Mana Chains MTG Card

Mana Chains can provide card advantage by hindering opponents’ resource usage with its disruptive mechanic. The instant speed of Mana Chains allows for real-time responses, adding a layer of strategic depth to games. Despite benefits, Mana Chains’ specific mana cost and potential resource strain can limit its broader application.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	1997-06-09
Set symbol
Set name	Weatherlight
Set code	WTH
Number	41
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Bryan Talbot

Text of card

Enchanted creature gains "Cumulative upkeep o1."

"The Lord of the Wastes must be destroyed; I am bound to this destiny by the chains of fate. If only Gerrard would see his part." —Sisay, journal

Understanding the Mechanics

Mana Chains is a prime example of a unique control card within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. This card has the ability to gradually render an opponent’s creature less and less useful by placing age counters on it, increasing its maintenance cost with each upkeep. Unlike more straightforward removal spells, Mana Chains doesn’t dispose of the creature immediately but instead slowly constrains your opponent’s resources over time.

Cards like Mana Chains

Mana Chains shares similarities with a variety of control enchantments that manipulate or debilitate opposing creatures. One such card is Gideon’s Lawkeeper, which can tap a creature to prevent it from attacking or blocking. While Mana Chains works gradually, Gideon’s Lawkeeper provides more immediate control, yet neither card removes the creature outright. Another card with a related concept is Pacifism, which simply neutralizes a creature by preventing it from attacking and blocking altogether without increasing its cost, unlike the cumulative upkeep of Mana Chains.

Comparatively, we also have Curse of Chains, which can tap a creature and keep it locked down for several turns. However, it allows the permanent to untap if the opponent opts to skip their turn, presenting a window of flexibility that doesn’t exist with Mana Chains. Each of these enchantments brings a distinctive strategy to the table, with Mana Chains standing out due to the predicament it puts opponents in: either invest more resources to keep a creature or let it become unusable.

Analyzing each card’s effects unveils Mana Chains as a distinctive tool for control decks, adept at forcing opponents into making challenging decisions regarding their resources and creature utility over the course of a game.

Cards similar to Mana Chains by color, type and mana cost

Cloak of Invisibility - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mana Chains can prove vital in swinging the tide of a game by potentially stripping your opponent of key resources. This disruption can translate into a significant card advantage, especially if it means removing a threat that would otherwise require multiple cards to handle.

Resource Acceleration: By restricting your opponent’s ability to utilize their mana effectively, Mana Chains can inadvertently accelerate your own resource superiority. Controlling the pace of the game allows you to more efficiently plan your moves and capitalize on the weakened state of your opponent’s resources.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Mana Chains at instant speed adds to its strategic versatility. It allows you to respond to threats in real-time or at the end of your opponent’s turn, preserving the element of surprise and maintaining pressure without committing resources prematurely.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The usage of Mana Chains can become a setback if your hand is already depleted. Having to discard another card might further strain your resources and force difficult decisions.

Specific Mana Cost: Mana Chains necessitates specific mana types to cast, constraining its utility to decks that can consistently produce the requisite colors, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to deploy Mana Chains is on the higher side when evaluated against other options. There are spells and abilities that can yield similar or greater returns for less investment, making it a less optimal choice in certain deck builds.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mana Chains is a unique card that can be seamlessly integrated into multiple deck archetypes. Its ability to restrict an opponent’s mana pool makes it a strategic addition, especially for decks that aim to control the tempo of the game.

Combo Potential: This card shines when used in conjunction with other cards that benefit from tapping or untapping permanents, offering a powerful synergy that can lock down opponents’ resources while you execute your game plan.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where fast mana and quick plays dictate the pace, Mana Chains becomes an invaluable asset. It helps slow down opponents using aggressive strategies, giving you the upper hand in developing your board and strategies at a more controlled pace.

How to Beat Mana Chains

Mana Chains can present a unique challenge on the battlefield. This enchantment clings to creatures, incrementally taxing their controller until the escalating cost becomes unbearable, sometimes resulting in the creature’s sacrifice. To navigate around this, efficient removal spells are your first line of defense. Directly dealing with Mana Chains through enchantment removal, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, can quickly neutralize the threat it poses without further draining your resources.

Strategic foresight is also key. Playing creatures that can operate under the constraints of Mana Chains or delaying your creature plays until you can handle the additional costs are vital tactics. In some cases, opting for creatures with abilities that trigger upon entering the battlefield or dying can at least ensure you’re gaining value despite Mana Chains’ presence. Furthermore, if you are able to pace your mana usage effectively or generate additional mana through ramp spells or creatures, you can offset the tax imposed by Mana Chains and maintain a strong board presence.

In essence, to outmaneuver Mana Chains, a combination of enchantment removal, careful play, and mana management will ensure that this enchantment becomes more of a nuisance than a formidable obstacle in your matches.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mana Chains MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight, 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 Mana Chains and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mana Chains has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each triggers separately. However, the age counters are not connected to any particular ability; each cumulative upkeep ability will count the total number of age counters on the permanent at the time that ability resolves.