Caught in a Parallel Universe MTG Card

Provides card advantage and instant speed actions for strategic flexibility. Requires careful management due to discard and specific mana costs. Combos and meta-relevance make it a valuable collection addition.

Caught in a Parallel Universe - Doctor Who

Rarity	Common
Type	Phenomenon
Released	2023-10-13
Set symbol
Set name	Doctor Who
Set code	WHO
Number	572
Frame	2015
Layout	Planar
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jake Murray

Text of card

When you encounter Caught in a Parallel Universe, each player chooses a creature controlled by the player to their left. Each player creates a token that's a copy of the creature they chose, except it has menace. (Then planeswalk away from this phenomenon.)

Cards like Caught in a Parallel Universe

The allure of Caught in a Parallel Universe adds a unique twist to Magic: The Gathering’s array of sorcery spells. Its closest kin within the game would be Ghostly Flicker. This spell also dances along the lines of temporal and spatial manipulation, allowing you to exile two target artifacts, creatures, and/or lands you control, then return them to the battlefield under your control. However, Caught in a Parallel Universe distinguishes itself with its ability to target and exile any nonland permanent.

Exclusion Ritual is another card that shares similarities, exiling a nonland permanent until the enchantment itself leaves the battlefield. While both spells have their uses in removing opponents’ threats, Caught in a Parallel Universe is flexible, able to reposition your own pieces for strategic advantage. Then there’s Oblivion Ring, echoing the same sentiment of temporary removal. Known for its versatility, Oblivion Ring’s broader targeting allows for on-the-fly adaptability but lacks the self-synergistic capability of Caught in a Parallel Universe.

Intertwining utility and adaptability, Caught in a Parallel Universe slides comfortably into the mix of MTG’s sorcery spells. Its ability to disrupt opponent strategies while providing personal board manipulation solidifies its place in the pantheon of unique and game-impacting cards.

Cards similar to Caught in a Parallel Universe by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enhances your hand by uncovering additional options from your library, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to outmaneuver opponents. Caught in a Parallel Universe is pivotal in providing a fresh stream of potential plays, maintaining pressure or defense as required.

Resource Acceleration: Alleviates mana constraints promptly, granting you the flexibility to cast more spells or deploy larger threats earlier than usual. This capacity to leap ahead in resource development can be a key factor in overtaking your adversaries on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: Offers the tactical edge of adaptability, permitting action at the most opportune moment. Whether it’s disrupting an opponent’s strategy or simply optimizing your own plays, the value of acting on instant-speed cannot be understated in a game where timing is crucial.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Caught in a Parallel Universe demands a player to discard a card, potentially depleting valuable hand assets and strategies. This requisite can be particularly detrimental when your hand size is already reduced, forcing tough decisions on which resources to forfeit.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise mana alignment to cast, which could potentially constrain deck building options. Players may need to adjust their land base or rely on mana fixing to accommodate the cost, possibly at the expense of deck consistency or speed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Being on the higher end of the mana spectrum, Caught in a Parallel Universe may compete with other influential cards at similar cost points. While offering unique effects, its cost-benefit ratio could be overshadowed by cards that provide more immediate or substantial impacts on the game state.

Reasons to Include Caught in a Parallel Universe in Your Collection

Versatility: Caught in a Parallel Universe provides a flexible solution for gameplay, adaptable to various deck-builds by potentially removing an opponent’s threat or saving your own key creatures from removal.

Combo Potential: This card represents a significant combo enabler, as it can reset enter the battlefield effects or serve as a means to dodge targeted spells, opening avenues for creative play combinations.

Meta-Relevance: With a dynamic MTG environment, Caught in a Parallel Universe maintains relevance as it can be a strategic response to popular creature-based strategies, ensuring your deck can handle the flux of the competitive landscape.

How to beat

Overcoming the challenges posed by the Caught in a Parallel Universe card can be a critical consideration during Magic: The Gathering gameplay. This card offers a unique effect on the battlefield, disrupting the usual flow of the game by altering control of permanents. To effectively beat it, you need a strategic approach that mitigates the impact of its ability.

One method is to focus on maintaining a lower profile by not overcommitting valuable permanents on the board that could fall prey to its effect. Additionally, running cards that grant you hexproof can protect you from becoming a target in the first place. It’s also prudent to incorporate instant-speed removal or sacrifice effects in your deck, so you can respond to the threat by eliminating your own permanents or reclaiming control before the effect settles. Lastly, countering this spell outright avoids the complex situation it creates, making counter spells an essential part of your strategy against Caught in a Parallel Universe.

The adept MTG players who anticipate and prepare for such disruptions by adapting their deck composition and playstyle stand the best chance at maintaining control of their game plan, even when faced with the twists that cards like Caught in a Parallel Universe bring to the table.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Caught in a Parallel Universe MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who, 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 Caught in a Parallel Universe and other MTG cards:

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