Confound MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Planeshift
Set code	PLS
Number	22
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Doug Chaffee

Key Takeaways

Confound counters targeted spells and aids in maintaining board control with its instant speed utility.
Its card draw ability offers hand advantage, albeit at the cost of discarding another card from your hand.
While mana-specific and comparably costly, it maintains relevance in blue decks for its protective and draw features.

Text of card

Counter target spell that targets one or more creatures. Draw a card.

"Did I know Szat would betray us?" Urza asked quizzically. "I was counting on it."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Confound offers the strategic benefit of countering an opponent’s spell that targets a creature you control, effectively neutralizing their attempt to tip the scales and allowing you to maintain or strengthen your position on the board.

Resource Acceleration: As an added bonus, after thwarting your adversary’s plans, Confound rewards your savvy play by letting you draw a card, offering a subtle form of acceleration as you replenish your resources and sustain your hand advantage.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Confound at instant speed gives you the flexibility to adapt to the fast-paced environment of a match. This attribute allows players to efficiently manage their mana and make critical decisions in response to their opponents’ actions, keeping them one step ahead in the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Confound necessitates sacrificing another card from your hand, a move which may not always align with your strategy, especially when you’re playing with a tight hand or aiming for card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Confound demands a precise blue and one generic mana, constraining its integration exclusively to decks that are able to generate blue mana consistently, thus limiting its universality.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Needing a total of three mana, this card could potentially be seen as expensive for its effect when matched up against other counteractive options, reflecting a certain inefficiency within fast-paced or mana-sensitive matches.

Reasons to Include Confound in Your Collection

Versatility: Confound offers great flexibility for blue-based decks, as it can counter targeted spells that may disrupt your game plan or that of your opponent’s. Its ability to protect your key creatures while drawing a card makes it useful in a variety of situations.

Combo Potential: With decks that focus on creatures with valuable enter-the-battlefield effects or crucial abilities, Confound can preserve these interactions. It works well with strategies looking to maintain board presence and tempo.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where spot removal and targeted disruption are prevalent, having a Confound up your sleeve can be a game-changer, making it a relevant choice for sideboards or even main deck inclusion to outwit opponents.

How to beat

Confound is a nuanced blue instant in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal that can disrupt an opponent’s strategy by countering a spell that targets one or more creatures you control. Its ability to double as both a protective measure and a draw engine makes it a versatile card in many deck types. However, like any card, there are strategies to overcome its effect.

To effectively play against Confound, adapt strategies that don’t rely on targeting enemy creatures or pre-empt the casting of Confound by using spells that can’t be countered. Alternatively, baiting out the card by targeting less crucial creatures could clear a path for more crucial spells. Cards with the “hexproof” ability are also valuable, as they can’t be targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control, making Confound less of a concern in your combat strategy.

Moreover, incorporating spells that force your opponent to discard from their hand can preemptively remove Confound before it’s used. As with any card, understanding your opponent’s deck and potential strategy will aid in crafting a game plan that neutralizes their potential plays, making Confound less of a wildcard and more of a known quantity to deal with on the battlefield.

Cards like Confound

Confound is an intriguing card that provides utility to players in Magic: The Gathering. Its close relative in the realm of protective spells is the card Dive Down. Both confer a shield-like effect, with Confound offering a cantrip—allowing you to draw a card when the enchanted creature is targeted by a spell or ability. Dive Down grants hexproof and a toughness boost but doesn’t provide the additional card draw.

Moving to a slightly different approach, there’s Mizzium Skin, which also aims to protect your creatures or permanents. Like Dive Down, this instant grants hexproof, preventing opponents from targeting your important permanents. However, Confound’s card draw ability is missing from Mizzium Skin, making Confound a potentially more valuable choice for maintaining card advantage. Yet another comparison can be drawn with Apostle’s Blessing, which offers protection from colors or artifacts, thus it can be more situational than the reactive protection provided by Confound.

Ultimately, among the suite of protective spells available, Confound shines for its dual ability to thwart an opponent’s strategy while replacing itself in a player’s hand—making it a noteworthy option in decks that benefit from both protection and card flow.

Cards similar to Confound by color, type and mana cost

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Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions

Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Confound MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Confound and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Confound has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Confound doesn’t resolve if the targeted spell has been countered or does not still target one or more permanents that are still creatures and are still on the battlefield. Confound is different from other such spells in that it actually specifies that the spell must target a creature, not just be able to target a creature or that the spell has a certain number of targets.