Urza's Guilt MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Planeshift
Set code	PLS
Number	130
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paolo Parente

Key Takeaways

Grants card advantage by equalizing hand size and refilling your own at instant speed.
Enables graveyard strategies by discarding cards, which can lead to powerful combos.
Mana requirements and cost may limit playability, calling for careful deck integration.

Text of card

Each player draws two cards, then discards three cards from his or her hand, then loses 4 life.

Deep in Yawgmoth's realm, Urza stopped dead in his tracks and rubbed his soot-filled eyes. "Mishra?"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Urza’s Guilt enables players to force each player to draw cards, leveling the playing field while potentially providing a way to refill your own hand. This can be tactical in decks that benefit from drawing or have ways to mitigate the disadvantages of allowing your opponent the same opportunity.

Resource Acceleration: In a strategy where discarding can be turned into an advantage, Urza’s Guilt can act as a catalyst for graveyard-based synergies, propelling your game plan forward by filling the graveyard with valuable resources to be leveraged later.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Urza’s Guilt at instant speed offers flexibility, allowing the player to adapt to the flow of the game. This can be crucial when looking to disrupt an opponent’s strategy or when waiting for the optimal moment to execute your own plan without sacrificing tempo.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Urza’s Guilt forces players to discard two cards, which can be detrimental, especially when your hand is crucial for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requiring both blue and black mana makes it less flexible, being a better fit only in decks that can reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana to play, Urza’s Guilt may come into play too late against fast-paced decks, and other cards might provide more immediate or powerful effects for the same cost.

Reasons to Include Urza’s Guilt in Your Collection

Versatility: Urza’s Guilt offers a range of applications in various deck builds. Its ability to force each player to discard and draw cards opens up strategic plays in control and tempo decks alike.

Combo Potential: This card has a natural synergy with graveyard mechanics and can be pivotal in decks focused on reanimation or leveraging discard effects for advantage, such as with Madness or Flashback abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where hand-size matters or where disrupting opponent strategies is key, Urza’s Guilt can be a game-changer, potentially disrupting well-laid plans and giving you the upper hand.

How to beat

Approaching the challenge of overcoming Urza’s Guilt in MTG demands a strategic plan centered around timing and resource management. As a potent blue and black spell capable of whittling down both players’ hand sizes and life totals, your best defense is to play around its casting cost and its symmetrical effect.

One effective method is to maintain a low hand count, utilizing cards at instant speed to keep your hand nimble and flexible. Implementing graveyard retrieval allows you to recover from the discard while leveraging the life-loss impact. Consider using life-gain strategies or cards that benefit from discard mechanics to turn the tables on Urza’s Guilt. Holding up counterspells when you anticipate your opponent might be casting it can also negate the threat entirely.

Remember, turning Urza’s Guilt into an advantage requires forethought and situational awareness. By mastering the timing of your plays and maintaining card and life advantage, you can readily make Urza’s Guilt a tool for your own victory rather than an obstacle to be feared.

Cards like Urza's Guilt

Urza’s Guilt stands out in the pantheon of MTG blue and black spells, with a unique mixture of effects that can shift the battlefield’s dynamics. Its closest relative in terms of gameplay could be Whispering Madness, which also forces each player to discard their hand and draw cards, though it has the added advantage of cipher to be cast multiple times. While Urza’s Guilt deals damage to each player equal to the number of cards in their hand, Whispering Madness does not deal damage directly.

Another card with a semblance of similarity is Syphon Mind, offering both player hand disruption and card draw in a single package, albeit without inflicting damage like Urza’s Guilt. Painful Quandary is another contender, consistently penalizing opponents for playing spells rather than being a one-time event, but it lacks the card draw component. These comparisons show that while there are other cards that share aspects of hand disruption or card draw, few blend the two with direct damage, setting Urza’s Guilt apart in MTG strategies.

Considering the combination of card draw, hand disruption, and direct damage, Urza’s Guilt claims its unique place in a player’s arsenal, especially for those looking to control the pace and power of the game.

Cards similar to Urza's Guilt by color, type and mana cost

Call of the Nightwing - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Urza's Guilt 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 Urza's Guilt and other MTG cards: