Undermine MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Undermine provides card advantage and disrupts opponents’ strategies, enhancing control in blue-black decks.
  2. Its versatility adds strategic combo potential, elevating its worth in varied MTG game settings.
  3. Comparatively high mana cost is offset by its dual-threat nature, offering both negation and damage.

Text of card

Counter target spell. Its controller loses 3 life.

"Which would you like first, the insult or the injury?"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Undermine grants the dual benefit of depleting your opponent’s resources while simultaneously maintaining an upper hand. When your opponent casts a spell, using Undermine to counter it effectively removes their card from the game while slightly reducing their life total, tipping the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Undermine doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, countering key spells can effectively slow your opponent down, giving you the chance to outpace their game plan and make more efficient use of your turns.

Instant Speed: The power of instant-speed spells cannot be overstated. With Undermine in your arsenal, you can manage your mana wisely and decide the best moment to foil your opponent’s strategy. This level of flexibility allows you to respond to threats immediately, keeping you one step ahead in the duel.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Undermine demands that you have a card to discard, a potential setback when your hand is nearly empty.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s Blue and Black mana requirements make it exclusive to decks running those colors, reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, including two specific colors, Undermine can be considered costly for its counter and life loss effect when compared to other options in MTG.


Reasons to Include Undermine in Your Collection

Versatility: Undermine serves as a multi-purpose tool, able to counter key spells while also chipping away at an opponent’s life total. It’s easily slotted into blue-black control decks or any strategy looking to disrupt the opponent’s plans.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with strategies that benefit from opponents losing life or spells being countered, enabling it to work in tandem with various combos that exploit these elements for victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by crucial spells and combo pieces, the ability to counter a spell while dealing damage makes Undermine a valuable asset, adept at swinging the tide in competitive settings.


How to beat Undermine

Undermine presents itself as a powerful countermeasure in player duels, offering a blend of disruption and damage that can tilt the scales in a close match. The ability to not only counter an opponent’s spell but to also inflict harm is what makes this card a must-address strategy when facing a blue-black control deck. Navigating around Undermine starts with baiting. By playing less crucial spells first, you can lure out the counter spell, preserving your key cards for a more opportune moment.

Another approach is to hold onto instant-speed removal or counters of your own. This strategic maneuver gives you the upper hand, allowing you to wait for the opportune moment to cast spells when your opponent’s mana is low or their defenses are down. Moreover, decking your build with cards that can’t be countered, like those with the “cannot be countered” clause, greatly diminishes the effectiveness of Undermine. Lastly, increasing the number of spells you cast in a turn can overwhelm their ability to counter, essentially nullifying one’s advantage through sheer volume.

Crafting a strategy that incorporates resilience and patience is key to overcoming the repercussions posed by Undermine. By diversifying your tactics and being mindful of your opponent’s mana, you can effectively mitigate its impact and maintain control of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Undermine is quintessential for MTG players aiming to sharpen their competitive edge. Its utility as a counter spell with added impact makes it a strategic addition to your blue-black decks. Counterplay against Undermine is equally critical; knowing how to bait and outmaneuver it can turn the tides of a duel. Whether you’re fine-tuning your collection or devising new tactics, the value of a card like Undermine in the ever-evolving MTG card pool is undeniable. Continue to expand your knowledge and mastery of the game with us, and you’ll be well on your way to dominating the battlefield.


Cards like Undermine

Undermine, a notable counter spell from the world of Magic: The Gathering, offers players a dual-threat solution in terms of both negating an opponent’s spell and inflicting a jolt to their life total. When compared to the classic Counterspell, which simply counters any spell for the same converted mana cost without the added effect, Undermine shines with its ability to whittle down an opponent’s life.

Another parallel can be drawn to Dissipate, which counters a spell and exiles it, preventing recursion from the graveyard. Undermine, while not impacting the graveyard, compensates with direct damage to the opponent. In terms of strategy and board impact, there’s also Cancel, which counters a spell at the same mana cost without additional effects, making Undermine a more aggressive alternative for decks seeking both disruption and pressure.

While there are numerous counter spells in Magic: The Gathering with varying effects and mana costs, Undermine holds a unique place for players who favor a more offensive posture while maintaining control over the game’s flow, proving its continued relevance and utility in player decks.

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Dissipate - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Counterspell - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Dissipate - Mirage (MIR)
Cancel - Time Spiral (TSP)

Cards similar to Undermine by color, type and mana cost

Essence Vortex - MTG Card versions
Recoil - MTG Card versions
Forbidden Alchemy - MTG Card versions
Perplex - MTG Card versions
Soul Manipulation - MTG Card versions
Psychic Strike - MTG Card versions
Dihada's Ploy - MTG Card versions
Sauron's Ransom - MTG Card versions
Essence Vortex - Ice Age (ICE)
Recoil - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Forbidden Alchemy - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Perplex - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Soul Manipulation - The List (PLST)
Psychic Strike - Gatecrash (GTC)
Dihada's Ploy - Modern Horizons 2 (MH2)
Sauron's Ransom - The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Undermine MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and World Championship Decks 2001, 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 Undermine and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Undermine Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2011-09-02. Illustrated by Massimilano Frezzato.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12000-10-02InvasionINV 2821997normalblackMassimilano Frezzato
22001-08-08World Championship Decks 2001WC01 ar2821997normalgoldMassimilano Frezzato
32011-09-02Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol BolasDDH 622003normalblackMassimilano Frezzato

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Undermine has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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