Overwhelming Instinct MTG Card


Overwhelming Instinct - Onslaught
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameOnslaught
Set codeONS
Number276
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRon Spears

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage is pivotal, and Overwhelming Instinct facilitates this by turning attacks into opportunities to draw.
  2. Instant speed play adds flexibility, allowing you to surprise opponents with Overwhelming Instinct’s effects.
  3. Be wary of the discard cost and specific mana requirements, which could limit its inclusion in some decks.

Text of card

Whenever you attack with three or more creatures, draw a card.

The biggest difference between a victory and a massacre is which side you're on.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Overwhelming Instinct shines in its ability to offer card advantage by potentially allowing a player to draw multiple cards in a single turn, thus keeping their hand full and options numerous.

Resource Acceleration: This card encourages aggressive play, rewarding you with a surge in your resources when attacking with numerous creatures, enabling you to deploy even more threats or answers rapidly.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Overwhelming Instinct is bolstered by its instant speed, allowing for reactive play during either player’s turn, providing flexibility and the element of surprise in response to your opponent’s actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Overwhelming Instinct necessitates a discard from the player as part of its casting process. This could be a tactical setback, especially when your hand is already dwindling and each card in hand is valuable.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s effectiveness is tethered to a particular mana composition, comprising both green and blue. This specific need may exclude it from a variety of decks which are not tailored to accommodate such a color scheme.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost on the higher end of the spectrum for its offered benefits, players might find themselves evaluating alternative cards that deliver similar or improved effects with less investment required, potentially maximizing efficiency in their gameplay strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Overwhelming Instinct is a flexible card that can be slotted into various decks. It shines in decks crafted around drawing cards or playing numerous spells in a single turn, enhancing both aggro and combo archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that capitalize on casting numerous spells. It can help to draw into combo pieces or other critical elements needed for a winning turn.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the fast pace of many current metagames, Overwhelming Instinct might provide the necessary edge by accelerating card advantage and maintaining pressure on opponents.


How to beat Overwhelming Instinct

Overwhelming Instinct is a unique enchantment card that rewards players for attacking with numerous creatures in their Magic: The Gathering deck. As a card that can significantly bolster an opponent’s hand by drawing them extra cards, facing it can pose quite a challenge. It’s pivotal to recognize that thwarting this advantage hinges on reducing the number of creatures they have ready to attack. Board control spells and strategies, such as sweepers like ‘Wrath of God’ or pinpoint removal like ‘Path to Exile’, are especially effective in keeping the creature count low. Moreover, deploying enchantment removal like ‘Disenchant’ or ‘Nature’s Claim’ promptly removes Overwhelming Instinct from the battlefield.

Another key approach is preventing the card from being played altogether. Countering it with spells such as ‘Negate’ or ‘Counterspell’ interrupts the flow of your opponent’s game plan and keeps their creature-related card advantage in check. Adapting your gameplay to be proactive rather than reactive is also beneficial. This way, keeping pressure and forcing them to defend, rather than attack, can stop the conditions Overwhelming Instinct needs to be advantageous. Preemptively dealing with the threats that trigger its benefits often proves to be the most effective strategy against it.


Cards like Overwhelming Instinct

Overwhelming Instinct is a card that appeals to players looking to boost their drawing capabilities while maintaining pressure on the board. In Magic: The Gathering, this card is reminiscent of other draw-per-creature effects, such as Beast Whisperer. However, Overwhelming Instinct stipulates that you must attack with three or more creatures to draw a card, which nudges it towards more aggressive strategies as opposed to Beast Whisperer’s more open-ended trigger.

Comparatively, Coastal Piracy operates on a similar axis, rewarding attacks with card draw, yet it doesn’t require a minimum number of creatures to swing. Overwhelming Instinct’s conditional draw, while restrictive, can result in more explosive turns in the right deck. Military Intelligence also falls within this category but requires attacking with two creatures to draw. While Overwhelming Instinct demands one additional attacker, it compensates by not restricting the draw to once per turn.

All things considered, Overwhelming Instinct can find a home in decks that consistently churn out creatures and prioritize combat. Its requirement aligns well with aggressive playstyles, offering a substantial card advantage that can keep the pressure up and the hand replenished.

Beast Whisperer - MTG Card versions
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Beast Whisperer - MTG Card versions
Coastal Piracy - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Overwhelming Instinct 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 Overwhelming Instinct and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Overwhelming Instinct has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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