Magical Hack MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 63
1993-10-04 - Number 64
1993-12-01 - Number 64
1993-12-10 - Number 64
1993-12-10 - Number 64
1994-04-01 - Number 65
1994-04-01 - Number 65
1994-06-21 - Number 65
1995-04-01 - Number 83
1995-04-01 - Number 83
1997-03-24 - Number 101
2022-11-28 - Number 360
2022-11-28 - Number 63
| Card sets | Released in 13 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Change the text of any card being played or already in play by replacing one basic land type with another. For example, you can change "swampwalk" to "plainswalk."
Cards like Magical Hack
Magical Hack stands out in MTG as a unique spell that alters the text of a card by changing the land type mentioned. Its closest kin in functionality include cards like Mind Bend, which allows a player to change not just land types but any one type mentioned on a card. This provides Mind Bend with a broader range of targets compared to Magical Hack, granting it greater versatility.
Artificial Evolution is another card that echoes this ability, though it exclusively targets creature types. It might not interact with lands like Magical Hack, but it can significantly impact tribal decks or specific creature synergies. Spectrum in scope, Sleight of Mind and Whim of Volrath also enable players to alter words on cards. However, Sleight of Mind is limited to a single word on a permanent while Whim of Volrath extends its reach through its buyback ability, allowing for repeated use.
Through a comparison of these amendments, Magical Hack is a niche card tailored for creative and specific gameplay scenarios. It is designed for players looking for a strategic edge, particularly in altering land types to disrupt an opponent’s plans or to enhance their own.
Cards similar to Magical Hack by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Magical Hack doesn’t directly draw cards, but its ability can be leveraged to alter the text of cards in play for advantageous interactions, potentially disrupting opponent strategies or enhancing your own, thereby indirectly leading to card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Though not a typical resource acceleration card, Magical Hack can modify land types listed in card texts, which could result in enhanced mana production capabilities if combined cleverly with cards that interact with specific land types.
Instant Speed: As an instant, Magical Hack offers flexibility, allowing you to adjust the text of cards at any point in the game. This can be particularly crucial in responding to an opponent’s moves or in executing your strategy at the most opportune moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Magical Hack doesn’t directly require a discard, its utility often depends on having a particular setup or a combo piece in play. If your hand doesn’t support the need for changing text on a card, this can be effectively similar to discarding a card with no immediate benefit.
Specific Mana Cost: Magical Hack requires a single blue mana to cast. This specificity can restrict its inclusion to blue-centric or compatible multicolored decks, potentially excluding it from a wider pool of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its low absolute mana cost, the impact of Magical Hack is nuanced and situational. Other spells or abilities at a similar cost may provide a more significant and direct influence on the game’s outcome. Players might find that saving or utilizing mana for other spells could lead to more strategic advantages.
Reasons to Include Magical Hack in Your Collection
Versatility: Magical Hack is a unique card that can be slid into blue decks to adjust land types on the fly, making it adaptable for both reactive and proactive game plans.
Combo Potential: Within decks that manipulate land types or that benefit from changing the text on cards, Magical Hack can be a key piece in executing powerful, unexpected combinations.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that relies on certain land types or where specific wording on cards is crucial, Magical Hack offers a way to disrupt opponents’ strategies or enhance your own, keeping your deck competitive.
How to beat
When facing the card Magic Hack on the battlefield, players should consider its unique capability to alter the text of one basic land type in a spell or land card until end of turn. To counter this effect, players need to rely on a strategy that doesn’t hinge on land type dependency. For instance, nonbasic lands that produce different types or combinations of mana can diminish the impact of Magical Hack’s ability to manipulate gameplay.
Additionally, instant-speed removal or counterspells are crucial when opposing any card with the potential to alter the game state so drastically. By holding up mana for such spells, players can respond to Magical Hack by either swiftly removing the target it aims to alter or by countering it outright, thus preserving the integrity of their land types and the spells relying on them.
Strategically, it’s vital to be aware of the types of decks that might include Magical Hack. Understand the moment when it’s most pivotal to thwart this spell’s effect—timing your response for when your opponent is committed to a play based on the land-type change. This ensures you maintain control over the game’s tempo and protect your strategy from being disrupted by such a niche yet potentially game-altering card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Magical Hack 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 Magical Hack 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Magical Hack Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Julie Baroh.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 63 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 64 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 64 | 1993 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 64 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 64 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 65 | 1993 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 65 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 65 | 1993 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 83 | 1993 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 83 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 101 | 1997 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 12 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 360 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 13 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 63 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Magical Hack has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Magical Hack 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 | Alters all occurrences of the chosen word in the text box and the type line of the given card. |
| 2004-10-04 | Can target a card with no appropriate words on it, or even one with no words at all. |
| 2004-10-04 | Changing the text of a spell will not allow you to change the targets of the spell because the targets were chosen when the spell was cast. The text change will (probably) cause it to be countered since the targets will be illegal. |
| 2004-10-04 | If you change the text of a spell which is to become a permanent, the permanent will retain the text change until the effect wears off. |
| 2004-10-04 | It can be used to change a land’s type from one basic land type to another. For example, Forest can be changed to Island so it produces blue mana. It doesn’t change the name of any permanent. |
| 2004-10-04 | It can’t change a word to the same word. It must be a different word. |
| 2004-10-04 | It only changes what is printed on the card (or set on a token when it was created or set by a copy effect). It will not change any effects that are on the permanent. |
| 2004-10-04 | You can’t change proper nouns (i.e. card names) such as “Island Fish Jasconius”. |
| 2004-10-04 | You choose the words to change on resolution. |