Plasma Jockey MTG Card

Plasma Jockey grants card advantage and the ability to cycle through your deck swiftly. Instant speed and resource acceleration make Plasma Jockey a powerful tactical card. It comes with drawbacks like a discard requirement and a specific mana cost.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Viashino Warrior
Abilities	Blitz
Released	2022-04-29
Set symbol
Set name	Streets of New Capenna
Set code	SNC
Power	3
Toughness	1
Number	115
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Andrew Mar

Text of card

Whenever Plasma Jockey attacks, target creature an opponent controls can't block this turn. Blitz (If you cast this spell for its blitz cost, it gains haste and "When this creature dies, draw a card." Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.)

Cards like Plasma Jockey

Plasma Jockey comes into the Magic: The Gathering scene as a new creature offering a tactical edge in red decks. Its closest counterpart might be Goblin Motivator, giving another creature haste until end of turn, but Plasma Jockey can potentially provide haste to multiple creatures for several turns. This is a considerable advancement over single-use cards like Expedite which gives one creature haste and draws a card – a different benefit altogether.

Comparatively, Generator Servant enhances the speed of your game by allowing you to sacrifice it and grant haste to the summoned creature, plus adding extra mana to your pool. This is a finite resource, unlike Plasma Jockey that could repeatedly enable multiple creatures. On the other hand, Fervent Champion is another card that brings haste to the table, with a focus on equipping Knights. While this card serves a narrower niche, Plasma Jockey’s utility is broader, applying to any creature you control without the need for equipping.

Considering these parallels, Plasma Jockey can be viewed as a versatile accelerator within red creature dynamics, broadening the scope of tactical gameplay in MTG decks that value the element of speed and surprise.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Plasma Jockey enhances your strategic depth, by offering you the chance to cycle through your deck at a critical moment. This ability to dig for answers or threats can be a game-changer, especially in tight matches where every card counts.

Resource Acceleration: This card lends a fast-paced dynamic to your gameplay. By providing an extra burst of resources, it helps in casting high-cost spells earlier than usual or enables a powerful play that could tip the scales in your favor.

Instant Speed: The instance when Plasma Jockey shines is its instant speed capability. This flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves or end their turn gives you a tactical advantage, allowing you to adapt to the state of play with poised timing.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Plasma Jockey forces players to discard a card to activate its power. This can be a setback when you have a limited hand and need to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both red and another color, Plasma Jockey may not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes, especially those that rely on a more varied mana base or are mono-colored.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Charging three mana may deter players from adding it to their decks. When evaluating card efficiency and deck synergy, one might find other creatures or spells that offer greater value or effect for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Plasma Jockey in Your Collection

Versatility: Plasma Jockey showcases adaptability, being a solid fit for decks that desire to apply pressure with early creatures while maintaining momentum in later stages of the game.

Combo Potential: With its capacity to modify power levels, this card can synergize with mechanics that track creature power, enabling intricate combinations and unexpected plays.

Meta-Relevance: For a gaming environment where tempo is key, Plasma Jockey’s ability to swiftly shift the board state can make it an essential inclusion for staying competitive.

How to beat

Plasma Jockey emerges as an intriguing challenge within the dynamic battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. To effectively combat this card, it’s crucial for players to strategically exploit weaknesses in the card’s intrinsic properties. Prevention is often key; employing counterspells can negate Plasma Jockey’s entry into play, potentially averting a troublesome scenario before it unfolds.

Since Plasma Jockey’s impact relies on its activated abilities, cards that restrict or nullify abilities can be potent tools. Consider running artifacts or enchantments designed to stifle your opponent’s strategies, such as Pithing Needle or Linvala, Keeper of Silence. Engagement in the art of disruption can dismantle Plasma Jockey’s benefits and leave your adversary without their expected advantage.

Alternatively, pushing for a quick resolution of the game before Plasma Jockey can fully capitalize on its strengths may serve as an effective tactic. Aggressive decks, specifically those speckled with hasty creatures or direct damage spells, can shift the game’s momentum in your favor. Planeswalkers as well, if timed rightly, can divert focus and resources, negating the Plasma Jockey’s potential rise to power. In summary, a blend of preemptive control and swift offensive measures can secure a victory against the volatile power of Plasma Jockey.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Plasma Jockey MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 Plasma Jockey and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Plasma Jockey has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2022-04-29	If a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of or becomes a copy of a creature whose blitz cost was paid, the copy won't have haste, won't be sacrificed, and its controller won't draw a card when it dies.
2022-04-29	If you choose to pay the blitz cost rather than the mana cost, you're still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to and countered. You can cast a creature spell for its blitz cost only if you could cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty.
2022-04-29	If you pay the blitz cost to cast a creature spell, that permanent will be sacrificed only if it's still on the battlefield when that triggered ability resolves. If it dies or goes to another zone before then, it will stay where it is.
2022-04-29	The triggered ability that lets its controller draw a card triggers when it dies for any reason, not just when you sacrifice it during the end step.
2022-04-29	You don't have to attack with the creature with blitz unless another ability says you do.