Parting Thoughts MTG Card

Grants card draw equal to creature’s power, turning removal into potential hand advantage. Instant speed adds surprise factor and strategic flexibility during play. Specific mana cost and discard requirement carefully balance the card’s power.

Commander 2016 (C16)
2016-11-11 - Number 15

Treasure Chest (PZ2)
2016-11-16 - Number 19

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Destroy target creature. You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of counters on that creature.

"To spend your life seeking, only to find regret upon achieving . . . this is the most delicious irony of all." —Leshrac, Walker of Night

Cards like Parting Thoughts

Parting Thoughts is an intriguing card within the realm of creature removal options in Magic: The Gathering. It bears some semblance to cards like Swords to Plowshares, as both serve the function of exiling a creature. Where Parting Thoughts distinguishes itself is the added advantage of card draw proportional to the target creature’s power, potentially turning a defensive move into a resource gain.

In parallels, there’s the classic Murder that straightforwardly destroys a creature for three mana. Unlike Parting Thoughts, Murder does not offer card draw but it is unrestricted by the creature’s power and works at instant speed. Comparatively, Reckless Spite brings a twist by destroying two creatures at once, albeit at the cost of 5 life, offering a different kind of card advantage.

Evaluating the merits of each, Parting Thoughts emerges as a unique choice for players aiming to convert creature removal into a form of card advantage, situating it firmly within the suite of strategic removal spells available to MTG players desiring more from their gameplay interactions.

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Parting Thoughts by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Parting Thoughts offers a unique way to leverage creatures with counters, potentially removing a threat and drawing you cards equal to the removed creature’s power. This not only disrupts your opponent’s board but also replenishes your hand, maintaining your momentum in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly generate resources, it can significantly impact the board state by targeting creatures that have grown through other means, essentially acting as an investment into future plays. Eliminating a potential threat can save the resources you might otherwise spend on dealing with it later on.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Parting Thoughts at instant speed adds a layer of strategic depth. It allows players to wait for the most opportune moment, perhaps in response to an opponent’s action or at the end of their turn, thus preserving the element of surprise and making it harder for opponents to plan around.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Parting Thoughts necessitates the removal of a card from your hand, which might be detrimental when your hand is already depleted or when every card is pivotal for upcoming strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both white and black mana to cast, making it inherently less flexible and potentially challenging to play in a deck not dedicated to those colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, Parting Thoughts may not always be the most economical removal option, particularly when compared against other available cards that offer more immediate board impact for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Parting Thoughts is a card that seamlessly integrates into various deck archetypes. Whether you’re controlling powerful creatures or managing opponents’ threats, this card offers a tactical edge by rewarding you with card draw when you remove a threat.

Combo Potential: With its ability to potentially draw multiple cards, Parting Thoughts complements strategies emphasizing hand advantage and synergizes well with decks that manipulate +1/+1 counters or other ways to modify power.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where large creatures and commanders with substantial power are prevalent, Parting Thoughts becomes a key removal piece. Its scalability ensures that it remains a suitable and strategic inclusion against varying levels of competition.

How to beat

Parting Thoughts is a unique addition to the myriad of removal options in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out in its ability to not only remove a creature from the game but also to reward a player with card draw proportional to the power of the targeted creature. This is clearly different from straightforward removal spells such as Murder, which simply dispose of a threat without the added advantage of refilling your hand.

When discussing tactics to tackle Parting Thoughts, one must consider its limitation: it can only target a creature an opponent controls with a counter on it. Thus, avoiding putting counters on your creatures, or employing strategies that remove them, are effective ways to reduce the value Parting Thoughts offers to an opponent. Additionally, cards like Mizzium Skin can protect your creatures by granting hexproof, ensuring they are not valid targets for such conditional removal spells. Instant speed responses like Dispel can also counteract Parting Thoughts directly, protecting your creatures and preventing your opponents from drawing cards.

Ultimately, understanding when and how to use your counters or protective spells plays a vital role in negating the benefits an opponent stands to gain from casting Parting Thoughts, making it a less threatening presence on the battlefield. Recognizing the nuances of such interaction-based cards is crucial for any player looking to maintain an upper hand.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Parting Thoughts MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2016 and Treasure Chest, 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 Parting Thoughts and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Parting Thoughts Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-11-11 and 2016-11-16. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-11-11	Commander 2016	C16		15	2015	Normal	Black	Seb McKinnon
2	2016-11-16	Treasure Chest	PZ2		19	2015	Normal	Black	Seb McKinnon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Parting Thoughts has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Parting Thoughts card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2016-11-08	If a creature has +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it, state-based actions remove the same number of each so that it has only one of those kinds of counters on it. There won’t be any counters of the other kind for Parting Thoughts to count.
2016-11-08	Parting Thoughts can target a creature without any counters on it. You’ll lose no life and draw no cards.
2016-11-08	Parting Thoughts counts every kind of counter on that creature. Effects such as that of Giant Growth, Auras, and Equipment aren’t counters.