Maddening Wind MTG Card


Maddening Wind - Ice Age
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Cumulative upkeep,Enchant
Released1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameIce Age
Set codeICE
Number254
Frame1993
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDameon Willich

Key Takeaways

  1. Instant speed of Maddening Wind provides a strategic advantage by allowing timing flexibility.
  2. Card requires discard and precise mana, potentially limiting versatility in some decks.
  3. Effective counterplays include instant-speed spells and adaptable deck strategies.

Text of card

Cumulative Upkeep: o G During target creature's controller's upkeep, Maddening Wind deals 2 damage to that player.

"It is Freyalise, walking on the world." —Kolbjörn, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Maddening Wind is designed to disrupt your opponent’s hand while simultaneously allowing you to peek at their strategy, providing a subtle form of card advantage. By understanding what your opponent is holding, you can better plan your own plays.

Resource Acceleration: While Maddening Wind doesn’t directly produce mana or resources, the card’s ability to delay your opponent’s plans can indirectly accelerate your board position by keeping them a step behind.

Instant Speed: The true power of Maddening Wind lies in its instant speed, offering the flexibility to cast it at the most opportune moment. This can sow chaos in your opponent’s ranks during their draw phase or disrupt a carefully planned sequence of spells during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Maddening Wind necessitates the discard of a card, which could deplete your hand and be detrimental if you’re already behind in resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise blend of mana to cast, which may not integrate seamlessly into all decks, potentially limiting its playability across different strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost demanding a significant investment, Maddening Wind competes with other spells that might yield a stronger board presence or immediate impact on the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Maddening Wind can adapt well to a varied array of strategies, functioning specifically well in control decks aiming to disrupt opponents or in combination with cards that capitalize on discard effects.

Combo Potential: The card works seamlessly with other discard-enabling cards and helps to activate abilities related to an opponent’s empty hand, further enhancing its use in synergistic plays.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the fluctuating landscape of competitive play, Maddening Wind might emerge as a useful tool against decks that heavily rely on hand resources to execute their game plan.


How to beat

Overcoming Maddening Wind in your MTG games requires strategic planning and the right approach. This card, as a disruptor, challenges players to come up with creative measures to maintain control. One recommended method is to keep a variety of spells handy that counter your opponent’s actions. Using spells that specifically negate abilities, like creature destruction or counterspells, can mitigate the disruptive impact Maddening Wind has on your game plan.

Another viable approach is adapting your deck with a robust selection of instant-speed interactions. This versatility ensures that you can respond appropriately during your opponent’s turn. Additionally, prioritizing permanents and creatures that are not affected by tapping or that can easily untap can diminish the effectiveness of Maddening Wind. By understanding the nuances of Maddening Wind and incorporating adaptive strategies into your gameplay, you can effectively neutralize this challenging card and maintain the upper hand.


Cards like Maddening Wind

Maddening Wind joins the ranks of blue tempo spells in the vast pantheon of Magic: The Gathering cards. When looking for analogs, it brings to mind the likes of Unsubstantiate, as both cards interfere with the opponent’s creatures or spells. While Maddening Wind forces a creature to return to its owner’s hand and weakens their subsequent plays with a costly recast, Unsubstantiate offers the versatility of bouncing either spells or creatures.

We also see an association with the card Vapor Snag, another single blue mana spell that sends a creature back to the hand but with the added pinch of inflicting one damage to its controller. Though Maddening Wind doesn’t deal damage, its dual effect of return and cost increase can affect the tempo of the game significantly, especially against large creatures that demand a high cost.

Consequently, Maddening Wind presents a blend of control and delay tactics, and while it may not have the immediate sting of Vapor Snag or the flexible disruption Unsubstantiate can claim, it carves out its niche by imposing a steep tax on the opponent’s next casting of the affected creature.

Unsubstantiate - MTG Card versions
Vapor Snag - MTG Card versions
Unsubstantiate - Eldritch Moon (EMN)
Vapor Snag - New Phyrexia (NPH)

Cards similar to Maddening Wind by color, type and mana cost

Kudzu - MTG Card versions
Wanderlust - MTG Card versions
Thelon's Chant - MTG Card versions
Cycle of Life - MTG Card versions
Dense Foliage - MTG Card versions
Hall of Gemstone - MTG Card versions
Fecundity - MTG Card versions
Familiar Ground - MTG Card versions
Momentum - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Mask - MTG Card versions
Broken Fall - MTG Card versions
Verdant Field - MTG Card versions
Lure - MTG Card versions
Food Chain - MTG Card versions
Howling Moon - MTG Card versions
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Overwhelming Instinct - MTG Card versions
Alpha Status - MTG Card versions
Lifegift - MTG Card versions
Kudzu - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Wanderlust - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Thelon's Chant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Cycle of Life - Mirage (MIR)
Dense Foliage - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Hall of Gemstone - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Fecundity - Urza's Saga (USG)
Familiar Ground - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Momentum - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Ancestral Mask - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Broken Fall - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Verdant Field - Prophecy (PCY)
Lure - Tenth Edition (10E)
Food Chain - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Howling Moon - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Squirrel Nest - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Overwhelming Instinct - Onslaught (ONS)
Alpha Status - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Lifegift - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Maddening Wind MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Maddening Wind and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Maddening Wind has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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