Amnesia MTG Card

Amnesia offers significant card advantage by clearing the opponent’s hand at instant speed. Its high mana cost and heavy blue requirement can limit its deck inclusion flexibility. When included, Amnesia can effectively disrupt intricate strategies and alter game tempo.

The Dark (DRK)
1994-08-01 - Number 20

Masters Edition (ME1)
2007-09-10 - Number 29

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Look at target player's hand. Target player discards all non-land cards in his or her hand.

"When one has witnessed the unspeakable, 'tis sometimes better to forget." —Vervamon the Elder

Cards like Amnesia

Amnesia, a notable card from the depths of Magic: The Gathering history, offers a unique twist on the traditional discard mechanic. It can be compared to Mind Twist, as both cards disrupt your opponent by discarding multiple cards from their hand. While Mind Twist requires X mana and forces the opponent to discard at random, Amnesia targets the entire hand but for a fixed six mana and demands the reveal of those cards first.

Another comparison can be drawn with Delirium Skeins, as it enforces a universal discard, but unlike Amnesia’s potency to clear the opponent’s entire hand, Delirium Skeins has an even exchange impact – both players are required to discard three cards. In terms of cost effectiveness, Delirium Skeins stands at three mana, greatly undercutting Amnesia’s heavier cost

Gleaning the spectrum of discard spells within the game, Amnesia’s high cost and impactful hand-clearing ability position it uniquely among its counterparts. It taps into the psychological edge of knowing exactly what’s being discarded and is thus able to dismantle your opponent’s next moves with surgical precision.

Cards similar to Amnesia by color, type and mana cost

Govern the Guildless - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Amnesia is a potent tool for disrupting your opponent’s strategy by forcing them to discard their entire hand. This can lead to a significant card advantage as it empties their resources while you maintain your own hand size.

Resource Acceleration: Although Amnesia doesn’t directly provide mana or tokens, the substantial disruption it causes can indirectly accelerate your game. By setting your opponent back, you may find yourself with more time and space to develop your board and capitalize on the lead.

Instant Speed: One of the defining features of Amnesia is its ability to be played at instant speed. This flexibility allows players to wait until the most opportune moment, perhaps immediately after an opponent draws for the turn, to maximize the impact of the card and catch opponents off-guard.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For players aiming to utilize Amnesia, one of the drawbacks is its demand that you discard your entire hand. This might put you in a risky position, especially if you’ve already depleted most of your resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Amnesia’s casting cost is particularly restrictive, requiring three blue mana. This makes it challenging to fit into multi-colored decks where blue mana sources are limited.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of six mana, Amnesia comes with a heavily weighted casting price. Considering the fast-paced nature of many formats, Amnesia can often be too slow, leaving room for opponents to capitalize on the tempo loss.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Amnesia’s broad impact on an opponent’s hand makes it a valuable addition to decks that thrive on disrupting the enemy’s plans. It performs well across various formats and can adapt to several playstyles, especially those focused on control.

Combo Potential: With its sweeping effect on your opponent’s hand, Amnesia can be seamlessly integrated into strategies aiming to capitalize on an opponent’s empty hand. It works well with cards that punish discarding or grant benefits when an opponent has no cards left to play.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy with hand sculpting and meticulous strategy, Amnesia offers a sudden and overwhelming swing in tempo. Its ability to derail carefully laid plans makes it a strategic sideboard card, or even a mainstay in metas that support disruption tactics.

How to Beat

Amnesia, when played in Magic: The Gathering, can pack a punch by stripping opponents of critical information and resources. Key to overcoming this impactful blue spell is to anticipate its potential play. One effective strategy is maintaining a diverse hand to mitigate the loss of cards. Including low-cost spells and abilities that quickly replenish your hand or recover cards from the graveyard can blunt Amnesia’s effect.

Holding up counter magic, like the readily available Negate or the versatile Counterspell, provides a direct way to prevent Amnesia from resolving. Another angle is to pressure the Amnesia player’s mana base, keeping them off balance and unable to pay for its hefty six-mana cost. Utilizing quick threats and aggressive strategies can force them to use their mana defensively, preventing a game-changing Amnesia play. Lastly, permanent types that are not affected by Amnesia, such as Artifacts, Enchantments, and Planeswalkers, offer resilience, allowing you to maintain a presence on the board regardless of hand disruption.

In essence, while Amnesia can be devasting in certain scenarios, a well-rounded deck built with countermeasures can effectively navigate around its potential impact, ensuring that your game plan remains uninterrupted.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Amnesia MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Masters Edition, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Amnesia and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Amnesia Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by Mark Poole.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1994-08-01	The Dark	DRK		20	1993	Normal	Black	Mark Poole
2	2007-09-10	Masters Edition	ME1		29	1997	Normal	Black	Mark Poole

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Amnesia has restrictions

Format	Legality
Oldschool	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Amnesia card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2014-02-01	If you target yourself with this spell, you must reveal your entire hand to the other players just as any other player would.