Brainstorm MTG Card
1995-06-03 - Number 61
1997-03-24 - Number 76
1999-10-04 - Number 61
2000-08-02 - Number jf61
2000-10-01 - Number 3
2006-07-21 - Number 61
2008-09-22 - Number 42
2011-01-02 - Number 2012
2011-06-17 - Number 40
2012-09-07 - Number 13
2014-06-06 - Number 91
2014-06-16 - Number 58
2015-11-13 - Number 90
2015-11-18 - Number 19
2016-06-10 - Number 40
2018-03-16 - Number 46
2018-06-15 - Number 3
2018-08-09 - Number 82
2019-11-07 - Number 301
2020-08-07 - Number 338
2020-08-07 - Number 44
2021-04-23 - Number 76
2021-04-23 - Number 13
2021-04-23 - Number 115
2021-07-23 - Number 79
2022-10-07 - Number 192★
2022-10-07 - Number 192
2024-02-09 - Number 96
2002-06-24 - Number 31453
2002-06-24 - Number 70920
2002-06-24 - Number 82834
2004-01-01 - Number 12
2019-12-02 - Number 174
2019-12-02 - Number 582
2019-12-02 - Number 1162
2019-12-02 - Number 723
2020-09-26 - Number SS1-3
2020-09-26 - Number A25-46
2021-04-23 - Number 65
2021-04-23 - Number 65s
| Card sets | Released in 40 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Draw three cards; then, take two cards from your hand and put them on top of your library in any order.
"I reeled from the blow, and then suddenly, I knew exactly what to do. Within moments, victory was mine." —Gustha Ebbasdotter, Kjeldoran Royal Mage
Cards like Brainstorm
Brainstorm holds a celebrated position in Magic: The Gathering for its unparalleled card filtering capabilities. This classic stands among other draw spells with the unique benefit of drawing three cards at the negligible cost of putting two from your hand back on top of your library. It’s often compared to Ponder, which also allows you to look at the top three cards of your library, but with Ponder, you may choose to shuffle before drawing a card, offering less immediate selection than Brainstorm’s immediate draw.
Serum Visions is another spell that’s cast for a single blue mana, offering card draw consistency. It allows you to draw one card and then scry 2, presenting a different method of manipulating the forthcoming cards. While not as powerful in terms of immediate card draw quantity, the scrying ability offers strategic setup. Preordain is yet another one-mana spell in the roster, providing the flexibility of scrying before you draw, giving it a predictive edge over the reactive nature of Brainstorm.
All things considered, Brainstorm continues to dominate as a preferred choice in decks across formats, from Legacy to Commander. Its unique combination of quantity and quality in card selection is rarely matched in the realm of blue card draw spells.
Cards similar to Brainstorm by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Brainstorm. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | UR | Pauper | Pauper League 2024-04-29 | |
 | Lurrus Saga | Vintage | Lurrus Saga | Vintage League 2024-04-29 |
 | Dimir Faeries | Pauper | Dimir Faeries | Pauper Preliminary 2024-04-29 |
 | UBRG | Legacy | Legacy League 2024-04-30 | |
 | Doomsday | Vintage | Doomsday | Vintage League 2024-04-30 |
 | WUG | Vintage | Vintage Preliminary 2024-04-30 | |
 | WUB | Legacy | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) | |
| Oath of Druids | Vintage | Oath of Druids | Vintage League 2024-04-29 |
 | Reanimator | Legacy | Reanimator | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 |
 | Infect | Legacy | Infect | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Brainstorm is famously potent for its ability to dig into your deck’s next three cards, giving you immediate access to more options. This selection process not only provides a direct advantage in hand but is adept at helping you find the right answers when you need them the most.
Resource Acceleration: While Brainstorm itself may not produce added resources in the traditional sense, it masterfully accelerates your ability to reach crucial resources within your deck. By reconfiguring your hand, you can promptly shuffle away less useful cards with a fetch land or similar effect, thereby optimizing the quality of your plays.
Instant Speed: The fact that Brainstorm can be cast at instant speed makes it incredibly versatile. This allows players to adapt to the fluid situation of a game, whether it’s during an opponent’s end step or in response to an action. It keeps opponents guessing and can significantly disrupt their strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Brainstorm, you don’t need to discard a card, which actually is a benefit of this card. It retains card advantage without the detriment of losing resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Brainstorm requires only a single blue mana, which is quite manageable and often seen as an advantage rather than a con, offering great flexibility in multi-color decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Brainstorm defies this con by having a low and easily payable mana cost, providing card selection efficiency unmatched by more expensive spells.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Brainstorm is a formidable addition to any deck looking for strategic depth and improved card quality. Its ability to draw three cards followed by putting any two cards from your hand on top of your library is a powerful way to filter and set up the perfect hand for upcoming turns.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with shuffling mechanisms or when setting up the perfect moment for miracle cards or cards with similar effects. Its low cost makes it incredibly efficient as a setup tool for various complex and high-impact plays.
Meta-Relevance: In competitive play environments where having the right answer at the right time is crucial, Brainstorm maintains its relevance. Its usage across multiple formats speaks to its enduring utility, ensuring that decks have access to the cards they need when they face a wide array of challenging matchups.
How to Beat Brainstorm
Brainstorm stands out as an iconic card in the realm of strategic plays in Magic: The Gathering. This simple yet powerful instant allows a player to draw three cards, then put any two cards from their hand back on top of their library. Its value lies in the ability to access more options and shuffle away unwanted cards with subsequent effects. To counteract Brainstorm’s advantage, it’s essential to understand when and how to disrupt this sequence.
One effective method is to employ cards that force shuffles or discard effects in your opponent’s library, nullifying Brainstorm’s meticulous setup. Cards like Thoughtseize that pluck key pieces from a player’s hand can also diminish the benefits Brainstorm provides. Additionally, strategic timing with cards like Vendilion Clique to extract critical cards from an opponent’s hand after a Brainstorm can significantly tilt the odds in your favor. Overall, while Brainstorm can offer a temporary boost in hand quality, a vigilant opponent who can anticipate and disrupt a player’s strategy can mitigate the card’s impact.
Ultimately, Brainstorm’s ability may sharpen an opponent’s strategy, but clever play and timing are crucial to turn the tides and beat the card’s advantages in MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Brainstorm MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth 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 Brainstorm and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Brainstorm Magic the Gathering card was released in 30 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by 13 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 61 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Christopher Rush | |
| 2 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 76 | 1997 | Normal | White | Christopher Rush | |
| 3 | 1999-10-04 | Mercadian Masques | MMQ | 61 | 1997 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 4 | 2000-08-02 | World Championship Decks 2000 | WC00 | jf61 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | DiTerlizzi | |
| 5 | 2000-10-01 | Beatdown Box Set | BTD | 3 | 1997 | Normal | White | Christopher Rush | |
| 6 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 31453 | 2003 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | ||
| 7 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 70920 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | ||
| 8 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 82834 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ron Spencer | ||
| 9 | Friday Night Magic 2004 | F04 | 12 | 2003 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | ||
| 10 | 2006-07-21 | Coldsnap Theme Decks | CST | 61 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Rush | |
| 11 | 2008-09-22 | Masters Edition II | ME2 | 42 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Christopher Rush | |
| 12 | 2011-01-02 | Legacy Championship | OLGC | 2012 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 13 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 40 | 2003 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 14 | 2012-09-07 | Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari | DDJ | 13 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 15 | 2014-06-06 | Conspiracy | CNS | 91 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 16 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 58 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 17 | 2015-11-13 | Commander 2015 | C15 | 90 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 18 | 2015-11-18 | Legendary Cube Prize Pack | PZ1 | 19 | 2015 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 19 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 40 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 20 | 2018-03-16 | Masters 25 | A25 | 46 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 21 | 2018-06-15 | Signature Spellbook: Jace | SS1 | 3 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 22 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 82 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 23 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 301 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 24 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 174 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | ||
| 25 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 582 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | ||
| 26 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 1162 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | ||
| 27 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 723 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | ||
| 28 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 338 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Ron Spencer | |
| 29 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 44 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 30 | The List | PLST | SS1-3 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | ||
| 31 | The List | PLST | A25-46 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | ||
| 32 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Ayako Ishiguro | |
| 33 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 13 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Justin Hernandez & Alexis Hernandez | |
| 34 | Strixhaven Art Series | ASTX | 65 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Justin Hernandez | ||
| 35 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 115 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 36 | Strixhaven Art Series | ASTX | 65s | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Justin Hernandez | ||
| 37 | 2021-07-23 | Forgotten Realms Commander | AFC | 79 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai | |
| 38 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 192★ | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Konstad | |
| 39 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 192 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Konstad | |
| 40 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 96 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Willian Murai |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Brainstorm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Banned |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Banned |
| Vintage | Restricted |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Brainstorm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-03-16 | You draw three cards and put two cards back all while Brainstorm is resolving. Nothing can happen between the two, and no player may choose to take actions. |