Five-Finger Discount MTG Card
Text of card
Put target nonland permanent into your hand. You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color the next time you cast that card.
"Dognapping is such an ugly word. I would characterize this as a unilateral redistribution of pets."
Cards like Five-Finger Discount
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, Five-Finger Discount holds a unique place in the pantheon of theft and control cards. In a direct comparison, it invites reflection upon its cousins like Acquire and Bribery, which also pivot on the manipulation of opponents’ resources. Acquire’s main draw is its ability to snatch an artifact straight from your adversary’s library—a powerful move, though lacking the element of manipulation of the battlefield that Five-Finger Discount offers.
Contrasting this, we have Praetor’s Grasp that echoes the theme of siphoning opponents’ decks. While it doesn’t grant immediate playability like Five-Finger Discount, it offers a more subtle and secretive advantage. Additionally, Gonti, Lord of Luxury follows a similar trail but with a distinct focus on creatures and adds a touch of devious card advantage by allowing you to cast the stolen card without paying its mana cost—you simply need to keep Gonti on the field.
Summarily, MTG players might notice that within the realm of theft and library manipulation, Five-Finger Discount stands out for its flexibility and the immediacy of playing the purloined permanents, undoubtedly casting its own shadow as a uniquely poised card within the strategy of commandeering opponents’ decks.
Cards similar to Five-Finger Discount by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Five-Finger Discount offers an edge in Magic the Gathering by potentially providing access to your opponent’s best cards. This can significantly tip the scales in your favor, as using their strength against them is a proven strategy for maintaining an upper hand.
Resource Acceleration: While Five-Finger Discount does not directly produce mana or tokens, it effectively reduces the cost of the spell you cast from exile. This kind of resource acceleration lets you deploy threats quicker or keep mana open for other strategic plays, making it a versatile addition to decks looking to outpace the opponent.
Instant Speed: The ability to play cards at instant speed always adds a layer of unpredictability and strategic depth. With Five-Finger Discount, you gain the opportunity to surprise your rival by casting something unexpected during their turn, which can be game-changing in competitive play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Players must discard a card to utilize Five-Finger Discount’s ability. This can lead to a strategic setback, particularly in situations where maintaining a robust hand is crucial for future plays. It might also compel a player to discard a valuable card they’d rather have available for upcoming turns.
Specific Mana Cost: Five-Finger Discount’s casting cost demands both blue and green mana, which inherently reduces its adaptability across various deck types. This limitation narrows deck-building options and might exclude it from mono-color decks or those that don’t support a Simic (blue/green) mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The necessity to pay five mana for acquiring another player’s card seems steep when benchmarked against other options within the card pool. This cost-to-benefit ratio could dissuade players from including it in their decks, particularly in formats where efficiency and speed are paramount.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Five-Finger Discount offers a unique spin on permanents acquisition, allowing it to slide into any deck that aims to utilize opponents’ tools or benefits from playing cards without paying their mana cost.
Combo Potential: This card demonstrates a strong synergy with strategies that favor theft and control by granting you access to the top card of each opponent’s library, creating opportunities for unexpected combos and gameplay twists.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that sees many decks running high-value permanents, Five-Finger Discount becomes a critical inclusion, disrupting opponents’ plans while bolstering your board presence with their top strategies. Its relevance grows in multiplayer formats, where access to more cards can provide a significant advantage.
How to beat
Five-Finger Discount is a unique mechanic in the world of MTG that enables a subtle shift of power by allowing players to sneak cards directly from their opponent’s library. It’s a crafty way to utilize the resources from an opposing deck. However, like other cunning mechanics, it can be mitigated or outright countered. To efficiently challenge a player relying on Five-Finger Discount, one must focus on deck protection and hand disruption strategies.
Utilizing cards that ward off such tactics, such as those that grant hexproof to the library or force shuffling, can secure your deck against intrusive effects. Positioning instant-speed removal or counterspells will also disrupt your opponent’s ambitions of claiming your cards. Keeping pressure with card advantage and a clock can force the player with Five-Finger Discount into a defensive stance. Understanding the importance of these elements is key to maintaining control and stopping a Five-Finger Discount strategy in its tracks before it can seize valuables from your deck.
When faced with the challenge of a Five-Finger Discount stratagem, preparing your deck with the right answers and tactics is paramount. Taking preemptive measures can ensure that the power play doesn’t cost you more than just one or two cards—it could save the game for you.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Five-Finger Discount MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Five-Finger Discount 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
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Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Five-Finger Discount card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | If you cast the card put into your hand this way, you’ll control the permanent it becomes. However, Five-Finger Discount doesn’t change who its owner is. If it dies, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. If it’s returned to its owner’s hand, it will go to the hand of its actual owner, and so on. |
| 2018-01-19 | While the card is in your hand, if it would be shuffled into your library, it’s instead shuffled into its owner’s library. |