Chain of Acid MTG Card


Chain of Acid - Onslaught
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameOnslaught
Set codeONS
Number252
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRon Spencer

Key Takeaways

  1. Chain of Acid’s instant speed lets you disrupt plays on your terms, swinging momentum in your favor.
  2. Its multi-target potential can breakdown opponents’ boards, but do factor in the land sacrifice cost.
  3. Adjust decks and play strategies to harness Chain of Acid’s power or counter it effectively in MTG.

Text of card

Destroy target noncreature permanent. Then that permanent's controller may copy this spell and may choose a new target for that copy.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Chain of Acid can potentially destroy multiple permanents, allowing you to dismantle your opponents’ resources while preserving your own. This creates a significant advantage as you reduce their ability to affect the board state.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Chain of Acid can indirectly accelerate your resources by removing mana-generating permanents from your opponents. This disruption can hinder their development and give you the upper hand in resource competition.

Instant Speed: The power of Chain of Acid is amplified by its instant speed, giving you the flexibility to disrupt your opponents’ strategies at the most opportune moments. This allows you to respond to threats immediately and potentially during an opponent’s turn, thereby preserving your momentum.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Chain of Acid card play requires sacrificing a land, which may set you back, especially if your mana base isn’t well established.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both green mana and generic mana, a combination that might challenge players not running a green-centered deck or lacking mana fixing solutions.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring four mana, including two green, Chain of Acid can be costly compared to other removal spells, potentially slowing down your game tempo.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Chain of Acid offers a flexible solution to an array of board states, easily fitting into decks that require removal options for various permanent types without targeting restrictions.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with permanents that benefit from being targeted or destroyed, setting up powerful combos within a well-orchestrated game plan.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where enchantments, artifacts, and land-based strategies are prevalent, Chain of Acid becomes a highly relevant card, capable of disrupting opponents’ carefully laid plans.


How to beat

Chain of Acid is a powerful card known for its potential to create a domino effect of destruction across the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. In dealing with this card, the key is to limit the number of viable targets it can hit. This means managing your own board state carefully by not overextending with nonessential permanents. Maintain a lean and effective set of resources to minimize the impact should Chain of Acid be played by an opponent.

Moreover, countering Chain of Acid before it resolves is a straightforward strategy. Cards like Counterspell and Negate are perfect answers, allowing you to negate the spell and preserve your board. As Chain of Acid is a sorcery, players might also employ instant-speed responses, which gives them the flexibility to act during an opponent’s turn. Finally, proactive protection effects, such as hexproof from cards like Privileged Position or using indestructible-giving spells like Heroic Intervention, can ensure that your most valuable permanents survive the chain reaction that Chain of Acid attempts to unleash.

Ultimately, defeating Chain of Acid is about foresight and control. By strategically managing your plays and keeping the right counters in hand, you can defuse its destructive power and maintain your standing in the game.


Cards like Chain of Acid

Chain of Acid is a unique spell in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering destruction cards. Often compared to similar cards like Naturalize or Acidic Slime, Chain of Acid offers a singular advantage – the potential to destroy multiple targets. Unlike Naturalize, which allows a player to destroy only one target artifact or enchantment, Chain of Acid expands upon this by letting players destroy not just one, but potentially several artifacts or enchantments in a single chain reaction.

Then there’s the comparable Bramblecrush, which also destroys noncreature permanents. However, it is limited to only one target per use. Chain of Acid takes this a step further by giving players the choice to keep the chaos going. While each target’s controller gets the option to keep the destruction going by choosing a new target, it brings a level of strategy and psychological play that Bramblecrush does not provide.

Ultimately, Chain of Acid holds its own as a versatile and potentially game-swinging spell in Magic: The Gathering, with its capacity to turn the tide through multiple-target removals, making it a noteworthy member of the card destruction family.

Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Acidic Slime - MTG Card versions
Bramblecrush - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - Onslaught (ONS)
Acidic Slime - Magic 2010 (M10)
Bramblecrush - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to Chain of Acid by color, type and mana cost

Tsunami - MTG Card versions
Taste of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Splendid Genesis - MTG Card versions
Unyaro Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Elven Cache - MTG Card versions
Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Rejuvenate - MTG Card versions
Titania's Boon - MTG Card versions
Splinter - MTG Card versions
Pack Hunt - MTG Card versions
Reverent Silence - MTG Card versions
Creeping Mold - MTG Card versions
Nature's Resurgence - MTG Card versions
Invigorating Falls - MTG Card versions
Natural Order - MTG Card versions
Scapeshift - MTG Card versions
Reap and Sow - MTG Card versions
Seek the Horizon - MTG Card versions
Fertile Imagination - MTG Card versions
Harmonize - MTG Card versions
Tsunami - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Taste of Paradise - Alliances (ALL)
Splendid Genesis - Celebration Cards (PCEL)
Unyaro Bee Sting - Mirage (MIR)
Elven Cache - Visions (VIS)
Bee Sting - Portal Second Age (P02)
Rejuvenate - Urza's Saga (USG)
Titania's Boon - Urza's Saga (USG)
Splinter - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Pack Hunt - Nemesis (NEM)
Reverent Silence - Nemesis (NEM)
Creeping Mold - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Nature's Resurgence - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Invigorating Falls - Torment (TOR)
Natural Order - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Scapeshift - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Reap and Sow - Darksteel (DST)
Seek the Horizon - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Fertile Imagination - Dissension (DIS)
Harmonize - Fallout (PIP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Chain of Acid MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Chain of Acid and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Chain of Acid has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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