Phone a Friend MTG Card
Text of card
Call someone and ask them to choose one. If they don't answer, an opponent choses one. (Don't explain anything else. You choose targets.) • A — Gain control of target creature you don't control. • B — Choose target creature you control. Create two tokens that are each copies of it. • C — Take an extra turn after this one. • D — Draw seven cards.
Cards like Phone a Friend
Phone a Friend introduces a unique twist into the Magic: The Gathering ecosystem of creature-based support spells. This particular card bears resemblance to effects seen in creature tutoring spells like Eladamri’s Call, which allows a player to search their library for a creature card and put it into their hand. However, Phone a Friend differentiates itself by permitting a player to search an opponent’s library instead, injecting an element of surprise into the gameplay.
Similarly, Shared Summons is another card that entwines with the idea of creature searching, though it offers the comfort of selecting two creatures from your own library. But it misses the tactical advantage of interacting with an opponent’s deck that Phone a Friend offers. Scheming Symmetry echoes this opponent-engagement by granting both players to search for a card, yet it lacks the restrictiveness of limiting to creatures, which is where Phone a Friend’s focus lies.
To summarize, Phone a Friend might echo established searching mechanics in MTG, yet it stands out through its distinctive approach, especially in multiplayer formats where knowledge of an opponent’s deck can be as valuable as the creatures themselves.
Cards similar to Phone a Friend by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Phone a Friend introduces a unique dynamic to drawing cards, providing the ability to sift through your deck effectively. This gives you access to more options and strategies during gameplay, making it an essential tool to outmaneuver your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: This card opens up a quick pathway to ramping up your resources, potentially bringing bigger threats to the battlefield ahead of time. The advantage gained from such acceleration can be a decisive factor in the pace and outcome of the match.
Instant Speed: The fact that Phone a Friend can be played at instant speed adds an element of surprise and strategic depth to your game. It allows you to adapt to the board state flexibly and respond to your opponent’s moves, all while keeping your strategies hidden until the most opportune moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: This card necessitates the discarding of another card to activate its ability. This can create a setback when your hand is already depleted, forcing you to make potentially unfavorable trades or lose valuable resources.
Specific Mana Cost: To play Phone a Friend, your deck needs to generate both blue and green mana, which could restrict its integration exclusively to decks that can accommodate such a mana base, potentially excluding mono-colored or other two-colored combinations that lack these specific colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an activation cost that may be deemed steep for its effect, it’s worth considering alternative cards that might provide a similar benefit for less mana, leading to more efficient gameplay and better resource management.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Phone a Friend MTG card can seamlessly pivot roles within a plethora of deck archetypes. This adaptability allows it to provide strategic depth whether it’s used in your main deck or as a tech option in your sideboard.
Combo Potential: As a piece in a complex strategy puzzle, Phone a Friend can untap synergy with cards that benefit from knowledge-sharing effects or reciprocal gameplay, unlocking new combo avenues.
Meta-Relevance: In a landscape often dictated by quick-thinking and strategic alliances, Phone a Friend maintains relevance by enabling real-time adaptability, ensuring its place in metas where interactivity and decision-making are key.
How to Beat Phone a Friend
Phone a Friend and its unique mechanics represent an interesting twist in gameplay for players. The card offers an out-of-the-box strategy by allowing players to seek advice from outside the game. However, strategic counters do exist. To disrupt the advantage Phone a Friend might provide, consider using instant-speed disruption like discard spells to preemptively remove the card before it can be utilized. Counterspells are also highly effective as they can directly negate the spell when it’s cast, preventing outside influence entirely.
Timing is crucial; if you anticipate that your opponent is relying on extra-game assistance, hold up mana for a response instead of overcommitting to the board. This not only hinders their Phone a Friend attempt but can also give you the upper hand as they lose a turn’s momentum. Another tactic is to apply pressure with a fast-paced aggro deck, which can limit the opponent’s ability to use Phone a Friend effectively due to the swift progression of the game. By staying one step ahead and having key strategies in place, you can effectively neutralize the impact of Phone a Friend.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phone a Friend MTG card by a specific set like Unfinity and Unfinity, 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 Phone a Friend and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Phone a Friend Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Ben Wootten.
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Phone a Friend card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2022-10-07 | If they choose A or B, and there are no legal targets available, ask them to choose another mode. You can’t cast Phone a Friend with an illegal mode chosen. Yes, you could just eliminate modes that can’t be chosen from the beginning, but what fun is that? If an opponent ends up choosing the mode, they also must choose a legal mode. |
2022-10-07 | If you don’t have a phone, you are allowed to ask a person outside the game who’s there. However, that person isn’t allowed to look at your game. Texting is also fine, but no matter how they are contacted, the person needs to respond in a timely manner. (And if your friends are anything like mine, I would not let my success depend on them responding promptly to my text messages.) |
2022-10-07 | The friend you phone can be someone who doesn’t play Magic. If so, inform them that they can learn to play at a local game store near them (refer to rule 100.6b in the Magic Comprehensive Rules for details), or they can head to MTGArena.com and download today! |
2022-10-07 | Whichever way you “phone” a friend should be open to all players so their choice can be verified. Use speakerphone, show everyone the text, etc. |
2022-10-07 | You are allowed to read each mode in full. The letters are there to make it more like a game show. |
2022-10-07 | You can set up the general context of the call (“I’m in a Magic game and I need someone outside the game to make a choice”), but you shouldn’t explain anything that’s going on in the game or what the consequences of their choice may be. |
2022-10-07 | “If they don’t answer” means you failed to contact anyone or the person you contacted didn’t make a choice in a reasonable amount of time. |