Heightened Reflexes MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Heightened Reflexes doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to give a creature +1/+0 until end of turn can help you overcome blockers and deal more damage, potentially leading to a strategic advantage on the battlefield. Plus, casting it during your turn can set up advantageous trades or surprise wins through combat math.

Resource Acceleration: Heightened Reflexes isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration. However, by enhancing a creature’s power, it can accelerate your game plan by applying more pressure on the opponent, forcing them to respond or face a hastened defeat. This increased tempo can be as valuable as accelerating your mana resources in certain aggressive strategies.

Instant Speed: The true strength of Heightened Reflexes lies in its instant speed, giving you the flexibility to boost a creature’s power at a moment’s notice. This can turn the tides during combat on either player’s turn, help you outmaneuver removal spells, or surprise an opponent who might have otherwise blocked differently. Instant speed interactions often force opponents to play more conservatively, preserving your resources while they play around potential combat tricks.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A notable downside of Heightened Reflexes is the necessity to discard a card, which may not be ideal for players aiming to maintain card advantage. This could particularly impact strategies reliant on card synergy where every piece is essential.

Specific Mana Cost: Heightened Reflexes demands a certain mana alignment—red—making it less versatile. Decks not dedicated to red mana may find incorporating this card challenging, limiting its flexibility across various builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering its single-use effect, the card’s mana cost is on the higher side when compared to alternative instant-speed tricks. Players might opt for lower-costing cards that offer similar or more impactful effects on the gameplay.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Heightened Reflexes stands out with its capacity to adapt to a variety of deck builds. This instant not only boosts a creature’s power swiftly but sets the stage for immediate combat tricks or surprise defenses.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with creatures that have tap abilities or with strategies built around +1/+1 counters. Its ability to give a creature first strike until end of turn can be a game-changer, especially when aligned with other combat-focused cards.

Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of current gameplay, having a quick response that alters the course of combat can be crucial. Heightened Reflexes serves well in environments where first strike can deter opponents or swing the momentum in your favor.

How to beat

Heightened Reflexes is a unique instant that can catch players off-guard by giving a creature a sudden boost. When going up against this card, timing is critical. Ensure you’re prepared for combat tricks, especially if your opponent has red mana available and a creature on the battlefield that could benefit from this spell. Counterspells are your best defense in blue decks, stopping Heightened Reflexes before it affects the board state.

In non-blue decks, your strategy should involve removing the creature targeted by Heightened Reflexes before the spell resolves. Instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can effectively mitigate the surprise buff. Another approach is to play conservatively when your opponent has untapped red mana. Don’t attack into open red mana if the trade isn’t favorable for you should a Heightened Reflexes come down. Lastly, always be mindful of how this card could impact combat math, and adjust your plays to either avoid crucial losses or bait your opponent into a less optimal use of their resources.