Obscura Charm MTG Card
2022-04-29 - Number 388
2022-04-29 - Number 323
2022-04-29 - Number 208
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Obscura Charm ensures continued resource flow and potential mana ramp with its versatile modal options.
- Instant speed plays enable disruption and optimization during an opponent’s turn for strategic depth.
- Mana specificity and discard cost require careful planning but reward players who can mitigate these downsides.
Text of card
Choose one — • Return target multicolored permanent card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. • Counter target instant or sorcery spell. • Destroy target creature or planeswalker with mana value 3 or less.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Obscura Charm provides a flexible option to either draw a card or return a permanent to hand, ensuring that you can keep your hand stocked with useful resources.
Resource Acceleration: The charm can potentially ramp your mana by bringing back an important land from the graveyard to the battlefield, setting the stage for more powerful plays on subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: The versatile nature of Obscura Charm being castable at instant speed allows you to adapt to the unfolding game, whether you’re interrupting an opponent’s strategy or simply optimizing your own plays during their end step.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Obscura Charm asks players to part with a precious card from their hand which can be a liability, especially when options are thinning and every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Decks utilizing the Obscura Charm need access to white, blue, and black mana, thereby restricting its play to those who have embraced the Esper color identity and can consistently produce the necessary mana combination.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering the three mana required to play the Obscura Charm, it’s a significant investment for the versatility it offers. Players often weigh this against other charms or instant-speed options that might deliver a similar effect for less, potentially leaving it outpaced in the race for efficiency.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Obscura Charm offers a range of responses adaptable to many situations. Its three distinct modes can serve as creature removal, resource denial, or a means to protect and recur important creatures from your graveyard.
Combo Potential: This card can easily slot into decks that thrive on instant-speed interactions or those that utilize the graveyard. Its potential to quickly alter board states makes it a handy tool for combo-oriented players.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where board presence and key spells can define a match, Obscura Charm’s flexibility makes it a timely addition to combat emerging threats and strategies within the ever-evolving meta.
How to beat
Obscura Charm is an intriguing multi-modal spell from Magic: The Gathering that offers flexible options for players. When facing an opponent who uses it, analyzing each mode’s impact on the game state can inform your strategy. One key to defeating Obscura Charm is to limit its utility. Since it can counter creatures or planeswalker spells, consider playing non-creature, non-planeswalker spells or waiting until your opponent is tapped out to avoid the counter.
Negate its graveyard-return ability by employing graveyard hate cards, that can exile cards from graveyards, thus making Obscura Charm’s third mode insignificant. Also, cards with hexproof from black or blue can diminish Obscura Charm’s targeted removal option. By adapting your play to proactively handle the Charm’s various modes, you can mitigate the advantage it provides to your opponent and maintain control over the match.
Remember, Obscura Charm’s strength lies in its versatility. Strip that away, guide your plays with precision, and the charm quickly loses its luster.
Cards like Obscura Charm
For players delving into the nuances of multicolored instants in Magic the Gathering, Obscura Charm emerges as an intriguing option. Drawing parallels to cards like Esper Charm, one can appreciate Obscura Charm’s flexibility. Esper Charm presents similar modes, offering targeted discard or drawing cards, but Obscura Charm adds a layer of protection by being able to grant indestructibility to a permanent for a turn or destroy an enchantment.
Dromoka’s Command is another card that shares some resemblance with Obscura Charm, allowing for multipurpose reactions during play. Though it doesn’t provide card draw, it offers two selections out of four options that involve counters, fighting creatures, or protection from enchantments. What sets Obscura Charm apart is the quick card advantage it can provide, a pivotal factor in fast-paced matches.
Ultimately, Obscura Charm’s variety makes it a strong contender against other instant-speed charms in Magic the Gathering. Its ability to cater to different situations, from safeguarding your assets to disrupting opponent strategies, makes it a card worth considering for decks that can accommodate its color identity.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Obscura Charm MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna and Streets of New Capenna, 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 Obscura Charm 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
Printings
The Obscura Charm Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-04-29 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-04-29 | Streets of New Capenna | SNC | 388 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jérémie Solomon | |
| 2 | 2022-04-29 | Streets of New Capenna | SNC | 323 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jérémie Solomon | |
| 3 | 2022-04-29 | Streets of New Capenna | SNC | 208 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Steve Argyle |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Obscura Charm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |