Give // Take MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Fuse
Released	2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	Dragon's Maze
Set code	DGM
Number	129
Frame	2003
Layout	Split
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Prescott

Key Takeaways

Give // Take excels at offering both card draw and creature strengthening, versatile for varying game states.
Instant speed enables strategic flexibility, allowing players to surprise opponents with mid-game enhancements.
Fuse mechanic presents a choice to adapt play to the current needs of the player, making it highly adaptable.

Text of card

Remove all +1/+1 counters from target creature you control. Draw that many cards. Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Give // Take card offers a significant boost in card advantage by enabling you to draw three cards. This can sway the game’s momentum by replenishing your hand, ensuring that you have a range of options for subsequent turns.

Resource Acceleration: Featuring a flexible fuse mechanic, Give // Take allows you to potentially place three +1/+1 counters on a creature with ‘Give’, pushing you ahead on the board. Alternatively, ‘Take’ helps you delve into your library faster, fueling resource acceleration by replenishing your hand and providing more strategic options.

Instant Speed: One of the vital aspects of Give // Take is its capability to function at instant speed. This provides you with the power to respond aptly to your opponents’ actions, maintain the element of surprise, and maximize the strategic depth of each play. By waiting for the ideal moment, you can make the most out of this card’s potential impact on the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing the Give // Take card requires discarding, which may be a setback when your hand is already dwindling. It forces the player to make tough decisions about resource allocation, potentially discarding a valuable card that could have been pivotal later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Give // Take has a specific mana cost that requires both green and blue mana. This can restrict the card’s inclusion to only certain types of decks, primarily those focused on a Simic (green-blue) strategy or those that have a reliable mana base to accommodate multicolored cards.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The combined mana cost for utilizing both halves of Give // Take can be somewhat steep, totaling six mana—three for Give and three for Take. This cost can be seen as high when compared with other cards that provide similar effects, such as creature enhancement or card draw, at a potentially lower cost and with fewer requirements.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Give // Take offers flexibility to either bolster your creature’s capabilities or replenish your hand, adjusting to the flow of the game and fitting seamlessly into multiple deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that manipulate +1/+1 counters or that benefit from drawing a large number of cards in one go, setting the stage for game-changing plays.

Meta-Relevance: Its ability to either support aggressive, counter-based strategies or to ensure card advantage makes it a strong contender in varied meta environments, always keeping you one step ahead.

How to beat

Give // Take is a unique split card from the Dragon’s Maze set in Magic: The Gathering that can be a real challenge to overcome. It allows players to manipulate the number of +1/+1 counters on creatures either by influx or depletion, creating significant shifts in battlefield advantage. To outmaneuver this card, it’s critical to manage the timing and resolution of its effects.

The key to defeating this card lies in preemptive disruption or resource denial. Respond to Give // Take with instant-speed removal spells that can eliminate the targeted creature before the counters can be distributed or drawn from. Cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization are effective tools for quickly dealing with potential threats. Additionally, countermagic such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent the split card from ever resolving, thereby preserving the balance of the game in your favor.

Ultimately, it’s pivotal to maintain a versatile and responsive hand while staying vigilant for the moment Give // Take is cast. Recognizing the most opportune point to intervene can mitigate the impact of this dynamic card and keep you in control of the game’s outcome.

BurnMana Recommendations

When looking at the give and take dynamics of MTG, the Give // Take card demonstrates exceptional versatility and strategy, making it a noteworthy addition to your collection. The ability to either ramp up your creatures or elevate your hand provides a dual-threat that adapts to the evolving field of play. As you continue your journey in MTG, consider the potential that Give // Take offers for both board presence and card resourcefulness. Dive deeper into the strategies that transform a good player into a great one, and let Give // Take amplify your deck’s potency. Trust in the flexibility it brings to the table and watch as your gameplay unfolds with newfound strategic depth. Discover more tips and tactics as you enhance your MTG skillset with us.

Cards like Give // Take

Give // Take is a versatile card that finds its place within the multifaceted spells of Magic: The Gathering. This card brings to mind others like Urban Evolution, which also allows a player to draw cards and even play an additional land. The difference, however, lies in the flexibility of Give // Take. With its fuse mechanism, players can choose one or both effects, generating counter distribution or card advantage as needed, which is more rigid and limiting in Urban Evolution’s offering.

Moreover, comparing it to something like Tezzeret’s Gambit, we see similarities in the draw power and the bonus effect — although, with Tezzeret’s Gambit, the bonus comes in the form of proliferate, which can expand on what’s already there, rather than adding new counters like Give // Take. Cost and velocity also contrast as Give // Take can be a more immediate boost despite its higher mana requirement.

Ultimately, Give // Take belongs to a niche category of MTG cards that blend counter manipulation with card advantage, presenting itself as a card that caters to strategic depth and choice, distinguishing its utility in gameplay from peers within the set.

Cards similar to Give // Take by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Give // Take MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Give // Take and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Give // Take has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	If a player names a card, the player may name either half of a split card, but not both. A split card has the chosen name if one of its two names matches the chosen name.
2013-04-15	If you cast Give // Take as a fused split spell, you can target the same creature for both parts. If you do so, you will first put three +1/+1 counters on that creature, then remove all +1/+1 counters from it, then draw that many cards.
2013-04-15	If you cast a split card with fuse from your hand without paying its mana cost, you can choose to use its fuse ability and cast both halves without paying their mana costs.
2013-04-15	If you’re casting a split card with fuse from any zone other than your hand, you can’t cast both halves. You’ll only be able to cast one half or the other.
2013-04-15	On the stack, a split spell that hasn’t been fused has only that half’s characteristics and converted mana cost. The other half is treated as though it didn’t exist.
2013-04-15	Some split cards with fuse have two halves that are both multicolored. That card is multicolored no matter which half is cast, or if both halves are cast. It’s also multicolored while not on the stack.
2013-04-15	Some split cards with fuse have two monocolor halves of different colors. If such a card is cast as a fused split spell, the resulting spell is multicolored. If only one half is cast, the spell is the color of that half. While not on the stack, such a card is multicolored.
2013-04-15	To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in both costs.
2013-04-15	When a fused split spell resolves, follow the instructions of the left half first, then the instructions on the right half.
2013-04-15	When resolving a fused split spell with multiple targets, treat it as you would any spell with multiple targets. If all targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve and none of its effects happen. If at least one target is still legal at that time, the spell resolves, but an illegal target can’t perform any actions or have any actions performed on it.
2013-04-15	You can choose the same object as the target of each half of a fused split spell, if appropriate.
2013-04-15	You can target any creature you control with Take; the target does not need to have any +1/+1 counters on it.