Need for Speed MTG Card


Gain edge with card draw and quick mana acceleration, shaping the match’s rhythm. Employ instant speed for tactical advantage, disrupting foes or boosting your field. Balance its power with mindful resource allocation, as each card plays a critical role.
Need for Speed - Odyssey
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameOdyssey
Set codeODY
Number209
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byChristopher Moeller

Text of card

Sacrifice a land: Target creature gains haste until end of turn.

His feet buckled the ground, his hands cut the wind to ribbons, and he was gone.


Cards like Need for Speed

Need for Speed in Magic: The Gathering is an intriguing enchantment for players aiming to accelerate their game plan. It finds parallels with cards like Exploration, which allows playing an additional land each turn. Need for Speed grants haste to a creature at the cost of sacrificing a land, fostering an environment for explosive plays, whereas Exploration focuses on a steady ramp strategy.

Another related card is Fires of Yavimaya. While this enchantment gives all creatures haste without any sacrifice, its effect isn’t optional, unlike Need for Speed which provides the flexibility to choose the moment for its activation. Conversely, Fervor instantly endows haste to all your creatures but lacks the land synergy that players using Need for Speed might capitalize on for strategic plays or graveyard interactions.

Assessing Need for Speed alongside its counterparts highlights its unique edge in decks that exploit land sacrifice for benefits, allowing for swift and unexpected attacks. In environments where tempo and surprise are key, this card ensures creatures can make an immediate impact on the board state, making it a noteworthy option within haste-enabling strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Exploration - MTG Card versions
Fires of Yavimaya - MTG Card versions
Fervor - MTG Card versions
Exploration - MTG Card versions
Fires of Yavimaya - MTG Card versions
Fervor - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Need for Speed by color, type and mana cost

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Earthbind - MTG Card versions
Firebreathing - MTG Card versions
Burrowing - MTG Card versions
Storm World - MTG Card versions
Eternal Warrior - MTG Card versions
Immolation - MTG Card versions
Imposing Visage - MTG Card versions
Ironclaw Curse - MTG Card versions
Veteran's Voice - MTG Card versions
Crown of Flames - MTG Card versions
Tahngarth's Rage - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Blade - MTG Card versions
Reflexes - MTG Card versions
Mark of Fury - MTG Card versions
Seal of Fire - MTG Card versions
Laccolith Rig - MTG Card versions
Brutal Suppression - MTG Card versions
Crackling Club - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Spires - MTG Card versions
Quest for Pure Flame - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Need for Speed card offers the robust ability to hone your deck’s performance by sifting through the top cards, letting you keep the pace and remain one step ahead of your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This agile spell empowers your mana pool swiftly, ensuring you have the resources to execute your game plan ahead of schedule and with increased efficiency, setting the tempo for the entire match.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed flexibility is a pivotal feature, permitting strategic plays during the most opportune moments of the duel, be it disrupting an adversary’s strategy or bolstering your own battlefield presence without skipping a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Need for Speed card demands you to discard another card to activate its ability. For MTG players, resource management is crucial, and having to dispose of a card could potentially put you at a disadvantage, especially during the late game when every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Need for Speed’s casting cost is tied to red mana. This restriction means that it naturally fits into red or red-inclusive decks, potentially excluding it from others. Players not running red might find this card less appealing due to its color specificity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though it provides a substantial speed boost by giving creatures haste, its mana cost might be considered steep. Competitively speaking, there are alternatives that might give haste or other advantages at a lower mana cost, making Need for Speed a heavier investment in a game where efficiency often dictates the tide of victory.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Need for Speed offers dynamic play options, seamlessly integrating with decks emphasizing tempo or demanding quick access to creatures’ abilities. Its ability to sacrifice a land to give a creature haste allows for aggressive and unexpected plays.

Combo Potential: For decks that revolve around entering the battlefield effects or landfall triggers, Need for Speed can be a key enabler. It fits snugly into strategies looking to exploit these synergies for powerful, game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a fast-paced environment where speed is critical, Need for Speed proves invaluable. It counters slow, controlling decks by applying immediate pressure, ensuring your creatures can swing into action without delay.


How to Beat

Overcoming Need for Speed in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic planning and a thorough understanding of its mechanics. This card gives creatures haste and added tempo, pressing your defense and requiring a fast response. The key to beating it lies in disrupting the card’s ability to synchronize with the opponent’s creatures, ultimately slowing down their pace. Consider removal options like instant-speed spells that can eliminate creatures before they can benefit from haste. Counterspells are also effective when played at the right moment, preventing Need for Speed and its potential impact from ever hitting the battlefield.

Control decks that focus on long-term strategies can also outpace the immediate speed advantage by setting up defensive enchantments or utilizing creatures with flash to block efficiently. Artifact-based strategies might include exploiting the symmetrical effect of cards like Torpor Orb to negate the haste provided by Need for Speed. Meanwhile, aggro decks might race against it by deploying their own series of threats earlier or using burn spells to keep the opponent’s board clear. Assessing the situation and choosing the appropriate tactic will be the cornerstone of outmaneuvering the swift threats posed by Need for Speed.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Need for Speed MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Need for Speed and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Need for Speed has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal