Photo Op MTG Card
Text of card
Before the game begins, you may post a picture of yourself posing like the art of any Magic card with #GuessThatMagicCard and no other text. You may reveal a reply posted today with a guess and a card you own from outside the game with the same name as that guess. Put that card into your hand. Exile Photo Op.
Cards like Photo Op
Photo Op has found its niche within MTG’s broad assortment of creature-based cards. Its closest relatives in gameplay would be cards like Peek or Gitaxian Probe, both offering the ability to look at an opponent’s hand. However, Photo Op stands out for its focus on creatures specifically and the potential to draw a card if you guess the opponent’s creature correctly.
Another card worth mentioning in this context is Vendilion Clique, which allows you to look at an opponent’s hand and choose a card that they then shuffle away and draw anew. While Photo Op does not offer the disruptive capabilities of Vendilion Clique, it compensates by being a simpler, straightforward option that can seamlessly fit into creature-focused game strategies.
Comparatively, Photo Op provides a strategic advantage in creature-dense formats, where it can serve as both an informational tool and a card advantage mechanic. Its uniqueness lies in the way it blends knowledge-gathering with the potential for drawing power, distinguishing it within the suite of similar hand-revealing cards in the game.
Cards similar to Photo Op by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Photo Op shines with its card selection capability, offering players the chance to replace itself in hand right after it resolves. This trait is pivotal for outpacing opponents through sustained card quality and quantity over the duration of the match.
Resource Acceleration: Photo Op can provide a remarkable boost in resource management. This helps to ramp up your mana reserves efficiently, allowing for more impactful plays earlier on, or serving up the necessary resources for a crucial late-game spell.
Instant Speed: One of the standout features of Photo Op is its instant-speed nature. This enables reactive gameplay, letting players wait for the most opportune moment to act, whether that’s interrupting an opponent’s strategy or maximizing the utility of their own cards during the full turn cycle.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Photo Op demands the player to sacrifice a card from their hand, creating a scenario where the player could be forced to make unfavorable trades or lose momentum.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a specific blend of mana, including blue and white, to cast. This can be restrictive and often not feasible in decks that aren’t tailored around these colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that sits on the higher end of the spectrum, Photo Op may be less appealing when faster, lower-cost alternatives are available, potentially hindering its inclusion in various strategies.
Reasons to Include Photo Op in Your Collection
Versatility: Photo Op shines in its ability to support various deck archetypes. Its flexibility to act as both a creature removal and a card draw mechanism can be crucial for control and midrange decks alike.
Combo Potential: With Photo Op, there is the added advantage of fueling graveyard synergies or setting up powerful sequences by removing key threats and refilling your hand simultaneously.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where tempo plays a pivotal role, Photo Op holds significant value. Its capacity to pivot between offense and defense makes it a noteworthy inclusion against a wide array of competitive decks.
How to beat
Photo Op is a unique card in MTG that poses a notable challenge due to its ability to provide card advantage and a peek into an opponent’s game plan. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to minimize the information it can reveal. Playing with as few cards in hand as possible can limit the benefits your opponent derives from Photo Op. Utilizing instant-speed spells and abilities to interact with your hand during your opponent’s turn can also reduce its impact.
Another efficient strategy involves the use of cards that benefit from graveyard interaction. Since Photo Op requires discarding cards, implementing cards that have “flashback” or other abilities that activate from the graveyard can turn Photo Op’s disadvantage into an opportunity. Additionally, incorporating cards that can counteract Photo Op’s card drawing ability, like Narset, Parter of Veils, can severely restrict your opponent’s ability to capitalize on Photo Op’s effect.
In essence, adjusting your strategy to devalue the information Photo Op extracts and exploiting graveyard synergies are key tactics in diminishing the card’s potential influence in a match. By implementing these strategies, players can effectively navigate around the obstacles presented by Photo Op.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Photo Op 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 Photo Op and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Photo Op Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey.
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Photo Op 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 | Although the posing post must be made before the game, the post with the guess can be made any time before Photo Op resolves. |
| 2022-10-07 | In Un- games, you can put any card you own from outside the game into your hand, even if it’s not part of your Draft or Sealed pool or part of your Constructed sideboard. |
| 2022-10-07 | You can encourage people to respond to your post, but don’t just tell them what card to guess. That’s way less fun. |
| 2022-10-07 | You can’t reveal the name of the card you’re posing as in the photo or any of the captions or comments, even if you find a clever way to do it without text. |
| 2022-10-07 | You may post to any social media site you like. You may post on main or go incognito. |