Power Play MTG Card

Power Play offers a significant edge by allowing players to draw into more strategic options during play. It enables faster casting of impactful spells, giving an advantage in the game’s pace. Instant speed casting of Power Play provides players the flexibility to adapt to the game’s state.

Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Conspiracy
Released	2014-06-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conspiracy
Set code	CNS
Number	8
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matt Stewart

Text of card

(Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) You are the starting player. If multiple players would be the starting player, one of those players is chosen at random.

Cards like Power Play

Power Play joins the ranks of selective interactive spells in Magic: The Gathering. It invites comparison with Freeze Ray, which can temporarily neutralize an opponent’s piece by tapping it and preventing it from untapping during the next untap step. Power Play, however, pivots the strategy by allowing ongoing influence, letting you dictate which creatures can attack or block each turn. This is more versatile in controlling the pace and outcome of the game.

In terms of enforcing non-combat, Silent Arbiter is another card with a parallel philosophy of restricting the number of creatures able to engage in combat. Yet, Power Play shines with its proactive granting or denial of permissions, as opposed to the Arbiter’s constant passive effect. This can create advantageous situations where you can tailor the combat phase on a turn-by-turn basis.

Ultimately, while Magic: The Gathering offers a variety of ways to control the battlefield, Power Play gives players a unique mixture of influence and adaptability, making it a noteworthy card for dictating the flow of combat and putting your opponents in a bind.

Cards similar to Power Play by color, type and mana cost

Unexpected Potential - MTG Card versions

Advantageous Proclamation - MTG Card versions

Muzzio's Preparations - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Power Play gives players an edge by potentially drawing them into more options or answers, an essential component in building a commanding presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: In the ever-evolving pace of the game, Power Play can shift the momentum by providing critical resource acceleration, enabling you to cast more influential spells sooner than your opponents expect.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Power Play being castable at instant speed can’t be overstated. This allows savvy players to adapt to changing game states, disrupt opponents’ strategies at a moment’s notice, and more importantly, keep their game plans flexible and responsive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Power Play mandates discarding a card, compelling players to deplete their hand, potentially putting them at a strategic disadvantage if they’re unable to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card comes with a rigid mana demand, necessitating a precise combination of colors which can prove to be restrictive, limiting the decks it can efficiently slot into, and may not align with a player’s mana base during crucial moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that is considered high for its effects, players might find other cards that deliver similar or greater impact with less investment, thus questioning Power Play’s overall efficiency in a competitive deck.

Reasons to Include Power Play in Your Collection

Versatility: Power Play seamlessly integrates into a variety of strategies due to its ability to alter the game’s dynamics in your favor right from the start.

Combo Potential: This card enables you to craft game-winning combos by establishing early control, giving you an edge in both casual and competitive settings.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to disrupt opponents’ tactics, Power Play holds a significant place in environments where a strong opening can dictate the pace and outcome of the match.

How to beat

Power Play is a strategic spell in the MTG arsenal that can tilt the balance of the game in a player’s favor. Much like tactical spells that change the flow of the game, Power Play has the potential to disrupt your opponent’s carefully laid plans. Understanding its strengths and weaknesses can be the key to countering its influence on the battlefield.

To effectively challenge Power Play, consider cards that can nullify its impact, such as those that untap your permanents or provide you with flash abilities, allowing you to play at instant speed. Additionally, look for cards that can directly remove enchantments or minimize their effects, such as naturalize or disenchant effects, which can dismantle Power Play’s control over the turn order. Alternatively, cards that let you play spells without paying their mana costs or those that shut down triggered abilities can be excellent at negating the advantage granted by Power Play.

In summary, by incorporating specific countermeasures into your deck, you can ensure that Power Play doesn’t dominate the game. The trick is to adapt and prepare for such powerful spells that can alter the dynamics of MTG matches, maintaining a strategic balance and keeping Power Play in check.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Power Play MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy, 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 Power Play and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Power Play has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Banned
Legacy	Banned
Oathbreaker	Banned
Vintage	Banned
Duel	Banned

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-05-29	If you have Power Play but aren’t the starting player (because another player also had Power Play), your place in the turn order is unaffected. If you’re sitting to the right of the starting player, you’re going last. Not all power plays bear fruit.
2016-08-23	A conspiracy doesn’t count as a card in your deck for purposes of meeting minimum deck size requirements. (In most drafts, the minimum deck size is 40 cards.)
2016-08-23	A conspiracy’s static and triggered abilities function as long as that conspiracy is face-up in the command zone.
2016-08-23	Conspiracies are colorless, have no mana cost, and can’t be cast as spells.
2016-08-23	Conspiracies are never put into your deck. Instead, you put any number of conspiracies from your card pool into the command zone as the game begins. These conspiracies are face up unless they have hidden agenda, in which case they begin the game face down.
2016-08-23	Conspiracies aren’t legal for any sanctioned Constructed format, but may be included in other Limited formats, such as Cube Draft.
2016-08-23	You can look at any player’s face-up conspiracies at any time. You’ll also know how many face-down conspiracies a player has in the command zone, although you won’t know what they are.
2016-08-23	You don’t have to play with any conspiracy you draft. However, you have only one opportunity to put conspiracies into the command zone, as the game begins. You can’t put conspiracies into the command zone after this point.