Mind Unbound MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2011-07-15 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic 2012 |
| Set code | M12 |
| Number | 68 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jason Felix |
Key Takeaways
- Gain increasing card advantage with each turn, tipping resource balance in your favor.
- The potential mana acceleration can speed up strategic plays and deck execution.
- Early hand replenishment during upkeep enables timely and crucial instant-speed responses.
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a lore counter on Mind Unbound, then draw a card for each lore counter on Mind Unbound.
The creations of the hand are confined by reality. The creations of the mind know no such limits.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mind Unbound offers a compounding benefit as each upkeep grants you an additional card, symmetrically increasing the potential card advantage as turns progress. This sustained draw mechanism can significantly outpace opponents in terms of resources over time.
Resource Acceleration: Although Mind Unbound does not directly produce mana, the incremental draw ultimately leads to pulling more lands or ramp spells. This can effectively accelerate your resource acquisition and enable a faster deployment of your game plan.
Instant Speed: While Mind Unbound itself is not an instant, the cards drawn from it are acquired during the upkeep, allowing for a fresh hand before you even draw for the turn. This can provide instant-speed interactions and responses that can be pivotal during critical junctions of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mind Unbound may seem like a sheer powerhouse by offering card advantage over time, but it comes with a hidden cost that’s not printed on the card—the necessity to discard if you can’t play all those extra drawn cards. A full hand is a double-edged sword if you end up discarding valuable cards at the end of your turn.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Mind Unbound is quite specific, requiring two blue mana which might not always align with a player’s mana base, especially in multicolored decks. This could create a stumbling block for players who need their mana distributed across different colors or who may run into problems with color fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, which includes two blue, Mind Unbound is not only a significant investment but also a late-game play. This makes it less appealing in faster-paced games where a lower-cost alternative could provide an immediate effect or where players need to impact the board state swiftly to survive against aggressive strategies.
Reasons to Include Mind Unbound in Your Collection
Versatility: Mind Unbound boasts a universal appeal as it seamlessly integrates into numerous deck archetypes. Control decks can benefit from the consistent card advantage it provides, ensuring they never run out of answers or threats.
Combo Potential: Within combo decks, Mind Unbound serves as a powerhouse, accelerating the assembly of combo pieces. It fuels strategies hinging on card quantity, such as those that involve the ‘lab maniac’ win condition or synergize with card-draw triggers.
Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating meta, Mind Unbound can be particularly potent. Its presence is well-justified against grindy, attrition-based matchups where the incremental advantage it provides can be decisive. In a slower-paced game environment, this card’s value skyrockets, making it a prime pick for your collection.
How to Beat
Mind Unbound is a distinct Magic: The Gathering card that allows players to draw increasing numbers of cards each turn, thus significantly strengthening their position in the game. Facing this enchantment can be daunting as it grants a considerable advantage the longer it remains on the battlefield.
Defeating Mind Unbound hinges on swift action; allowing it to stay in play could easily lead to your downfall. Prioritize countering or destroying it upon cast or shortly after. Utilize counter spells like Negate or Disenchant effects such as Naturalize to handle this rising threat promptly. Enchantment removal is key in preventing this card’s powerful engine from dictating the pace and outcome of the match. Dealing with it requires precise timing and a strategic approach that disrupts your opponent’s accumulative card advantage.
In summary, swiftly neutralizing Mind Unbound is essential. Through the timely use of counterspells, destruction, or exile effects, players must ensure it doesn’t facilitate a game-winning accumulation of resources for the opponent. Removing it promptly from the game limits its impact and preserves the equilibrium needed for you to claim victory.
Cards like Mind Unbound
Mind Unbound is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that exemplifies the power of incremental card advantage. Its closest equivalents are other blue enchantments like Recurring Insight, which also emphasizes card draw over multiple turns. However, Mind Unbound offers a relentless buildup that can quickly overwhelm opponents as each of your draw steps becomes increasingly potent.
Blue’s card pool also includes Jace’s Sanctum, which not only reduces the cost of your instants and sorceries but also allows you to scry when casting them. While it doesn’t draw additional cards directly like Mind Unbound, the scry factor improves card quality and consistency of your deck’s performance. Then we have the classic Rhystic Study, favored in multiplayer formats. Unlike Mind Unbound’s predictable draw, Rhystic Study’s effectiveness is opponent-dependent, potentially drawing you a card whenever an opponent casts a spell without paying the additional cost.
Assessing these options, Mind Unbound shines in slower-paced, control-oriented games where time is on your side and each turn brings you closer to an insurmountable grip on the game. Its unique ability to scale up card advantage makes it a formidable piece in the arsenal of blue strategies.
Cards similar to Mind Unbound by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mind Unbound MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012, 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 Mind Unbound and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mind Unbound has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mind Unbound card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-09-22 | The ability is mandatory. You can’t choose to draw fewer cards than the number of lore counters on Mind Unbound. |