Painful Memories MTG Card

Instant speed casting allows for disruptive plays, enhancing control over the game’s flow. Advanced planning enabled by opponent hand visibility boosts your strategic edge. High mana cost for effect and restrictive mana requirements limit deck inclusion.

Mirage (MIR)
1996-10-08 - Number 133

Painful Memories - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)

Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
1999-04-21 - Number 147

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Look at target opponent's hand. Choose one of those cards and put it on top of his or her library.

"It is terrible how one brief action can live forever in memory." —Jolrael

Cards like Painful Memories

Painful Memories stands as a unique choice among sorcery spells in Magic: The Gathering, closely akin to other disruption spells like Mind Rot or Blightning. What makes Painful Memories a remarkable card is its ability to force an opponent to reveal their hand, thus giving you intel on their strategy. Unlike Mind Rot, which causes a player to discard two cards at random, Painful Memories allows for the selection of a nonland card that the opponent then shuffles back into their deck. This can be critically disruptive, although it doesn’t reduce the number of cards in their hand, which is the trade-off when compared with Mind Rot’s more immediate impact on hand size.

Meanwhile, Blightning delivers a different approach, combining the hand disruption effect with direct damage. This dual threat can swing the game tempo in your favor, but it comes at a higher mana cost compared to the focused strategy of Painful Memories. Overall, Painful Memories presents a strategic choice for players who prefer intel and control over outright disposal of an opponent’s resources, making it a nuanced tool in the array of MTG disruption cards.

Cards similar to Painful Memories by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Painful Memories provides valuable insight into your opponent’s hand, allowing you to strategically plan your moves while disrupting their strategy. This can lead to a superior position as you diminish their resources while bolstering your own game plan.

Resource Acceleration: By knowing your opponent’s hand, you’re better equipped to make decisions that accelerate your own resource development. Being aware of potential threats helps you manage your own resources wisely, setting the stage for more efficient plays and paving the way for a smoother victory.

Instant Speed: The versatility of casting Painful Memories at instant speed offers significant strategic advantages. You can wait for the opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to disrupt their plans, which can put them at a considerable disadvantage while leaving you in control.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Painful Memories forces a player to choose and discard a nonland card, which can deplete valuable resources. This aspect makes it less ideal for players who need to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires not just two mana, but specifically black mana. This cost confines it primarily to mono-black or dual-color decks and potentially restricts deck-building strategies that favor flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of two, including two black mana, it is considered high for an effect that only disrupts the opponent’s hand without impacting the board. Alternative cards at a similar cost could be more impactful in a game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Painful Memories is a flexible card that can be included in a variety of decks. Its ability to disrupt opponents by forcing them to put a card from their hand on top of their library can seamlessly integrate into control or hand disruption strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can work in tandem with other cards that benefit from knowing the top card of an opponent’s library. It can also be combined with shuffle effects to ensure the targeted card remains out of reach.

Meta-Relevance: Given that the ever-evolving MTG meta can sometimes favor strategies with hand disruption, Painful Memories can serve as a valuable tool. The capability to potentially interfere with an opponent’s next draw can be significant against combo decks reliant on specific cards.

How to beat

Painful Memories is an intriguing MTG card that can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by forcing them to return a card from their hand to the top of their library. This slight delay in your opponent’s game plan can be advantageous to you. While the effect of Painful Memories is not as impactful as a true discard spell, it has its uses in controlling the flow of the game.

To effectively counter Painful Memories, consider using cards that mitigate the inconvenience of pushing a card to the top of your library. Instant-speed card draw can immediately negate its effect. Alternatively, any shuffle effect such as a fetch land can help ensure that the card Painful Memories targeted doesn’t hinder your next draw. Moreover, decks with ample card draw or library manipulation will feel the sting of Painful Memories less acutely since they can quickly recover from the setback.

It’s also worth noting that cards with a “play from the top of your library” feature blend well with Painful Memories’ effect, turning a downside into potential advantage. Keep these strategies in mind, and Painful Memories will be nothing more than a minor nuisance in your path to victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Painful Memories MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Classic Sixth Edition, 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 Painful Memories and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Painful Memories Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 1999-04-21. Illustrated by John Coulthart.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1996-10-08	Mirage	MIR		133	1997	Normal	Black	John Coulthart
2	1999-04-21	Classic Sixth Edition	6ED		147	1997	Normal	White	John Coulthart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Painful Memories has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal