notes | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliances | Each of these at least uncommon spells may be cast without paying its mana cost but at the cost of exiling, or "pitching", a card of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand.In addition to exiling a card of the pitch spell's color, Force of Will and Contagion require the payment of 1 life. | Scars of the Veteran | Force of Will | Contagion | Pyrokinesis | Bounty of the Hunt |
| Mercadian Masques | Each of these rare spells may be cast without paying its mana cost but at the cost of exiling, or "pitching", a card of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand.[3] | Reverent Mantra | Misdirection | Unmask | Cave-In | Vine Dryad |
| Prophecy | Each of these uncommon instant or sorcery spells has an alternate cost that includes discarding a land card with a basic land type associated with its color. | Abolish | Foil | Outbreak | Flameshot | Snag |
| Betrayers of Kamigawa | Each of these rare Arcane instant spells costing  CC may be cast without paying its mana cost but at the cost of exiling, or "pitching", a card of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand.These spells have the dependent variable X, which may be the mana spent to (hard)cast the Shoals or the converted mana cost of the card exiled to cast it.
|
Shining Shoal | Disrupting Shoal | Sickening Shoal | Blazing Shoal | Nourishing Shoal |
| Coldsnap | Each of these rare spells may be cast without paying its mana cost but at the cost of exiling, or "pitching", two cards of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand.[4] Due to the alternative cost of two cards rather than one, this cycle is referred to as the "super-pitch" spell cycle. |
Sunscour | Commandeer | Soul Spike | Fury of the Horde | Allosaurus Rider |
| Modern Horizons | Each of these rare spells may be cast without paying its mana cost with timing restrictions but at the cost of exiling, or "pitching", a card of the pitch spell's color from its owner's hand. | Force of Virtue | Force of Negation | Force of Despair | Force of Rage | Force of Vigor |
Notes
- ↑ Time Spiral has, however, featured the pitch spell Snapback
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 05, 2013). "Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (January 21, 2005). "Beware the Shining". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 19, 2002). "Free Play. The design of APC cards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (July 07, 2006). "A Walk Through the Cold". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.