Memory Worm MTG Card

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 695

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 90

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Alien Worm
Abilities	Paradox
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Memory Worm excels in tactical graveyard control, enhancing card advantage and disrupting opponents.
This card’s instant speed allows for adaptable, opportune plays within a match.
As a versatile addition, Memory Worm strengthens mill and control strategies in MTG decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Memory Worm MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, 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 Memory Worm and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Paradox — Whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, Memory Worm deals 2 damage to target player. That player discards a card, then draws a card. Put a +1/+1 counter on Memory Worm.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Memory Worm offers a unique twist to gaining card advantage by allowing graveyard manipulation. Not only can you revisit your past plays, but strategically remove options from your opponent’s toolbox, thus subtly shifting the odds in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling access to spells from your graveyard, Memory Worm can effectively reduce the need for drawing additional resources. This type of acceleration is invaluable for maintaining momentum and applying pressure throughout the match.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Memory Worm at instant speed provides a strategic edge, letting you wait until the most opportune moment. Whether it’s disrupting an opponent’s combo or before your own turn begins, the flexibility of instant speed plays is a significant pro for this card.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Memory Worm necessitates relinquishing a card from your hand, presenting a hurdle when your card count is dwindling and every resource counts.

Specific Mana Cost: It demands a precise combination of mana types, which might restrict its integration into a wide array of decks, especially those that don’t typically run blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost being on the higher side, you might find other cards that execute similar functions but at a lesser resource expense, potentially providing more versatility and efficiency to your gameplay strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Memory Worm offers flexibility in deck building. It can be a tactical addition in control or midrange decks, providing an avenue to disrupt opponents’ strategies by targeting their hand and graveyard.

Combo Potential: This card is an excellent piece in a mill-themed deck or with cards that capitalize on your opponents having fewer cards in hand. It could synergize well with mechanics like proliferate or cards that watch for thresholds of cards in the graveyard to activate.

Meta-Relevance: Given the importance of hand advantage in the current meta, Memory Worm could become an essential tool in depleting your opponent’s resources while also serving as a deterrent against graveyard-based strategies.

How to Beat Memory Worm

Memory Worm, while a unique spell in the MTG universe, has its vulnerabilities like any other card in the game. Its primary strength lies in its disruption capabilities, forcing opponents to discard a portion of their deck, potentially removing essential strategies from play. Despite its intimidating presence, overcoming this card hinges on recognizing its reliance on the milling strategy.

Direct counters to Memory Worm include graveyard recursion that enables players to retrieve important cards from their graveyard. Utilizing spells like Unearth or cards equipped with the Escape mechanic can significantly mitigate the impact of Memory Worm. Another effective strategy is embracing the mill; by incorporating cards that benefit from having a full graveyard, such as synergies with the Delve or Threshold abilities. Lastly, cards that shuffle the graveyard back into the library, like Elixir of Immortality, ensure the decking threat of Memory Worm is neutralized, allowing players to maintain their resources against this disruptive force.

It’s a game of understanding the ebb and flow of resources, and with the right countermeasures, Memory Worm’s threat can be transformed into an advantage for the adept and prepared player.

Cards like Memory Worm

Memory Worm introduces a unique dimension to the realm of graveyard manipulation strategies in Magic: The Gathering. This creature can be likened to cards such as Wall of Lost Thoughts, which also dedicates its enter-the-battlefield effect to milling an opponent. However, Memory Worm distinguishes itself by potentially milling more cards based on the number of times it has mutated, adding a scalable effect.

Similarly, Merfolk Secretkeeper offers another comparison with its mill-focused venture. While Secretkeeper allows for early-game interaction with its Adventure ability, Memory Worm provides a recurring threat with its mutate capability. Then, there’s the classic Glimpse the Unthinkable, which targets an opponent’s library with a significant one-time mill – a different approach compared to Memory Worm’s potential for repeated use.

In assessing the various milling options, Memory Worm’s synergy with mutate mechanics offers a versatile tool for MTG players who prefer dynamic and evolving gameplay, especially when compared to the consistent yet singular effect of traditional mill cards.

Wall of Lost Thoughts - MTG Card versions

Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Memory Worm by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Memory Worm Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Craig J Spearing.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO		695	2015	Normal	Black	Craig J Spearing
2	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO		90	2015	Normal	Black	Craig J Spearing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Memory Worm has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2023-10-13	A triggered ability that triggers when a spell is cast from anywhere other than your hand, such as that of The Thirteenth Doctor, functions only on the battlefield, so it doesn't trigger when you cast that spell from a zone other than your hand.
2023-10-13	An instant or sorcery that counts how many spells you've cast from anywhere other than your hand, such as Surge of Brilliance, counts itself if it was cast from a zone other than your hand.
2023-10-13	If a spell or ability allows you to copy a spell on the stack but doesn't specify that the spell is cast, that spell wasn't cast and won't be counted by paradox abilities. However, if a spell or ability allows you to cast a copy of a spell, that spell will be counted for paradox abilities.
2023-10-13	Paradox abilities count any spells cast from zones other than your hand. These are usually spells cast from exile, the graveyard, or the command zone. They also count spells cast from outside the game, such as spells cast with Wish or Garth One-Eye's ability.