Karma MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 26
1993-10-04 - Number 27
1993-12-01 - Number 27
1993-12-10 - Number 27
1993-12-10 - Number 27
1994-04-01 - Number 26
1994-04-01 - Number 26
1994-06-21 - Number 26
1995-04-01 - Number 32
1995-04-01 - Number 32
1996-05-02 - Number bl32sb
1996-05-02 - Number pp32sb
1997-03-24 - Number 42
2003-07-28 - Number 28
2003-07-28 - Number 28★
2022-11-28 - Number 323
2022-11-28 - Number 26
| Card sets | Released in 17 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
Karma does 1 damage to player for each swamp player has in play. Damage occurs during player's upkeep. Affects both players.
Cards like Karma
Karma stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique enchantment that taxes players for their use of Swamps. When looking at similar cards, one can’t help but draw parallels to cards like Night of Souls’ Betrayal, which applies a blanket effect on creatures. While both create ongoing board impacts, Karma directly targets players’ life totals proportionally to their Swamp count, introducing a specific color targeting strategy.
Another intriguing comparison is with the card Ankh of Mishra, which deals damage to players whenever a land enters the battlefield under their control. Both Karma and Ankh of Mishra crack down on players for land play, yet Karma’s effect is more focused on late-game pressure against heavy black mana base decks. Additionally, Circle of Protection: Black shares a conceptual space of color-focused interaction by preventing damage from black sources, which could be a strategic response to Karma’s potential backlash.
All told, Karma’s distinct approach to applying pressure through opponent’s land choices makes it a noteworthy tool in Magic: The Gathering, especially in matches where the battlefield is heavily influenced by Swamps, thereby tipping the scales in a player’s favor or against them.
Cards similar to Karma by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Karma helps tilt the battlefield in your favor over time by consistently dealing damage to opponents controlling Swamps, potentially forcing them to discard or lose valuable cards.
Resource Acceleration: By potentially disrupting opponents’ mana bases, particularly in multi-colored decks, Karma can slow down their resource acceleration, indirectly benefiting your own strategy.
Instant Speed: While Karma itself does not operate at instant speed, its constant effect applies pressure each turn, allowing you to strategize and play other instant speed spells more efficiently.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Karma doesn’t directly require discarding a card, but being an enchantment, it can take up a valuable card slot in your hand potentially causing a card to be discarded during the cleanup step if you’ve surpassed your max hand size.
Specific Mana Cost: Karma has a very specific casting cost that includes two white mana, making it a somewhat rigid fit that aligns primarily with mono-white or two-color decks that can reliably generate white mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Karma sits at a higher range on the mana curve, especially for an effect that is entirely dependent on your opponents controlling Swamps. In scenarios without many black decks in play, other cards may offer more broadly impactful effects for the same, or less, mana investment.
Reasons to Include Karma in Your Collection
Versatility: Karma is a unique addition to any deck playing with a white color scheme. It can turn a basic land strategy by your opponent into a downside, especially in formats where nonbasic lands are less prevalent.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a pivotal piece in a strategy geared towards punishing opponents for their land choices. It can be combined with effects that encourage or force opponents to play with more basic lands, or with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, turning all lands into Swamps, hence triggering Karma every turn.
Meta-Relevance: In formats or metagames with a heavy reliance on basic lands, Karma stands out as a persistent threat. Its ability to consistently inflict damage can sway the tide of a game and requires an immediate answer, making it relevant in certain deck matchups.
How to beat
Karma is an intriguing enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering that can play a defining role in matches, particularly those involving decks with many Swamps. This white card from older sets introduces a unique challenge by inflicting damage to a player during their upkeep for each Swamp they control. Consequently, players utilizing heavy black mana bases often find themselves at a disadvantage.
To effectively counter Karma, consider including land transformation or enchantment removal within your deck. Cards like Chaos Warp can disrupt this strategy by replacing problematic Swamps with other potentially less harmful cards. Alternatively, enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize provide a direct solution to remove Karma from the battlefield.
Moreover, adapting your deck to minimize the reliance on Swamps or swapping them for lands that provide black mana without the Swamp subtype can diminish Karma’s impact. In doing so, you maintain your ability to harness black magic without the looming threat of damage each turn. It’s these strategic adjustments that can turn the tides against a card like Karma, ensuring your MTG gameplay remains as resilient as ever.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Karma MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Karma 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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Printings
The Karma Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 26 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 27 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 27 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 27 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 27 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 26 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 26 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 26 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 32 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 32 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 11 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | bl32sb | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Richard Thomas | |
| 12 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | pp32sb | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Richard Thomas | |
| 13 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 42 | 1997 | Normal | White | Bob Eggleton | |
| 14 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 28 | 2003 | Normal | White | Bob Eggleton | |
| 15 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 28★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Bob Eggleton | |
| 16 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 323 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 17 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 26 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Karma has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Karma 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 | Amount of damage is determined when the ability resolves and not when it is placed on the stack. |