Power Taint MTG Card

Power Taint can disrupt opponents at instant speed, making it a surprise element of strategy. Its discard requirement and color-specific mana may limit deck inclusion and hand options. In diverse metagames, Power Taint deters big-mana decks and punishes excessive mana usage.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Cycling,Enchant
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Number	90
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Brian Snõddy

Text of card

During the upkeep of enchanted enchantment's controller, that player pays or loses 2 life. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)

Cards like Power Taint

The Power Taint card in Magic: The Gathering presents a unique approach to controlling the battlefield. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality include a card like Psychic Venom. Both enchantments attach to land and punish the land’s controller for using it, but Power Taint offers a more flexible penalty, allowing opponents to choose between losing life or forfeiting the land’s use, which can be a critical strategic choice during a game.

We then have cards such as Contaminated Ground. It shares the concept of land enchantment with Power Taint but converts the enchanted land into an entirely different type — Swamp — and deals a fixed amount of damage when the land is tapped. While not granting the opponent’s choice, the predictable damage output can be useful in certain deck strategies.

Another consideration is Manabarbs, a card not enchanting lands directly but punishing all players whenever they tap lands for mana, potentially spreading significant damage across the board. Although it affects all players rather than targeted ones like Power Taint, the ability to influence the entire game flow can’t be ignored.

Evaluating each card’s tactical advantages is crucial. Power Taint’s variable penalty could lead to either predictable life loss or an obstruction of the opponent’s mana flow, thus positioning it as a potentially versatile tool in disrupting opponent strategies.

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

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Power Taint offers a unique angle for card advantage, potentially forcing your opponent to repeatedly lose cards or forgo the use of a powerful ability.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, Power Taint can indirectly lead to resource gains by hampering your opponent’s ability to utilize their mana effectively.

Instant Speed: Casting Power Taint at instant speed adds a layer of strategy, enabling you to surprise an opponent by targeting a key ability they rely on, during a moment when they’re least prepared.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Power Taint necessitates the discard of a card upon usage. This can prove detrimental during gameplay when your hand is already depleted, making it challenging to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Power Taint includes both blue and black mana, which could hinder its inclusion in decks not dedicated to these colors. Deck flexibility is somewhat reduced, as the card demands a specific mana base to be played effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Power Taint offers a unique effect, the combined cost of four mana — two of which are colored — can be quite steep, especially when you could opt for alternative lower-cost cards that disrupt opponents without the additional discard requirement.

Reasons to Include Power Taint in Your Collection

Versatility: Power Taint is a unique enchantment that can fit into various blue control or combo decks. Its ability to turn an opponent’s strength against them by converting excess mana to damage makes it adaptable to a range of strategies and game states.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with effects that stop opponents from using their mana efficiently, like mana pool emptiers or cost increasers. In such combinations, Power Taint can become a potent source of recurring damage, pressuring opponents even in the early game stages.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where big-mana decks thrive, Power Taint can act as a deterrent against them. This card’s inclusion can be a tactical choice, especially if the current meta includes many players relying on spells that generate large amounts of mana.

How to beat

Power Taint presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering, often causing opponents to think twice before using activated abilities that require a mana cost. The card essentially turns any mana-using ability against the player, dealing damage equal to the mana cost. This can quickly turn the tide in a match, especially if an opponent relies heavily on such abilities.

To effectively overcome Power Taint, one must either avoid playing cards with costly activated abilities or remove Power Taint from the board. Spell removal cards, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, can effortlessly dispatch Power Taint, allowing you to proceed with your strategy unhindered. Alternatively, countering it directly through spells like Negate or Mana Leak can prevent it from ever affecting the game state.

It’s also advantageous to have a diverse deck that does not solely depend on activated abilities, thereby reducing Power Taint’s potential impact. Incorporating passive abilities or relying on triggered abilities can circumvent the restrictions Power Taint imposes. Being adaptable and having a contingency plan for such enchantments is key to maintaining control of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Power Taint MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Taint and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Power Taint has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.