Preferred Selection MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Preferred Selection capitalizes on granting you the upper hand by offering insight into each player’s next draw. This predictive power can potentially translate to strategic card advantage, as you skew draws in your favor or to the detriment of your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: By improving the quality of each draw, Preferred Selection indirectly accelerates your access to crucial resources. Instead of merely drawing into random cards, you’re more likely to draw into the lands or spells you need to dominate the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Preferred Selection itself isn’t an instant, it influences instant speed plays significantly. With foreknowledge of upcoming draws, you can better decide when to deploy your own instants or hold back to disrupt your opponent’s game plan, making each play more impactful.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Preferred Selection is the need to discard another card to utilize its ability. This can be particularly taxing in gameplay scenarios where your hand size is already depleted, leaving you scrabbling for options.

Specific Mana Cost: Preferred Selection comes with a stringent mana requirement that can be tricky to satisfy in a multi-colored deck. Decks that don’t consistently generate the necessary mana types may struggle to use this card effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to utilizing Preferred Selection, the mana investment is significant. For decks that aim for a quick setup or fast play, the mana cost poses a considerable obstacle, potentially slowing down the pace and leaving you vulnerable to more aggressive strategies.

Reasons to Include Preferred Selection in Your Collection

Versatility: Preferred Selection offers flexibility to players by allowing them to manipulate the top card of their library. This can be integrated into a variety of deck archetypes which value top deck control, such as those utilizing ‘Miracle’ cards or setting up for crucial draws.

Combo Potential: As a card that influences the top of the library, Preferred Selection has the potential to combo well with cards that benefit from knowing or manipulating the top card, enhancing the power of scry mechanics or setting up the perfect draw with shuffle effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that frequently changes with the shifting meta, having access to a card that allows you to adjust your draws and react to the current game environment is valuable, making Preferred Selection a strategically sound addition regardless of the prevalence of control or aggressive decks.

How to beat Preferred Selection

Dealing with Preferred Selection in MTG involves strategic planning, as this card has the potential to sway the game with its card selection capability. To counter this card, a well-timed hand disruption spell can be decisive. Consider Thoughtseize, which not only reveals an opponent’s hand but also allows you to choose and discard a nonland card. This preemptive action can effectively neutralize Preferred Selection before it even becomes a threat on the battlefield.

Additionally, instant speed removal spells are your ally in this duel. A well-placed Abrupt Decay or Assassin’s Trophy can destroy Preferred Selection while your opponent is still choosing which card to draw. Counter spells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto are also effective, halting Preferred Selection in its tracks and keeping the upper hand in card advantage. When facing this card, precision and timing are crucial. Properly leveraging these control elements in your deck can make Preferred Selection less of a concern, letting you maintain the momentum of the game in your favor.