Best MTG Dominaria United removal cards in Draft and Sealed

Removal in Magic: The Gathering can swing games and Dominaria United has several cards in all five colors worth adding to a deck in either Limited Draft or Sealed. 

There are a total of 10 staple archetypes within the Dominaria United Limited format, a sub-type for Defender, and the option to craft builds with three or more colors. Each color has at least one removal spell worth grabbing during early picks, with the color Black having the most removal.  

Removal spells in Magic often aren’t typically a first-pack pick that persuades a player toward a specific color pair or archetype. The best removal spells, however, typically get picked up between the first and fourth picks. 

From damage dealt directly to an opponent to getting rid of pesky planeswalkers, here are the best Common and Uncommon rarity Dominaria United removal spells in the Limited format.

Best MTG Dominaria United removal cards in Draft and Sealed 

Citizen’s Arrest 

The color White isn’t known for having strong removal at Common and Uncommon card rarities. Citizen’s Arrest isn’t a top pick but works well in any build playing the color White. It’s an Enchantment that will exile a target creature or planeswalker from the battlefield. In best-of-one Limited games, most opponents won’t have removal for your Citizen’s Arrest and may not have it in the sideboard for best-of-three formats either. 

Cut Down

Cut Down is a cheap and versatile Instant removal spell in the MTG color Black. Slotting into any archetype, the spell destroys a target creature with total power and toughness of five or fewer. Costing only one mana to cast makes it easy to keep Cut Down ready to go on any turn, and can even take down a larger creature upon its total stats dropping to five or less after taking damage. 

Impede Momentum

The color Blue is known for tapping down creatures for multiple turns. Impede Momentum takes that strategy and buffs it with Stun counters. Costing only two mana (1U) to cast, a target creature gets three stun counters put on it, locking it down for at least three turns. And as an added bonus, casting Impede Momentum also has the player Scry one. 

Tail Swipe

Tail Swipe is a versatile fight spell in the color Green. The DMU Instant only costs one Green mana to cast forcing an opponent’s creature to fight one of yours. When played during the main phase, your creature gets the added bonus of +1/+1 stats. 

Extinguish the Light

Spending four mana on a removal spell isn’t great. But Extinguish the Light is worth the price as it can destroy either a target creature or planeswalker at Instant speed. And as an added bonus, if the creature had a mana value of three or less, you get to gain three life. The tribute to Jaya Black removal spell is a solid pick in any archetype while standing out when played in UB Control.

Lightning Strike

Lightning Strike is a staple Magic burn spell across multiple formats that’s a reprint in the DMU set. It can get cast at Instant speed, only costs two mana, and can hit an opponent directly to win games. Of all the DMU removal spells, Lightning Strike is by far the best within the Limited format.