Founding the Third Path MTG Card

Enables extra card draw and mana acceleration, pivotal for gaining a strong early game advantage. Demands card discard and specific mana, potentially hindering late-game momentum and deck fluidity. Integrates unique abilities, making it a valuable addition to any deck aiming to innovate and combo.

Founding the Third Path - Dominaria United

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Saga
Abilities	Mill,Read Ahead
Released	2022-09-09
Set symbol
Set name	Dominaria United
Set code	DMU
Number	50
Frame	2015
Layout	Saga
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chris Seaman

Text of card

Read ahead (Choose a chapter and start with that many lore counters. Add one after your draw step. Skipped chapters don't trigger. Sacrifice after III.) I — You may cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value 1 or 2 from your hand without paying its mana cost. II — Target player mills four cards. III — Exile target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard. Copy it. You may cast the copy.

Cards like Founding the Third Path

Exploring the nuances of deck building in Magic: The Gathering brings us to Founding the Third Path, a spell that blurs the lines between creating creature tokens and graveyard utility. This card shares a thematic kinship with Necrogenesis, which also forges creatures from the graveyard, albeit with a slight difference in the creature type produced and the lack of mana generation.

Within the realm of token creation, Selesnya Guildmage stands as a noteworthy comparison. It also boasts the ability to populate the battlefield with creature tokens. Unlike Founding the Third Path, the Guildmage offers consistent token generation without relying on the graveyard. Meanwhile, the card Creakwood Liege not only manufactures tokens but also buffs other creatures, providing a broader influence on the game state.

Assessing these similar cards highlights Founding the Third Path’s unique position in MTG. It marries the aspects of graveyard manipulation with token generation, creating strategic depth and providing a versatile role in midrange or graveyard-centric decks. Its ability to utilize the graveyard as a resource sets it apart and defines its niche within the diverse spectrum of Magic: The Gathering cards.

Cards similar to Founding the Third Path by color, type and mana cost

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Founding the Third Path. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Archetype	Event
4c Tempo	Vintage	Blue Tempo	Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-11
Lurrus Deathrite	Vintage	Lurrus Deathrite	Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-10
Atraxa Neoform	Pioneer	Atraxa Neoform	Pioneer League 2024-04-07
Decklist	Free form		Canadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed
Land Destruction	Modern	Land Destruction	Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-13
Sultai Beans	Free form		Noble Spring Quarterly
Sultai Tempo	Gladiator		Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 12 2024
Sultai Midrange	Gladiator		Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 14 2024
Sultai Reanimator	Standard	Sultai Reanimator	The Pizza Box Open: Standard
Sultai Combo	Standard	Sultai Reanimator	The Pizza Box Open: Standard

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Founding the Third Path card provides an edge in maintaining a grip over the game’s flow by enabling additional card draws. Crucial for outpacing opponents in resources, it plays a pivotal role in establishing a formidable advantage as the match progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This potent piece of your deck boasts the ability to accelerate resource generation, setting you on a faster track to deploying the heavy hitters. Not just a simple mana boost, but a strategic elevation that could turn the tides when you most need it.

Instant Speed: Agility in response is what sets Founding the Third Path apart. With its instant speed, you retain the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield, making it a versatile contender among other spells. Whether it’s disrupting opponent strategies or fortifying your own, this card ensures you’re always one step ahead.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Founding the Third Path asks players to discard a card to activate its ability. For many players, this stipulation can be quite disadvantageous, especially during late-game scenarios where card advantage becomes critical. Ridding of a potentially useful card could lead to a shortfall in subsequent rounds if the payoff from the ability does not outweigh the immediate cost of discarding.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s activation is locked behind a specific mana configuration that not all decks can easily meet. Players utilizing multicolored or less mana-flexible decks might find this card a challenging fit, requiring them to potentially overhaul their mana base which can detract from deck consistency and optimal performance.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher side for its provided effects, Founding the Third Path may not be the most mana-efficient option available. In the diverse world of MTG, where the competition for deck slots is fierce, cards that provide similar or better effects at a lower mana cost might readily replace it, rendering this card a less attractive choice for players looking to optimize their game.

Reasons to Include Founding the Third Path in Your Collection

Versatility: Founding the Third Path introduces unique mechanics that can blend seamlessly into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to interact with different play styles makes it a compelling choice for deckbuilders looking to innovate.

Combo Potential: With its distinct ability to affect the board, Founding the Third Path opens up possibilities for combos, enabling synergies with cards that benefit from its specific effects on gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: Staying competitive often means adapting to current trends. Founding the Third Path has characteristics that can disrupt common strategies, giving it an edge in the evolving meta-game landscape.

How to beat

Founding the Third Path is an intriguing enchantment that can create a significant challenge for players in Magic: The Gathering. This card stands out due to its ability to recur creature cards from the graveyard to the battlefield. It emphasizes the power of graveyard-based strategies, which can be difficult to disrupt once they gain momentum. To effectively counter this card, players should focus on enchantment removal spells which are a must-have in any deck facing a grave-centric opponent.

Strategies to combat Founding the Third Path include using enchantment removals like Disenchant or more versatile options such as Assassin’s Trophy that can handle any troublesome permanents. Timely intervention is key; remove Founding the Third Path before it can begin to generate value by returning creatures. Additionally, graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can preemptively nullify this enchantment’s potential, ensuring that the creatures don’t return from the graveyard at all, thwarting the opponent’s plans and keeping the game in your favor.

In essence, tackling Founding the Third Path requires a well-thought-out strategy and inclusion of certain cards meant to disrupt your opponent’s graveyard synergies. By focusing on removal and denial, a player can mitigate the impact of this enchantment and maintain control over the game state.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Founding the Third Path MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United, 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 Founding the Third Path and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Founding the Third Path has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2022-09-09	As a Saga with read ahead enters the battlefield, its controller chooses a number from one to that Saga’s greatest chapter number. The Saga enters the battlefield with the chosen number of lore counters. Neither choosing the number nor putting the counters on the Saga use the stack, and neither can be responded to.
2022-09-09	If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2022-09-09	If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
2022-09-09	You must pay all costs for the copy of a spell you cast as Founding the Third Path’s last chapter ability resolves. If you choose to cast it, you must cast as the ability resolves. You can’t wait and cast it at a later time.