Touch of Brilliance MTG Card

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 76

Touch of Brilliance - Portal Second Age (P02)

Portal Second Age (P02)
1998-06-24 - Number 58

Touch of Brilliance - Starter 1999 (S99)

Starter 1999 (S99)
1999-07-01 - Number 57

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Provides significant card advantage by drawing two cards, essential for maintaining or recovering tempo in a match.
Brings resource acceleration to the table, yet requires a certain mana base and card discard which may impact strategy.
Its unique instant speed and combination of card draw with mana flexibility make it a worthwhile consideration for deckbuilding.

Text of card

Draw two cards.

Acting on one good idea is better than hoarding all the world's knowledge.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Touch of Brilliance shines in providing card advantage by letting you draw two cards, which can be crucial for staying ahead or catching up in the game.

Resource Acceleration: Beyond drawing cards, this spell also grants a burst of resource acceleration, providing you mana flexibility when you need it most.

Instant Speed: Operating at instant speed offers versatility, allowing you to respond to an opponent’s move during their turn or end phase, thus keeping you a step ahead.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Like many other cards that pack a punch, Touch of Brilliance requires a player to discard a card, which might not be ideal when hand size is critical or the game is drawn out. This cost sometimes can force players to make tough decisions about resource management, potentially hampering their strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card comes with a mana requirement that isn’t colorless, which means that its inclusion in a deck necessitates a particular mana base. If your deck isn’t tailored to produce the needed mana efficiently, casting it can become challenging, especially under pressure.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher mana cost than some alternative spells in its category, Touch of Brilliance can be a bit of a gamble. Players may find themselves weighing its potential benefit against the opportunity cost of not playing a less expensive or more immediate impact spell.

Reasons to Include Touch of Brilliance in Your Collection

Versatility: Touch of Brilliance offers a valuable element of versatility to any collection. This spell not only draws cards, refilling your hand, but also slots well into decks that synergize with casting blue spells or that benefit from card draw mechanics.

Combo Potential: Beyond the immediate card draw, Touch of Brilliance can be a key component in combo-centric decks that rely on hand size, spell casting triggers, or that utilize the cards drawn for potent synergistic effects.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where longer, grindier games are common, having a reliable card draw like Touch of Brilliance can help keep your options flexible and maintain pressure on your opponent through sustained resources.

How to beat

Touch of Brilliance is a unique piece in a player’s arsenal within Magic: The Gathering. Not only does it allow the drawing of two cards, but it also ensures that mana is available for your subsequent plays. This action can tip the scales in a match, as managing resources can often mean the difference between victory and defeat. It shines by offering raw card advantage and is similar to Divination in this respect.

However, Touch of Brilliance can be outmaneuvered. To undercut the impact of this spell, players can turn to strategies that disrupt the hand or spell casting capabilities. Utilizing counterspells such as Negate or Dispel is effective when your opponent casts Touch of Brilliance, preventing it from resolving and preserving the balance of the game. Alternatively, hand disruption tactics achieved through Thoughtseize or Duress can preemptively remove the threat by discarding it directly from your opponent’s hand before they have the chance to cast it.

Additionally, pressuring your opponent by applying fast-paced, aggressive strategies can reduce the efficiency of Touch of Brilliance. Overwhelming the board with creatures can force your adversaries to respond to immediate threats rather than drawing into further options. Outpacing and resource denial remain effective methods to beat this and similar card drawing tactics in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Touch of Brilliance

Touch of Brilliance stands out as an intriguing spell in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities to other card draw spells, like Concentrate, which also allows a player to draw four cards at the cost of four mana. Where Touch of Brilliance shines is in its versatility to be available in blue, a color renowned for its card draw capabilities.

Adjacent to this, we spot Jace’s Ingenuity, another spell that draws cards, offering three to be exact, and at instant speed. While it may provide one less card than Touch of Brilliance, the advantage of casting it on an opponent’s turn can be a game-changer. Additionally, there’s Tidings, a classic spell that provides a similar benefit of drawing four cards. However, its higher mana cost makes Touch of Brilliance more efficient and accessible earlier in the game.

Ultimately, in the realm of card drawing spells, Touch of Brilliance presents a balanced option. It competes by giving a solid number of cards for the mana invested and is situated comfortably within the expected power level for such effects in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Touch of Brilliance by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Touch of Brilliance MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal Second Age, 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 Touch of Brilliance and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Touch of Brilliance Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 1999-07-01. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-05-01	Portal	POR	76	1997	Normal	Black	John Coulthart
2	1998-06-24	Portal Second Age	P02	58	1997	Normal	Black	Kaja Foglio
3	1999-07-01	Starter 1999	S99	57	1997	Normal	White	Kaja Foglio