Now I Know My ABC's MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you manage to assemble a complete alphabet on the battlefield with “Now I Know My ABC’s,” the ensuing ability to effectively shut down your opponent’s ability to play spells can lead to a significant card advantage. This unique condition can tilt the game’s balance in your favor as your opponent’s options become severely limited.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly bolstering your mana pool, the control aspect of “Now I Know My ABC’s” can lead to resource acceleration indirectly. By preventing your opponent from executing their strategies, you maintain your resources while potentially forcing them to discard or waste theirs, pacing the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: While “Now I Know My ABC’s” itself does not have instant speed, the deck’s design around it often includes a variety of instant-speed spells that enable you to react to an opponent’s actions and enforce the card’s restrictions more effectively. This dynamic interaction places you at an advantage, allowing for strategic plays that can contribute to victory.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Now I Know My ABC’s card asks players to discard another card with the same starting letter as the one played. This can quickly deplete your hand and make it challenging to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires a diverse mana pool. With three different colors in its mana cost, it can be tricky to cast on curve, especially in a multicolored deck that may not have the right land distribution early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its five mana cost is on the higher side, particularly since it doesn’t directly impact the board state or offer an immediate advantage. In a fast-paced game, investing five mana in Now I Know My ABC’s might not be as impactful as other cards with lower cost but more immediate effects.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Now I Know My ABC’s offers a unique flexibility for deck builders, fitting comfortably into schemes that prioritize enchantments or aim for alternative win conditions. Its requirement for a wide spectrum of permanents encourages creative deck construction beyond traditional lines.

Combo Potential: This card sparks imagination for combos, as it can collaborate smoothly with cards that produce token copies of various permanents, or cards that can change their types. Its synergy with diverse strategies opens up various pathways to achieve its quirky, yet rewarding, condition for victory.

Meta-Relevance: Although not a staple in the most competitive decks, its presence might catch many opponents off guard in casual or commander games where the format is slower and more inclined to diverse strategies. Including it in your collection can provide an edge just when the meta seems predictable, by introducing an unconventional win condition that can be delightful to pull off.

How to beat

Now I Know My ABC’s from Magic: The Gathering offers a unique challenge due to its win condition based on alphabetic sequencing of card names on the battlefield. Navigating past this quirky enchantment often involves disrupting the letter-based strategy that the controller is trying to execute. A starting point for counterplay could be targeted removal spells, effectively dismantling the alphabetical order by eliminating key pieces. This approach requires precise timing and a thorough understanding of your opponent’s game plan.

Additionally, considering proactive measures can be instrumental. Utilizing discard effects forces the opponent to lose important cards before they can be played, while counterspells prevent them from resolving their setup-oriented spells. Notably, players can also capitalize on flexible cards that serve multiple purposes, such as artifact or enchantment destruction to directly address Now I Know My ABC’s. By maintaining a balance of disruption and pressure, you can effectively combat the idiosyncratic strategy spearheaded by this enchantment, keeping the board state clear of any alphabetical shenanigans and securing your path to victory.