Trial // Error MTG Card

Dissension (DIS)
2006-05-05 - Number 158

Commander 2016 (C16)
2016-11-11 - Number 239

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Trial half offers card advantage and tempo control by bouncing creatures; Error half counters multicolored spells.
Instant speed allows reactive play, adding depth to strategy without committing to your own turn.
Discarding for effects and specific mana needs limit its universality, yet it remains a tactically strong card.

Text of card

Counter target multicolored spell.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Trial // Error presents a flexible solution for drawing cards while potentially disrupting an opponent’s strategy. The Trial half enables you to bounce a creature back to its owner’s hand, effectively delaying their plans and gaining you card advantage. Alternatively, Error can counter a multicolored spell, keeping your hand size healthy while limiting your opponent’s options on the board.

Resource Acceleration: While Trial // Error doesn’t directly produce resources, its ability to return a creature to the owner’s hand or counter a specific type of spell can indirectly accelerate your resources by saving mana for more impactful plays. By managing your spells wisely, you maintain the upper hand in the mana efficiency battle, setting a pace that can lead to victory.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Trial // Error is further accentuated by its instant speed, allowing for unexpected plays and strategic depth during an opponent’s turn. This flexibility enables you to react promptly to threats or exploit opportunities at the most opportune moment, without having to commit resources during your own turn, maintaining the element of surprise and tactical advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Trial // Error is its need for discarding a card when exploiting one of its halves. This means you’ll have to decrease your hand resources, which can be particularly taxing when you’re pursuing a strategy that requires maintaining a significant number of cards in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a split mana cost, which can be restrictive. You need both blue and black mana to play Trial, which might not be optimal for decks that are not aligned with this particular color combination, potentially reducing the card’s versatility in a broader range of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Error half of this card can counter target multicolored spell, its casting cost is relatively steep compared to other counter spells in the game. Having to set aside three specific types of mana can put players at a disadvantage by reducing their ability to respond with other spells during their opponent’s turn.

Reasons to Include Trial // Error in Your Collection

Versatility: Trial // Error packs a double punch, serving as both a creature bouncing spell and a disruptor for opponent’s hands. This flexibility allows it to slip into control and midrange decks with ease.

Combo Potential: Its ability to return creatures to their owner’s hand can reset powerful enter the battlefield effects, or clear the way for your own combos to unfold uninterrupted.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame dense with creature-based strategies or decks relying on key cards in hand, Trial // Error can significantly tilt the scales in your favor by disrupting opponents at critical moments.

How to beat

Trial // Error is a multifaceted instant card offering unique gameplay options in Magic: The Gathering. With Trial, players can counter a single target spell unless its caster pays an additional cost. This makes it a strategic card, akin to Mana Leak. However, Trial requires a specific color combination, unlike the universally castable Mana Leak.

Error side of the card provides yet another layer of complexity, allowing players to return a multicolored card to its owner’s hand. This ability can disrupt opponents’ strategies, reminiscent of traditional Unsummon effects but targeted towards more specific threats. It doesn’t offer the broad utility of a general Unsummon, which can target any creature, but its multicolor focus can be a vital sideboard option against certain deck types.

To effectively combat Trial // Error, maintaining mana reserve is crucial to bypass the Trial’s additional cost, thus neutralizing its threat. As for Error, incorporating versatile, resilient threats that aren’t hindered by a single bounce back to hand can minimize its impact. Understanding the nuances of this card is key to turning the tides and maintaining an edge in your matchups.

Cards like Trial // Error

The Trial // Error fusion card offers a compelling dynamic in deck strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Echoing the versatility seen in cards like Fire // Ice and Turn // Burn, Trial // Error provides users with the utility of choosing between two modal spells. Unlike its counterparts, which focus on damage and creature control, Trial // Error shines in two distinct areas – enchantment removal and creature disruption.

Fire // Ice is often celebrated for its ability to target both creatures and players, adding direct damage or stalling tactics. Turn // Burn, meanwhile, couples creature destruction with flexibility, turning any threatening creature into a mere 0/1 before burning it away. Trial // Error leverages neither direct damage nor creature transformation but offers the unique proficiency of extracting an enchantment from the battle or disrupting an opponent’s hand tactically.

Overall, Trial // Error’s strategic diversity makes it an adept card for players seeking control over the board and the psychological edge. Whether dealing with powerful enchantments or anticipating enemy tricks, Trial // Error holds its ground as an adept utility choice for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts.

Cards similar to Trial // Error by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Trial // Error MTG card by a specific set like Dissension and Commander 2016, 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 Trial // Error and other MTG cards: