Jinxed Idol MTG Card

Disrupt opponents by using Jinxed Idol’s ability to strategically force sacrifices at instant speed. Jinxed Idol can be a combo engine in decks designed around creature sacrifice for swift wins. Outmaneuvering Jinxed Idol’s downsides requires careful strategic planning and board control.

Tempest (TMP)
1997-10-14 - Number 293

Magic 2011 (M11)
2010-07-16 - Number 208

Tempest Remastered (TPR)
2015-05-06 - Number 224

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact

Text of card

During your upkeep, Jinxed Idol deals 2 damage to you. Sacrifice a creature: Target opponent gains control of Jinxed Idol permanently.

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Cards like Jinxed Idol

Jinxed Idol is a unique artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels to other cards that juggle risk for reward. It can be likened to cards like Desecrated Tomb, which also transforms a specific action into an advantage, in this case generating 1/1 black Bat creature tokens when a creature card leaves your graveyard. Yet, Jinxed Idol stands out because it requires a continuous transfer of risk between players to manipulate its potentially harmful effect.

Comparable in its challenge of balance is Bazaar Trader. This card, much like Jinxed Idol, allows control of permanents to shift between players. However, with Bazaar Trader, the transfer is at your discretion, offering more controlled strategic moves. Jinxed Idol, on the other hand, calls for a more dynamic approach, as the idol passes around based on creature sacrifices. Then there’s Harmless Offering, which can permanently rehome a problematic permanent, including Jinxed Idol, to an opponent’s side of the battlefield, adding a twist of finality to the bargain.

Understanding and harnessing the intricacies of such strategic assets can tilt the scales in a player’s favor. In this light, Jinxed Idol presents a valuable challenge for players who enjoy a style that leverages high stakes for high rewards.

Cards similar to Jinxed Idol by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jinxed Idol may not draw cards directly, but by strategically passing it to an opponent who struggles to sacrifice creatures, you can effectively disrupt their board state. This can provide a significant advantage as your opponent may be forced to lose valuable resources while trying to mitigate the Idol’s impact.

Resource Acceleration: At first glance, Jinxed Idol doesn’t appear to provide mana or acceleration. However, its ability to efficiently convert excess creatures into damage against your opponent can speed up your game strategy. By siphoning off your expendable creatures, you essentially convert them into a resource to accelerate your victory.

Instant Speed: While Jinxed Idol is an artifact and not an instant, its ability can be activated at instant speed. This allows you to wait until the last moment before your turn to hand off the Idol, potentially forcing your opponent to react during their own turn and at a time least convenient for them, which can disrupt their carefully laid plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jinxed Idol requires the player to sacrifice a creature during their upkeep if they wish to avoid its life-loss effect. This could deplete your creature resources or force unwanted trades, which can be particularly detrimental in creature-centric decks.

Specific Mana Cost: The Idol demands two generic mana, which, while flexible, adds a layer of complexity to its use. Allocating mana to cast it might divert resources from other critical plays during the early game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the casting cost is moderate, the need to continually sacrifice creatures can pose an intricately high cumulative cost, especially in decks not optimized for such repetitive sacrifices. There are alternative artifacts or strategies that might offer better synergy with a deck’s overall game plan.

Reasons to Include Jinxed Idol in Your Collection

Versatility: Jinxed Idol’s unique ability to transfer life loss to an opponent makes it a dynamic addition to multiple types of decks. Its capability to provide an alternate win condition or disrupt an opponent’s strategy is significant.

Combo Potential: This card can be a linchpin in creating combo chains, especially in decks that generate tokens or creatures that can be sacrificed without much cost. Using its ability can ingeniously turn the tide of the game.

Meta-Relevance: Cards like Jinxed Idol can shine in metas where players tend to stabilize at low life totals, or in environments where the board state can be controlled to limit available creatures for sacrifice. Being able to force action or dictate the pace of the game makes it a noteworthy card for many players.

How to beat

Jinxed Idol, a fixture in the MTG universe, is a card that embodies a double-edged sword. It presents a unique challenge, but with strategic play, it can be overcome. Handling Jinxed Idol effectively requires understanding its ability to transfer between players and the need for creature sacrifices. Crucially, timing your plays to maintain control of the board while minimizing the damage Jinxed Idol can inflict on your life total is essential.

Counterplay against Jinxed Idol might involve leveraging removal spells to clear opponent creatures, thereby limiting their ability to pass the Idol back. Additional tactics include using creature tokens which can be sacrificed with minimal impact on your game presence. In effect, it can become an asset in the right deck—just ensure you’re equipped to deal with its demands or prepared to capitalize on its drawbacks when your opponent is at the helm. Spot removal, token generation, and strategic game pacing are keys to nullify the Idol’s potentially harsh toll.

Overall, the art of overcoming Jinxed Idol lies not in direct confrontation but in smart, circumstantial deckbuilding and play decisions that turn the tides of this perilous artifact’s influence to your advantage.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jinxed Idol MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Magic 2011, 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 Jinxed Idol and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jinxed Idol Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-10-14	Tempest	TMP	293	1997	Normal	Black	John Matson
2	2010-07-16	Magic 2011	M11	208	2003	Normal	Black	jD
3	2015-05-06	Tempest Remastered	TPR	224	2015	Normal	Black	John Matson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jinxed Idol has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Your opponent can use the ability to give this card back to you.
2010-08-15	If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but that creature is dealt lethal damage, it’ll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
2010-08-15	The control-change effect has no duration. The targeted player retains control of Jinxed Idol until the game ends, Jinxed Idol leaves the battlefield, or an effect causes someone else to gain control of it (perhaps because Jinxed Idol’s ability is activated again).