Prisoner's Dilemma MTG Card

Provides negotiation leverage for card draws, leading to potential hand-size advantage over opponents. Enables instant speed play, offering strategic flexibility and bluffing opportunities in gameplay. Demands a specific mana commitment and can be a high-cost card for its effects, impacting deck building.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Text of card

Each opponent secretly chooses silence or snitch, then the choices are revealed. If each opponent chose silence, Prisoner's Dilemma deals 4 damage to each of them. If each opponent chose snitch, Prisoner's Dilemma deals 8 damage to each of them. Otherwise, Prisoner's Dilemma deals 12 damage to each opponent who chose silence. Flashback

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Prisoner’s Dilemma provides a unique opportunity to negotiate with an opponent on drawing cards. If both players agree, it can lead to a significant advantage, potentially outpacing your adversary’s hand.

Resource Acceleration: The choice offered by Prisoner’s Dilemma can lead to immediate resource acceleration, granting you an edge in building your board state faster than the opposition.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Prisoner’s Dilemma at instant speed provides strategic flexibility, allowing you to adapt and respond to the evolving game situation or to bluff holding up interaction while potentially filling your hand with more options.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When you cast Prisoner’s Dilemma, you’re confronted with a discard requirement that can leave you at a strategic disadvantage. If you’re in a tight game where every card counts, having to part with a potentially pivotal piece of your hand can be quite costly.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for decks that utilize black mana, Prisoner’s Dilemma mandates a commitment to a specific mana type. This may deter players with multicolored decks from including it, as it restricts the deck’s flexibility and can lead to color mana issues during gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its effects, users might find Prisoner’s Dilemma a tough sell when deck-building. It competes for space with other spells that might offer a bigger bang for their mana buck, leading some players to opt for alternatives that promise a greater impact on the board state.

Reasons to Include Prisoner’s Dilemma in Your Collection

Versatility: Prisoner’s Dilemma is a card capable of fitting into a variety of decks, and its ability to manipulate choices offers unique strategic depth. Its incorporation can enhance decision-making processes in gameplay, influencing both your own and your opponent’s tactics.

Combo Potential: This card opens up numerous combo avenues and can serve as an integral piece in intricate play sequences. Its interactivity with other cards can lead to significant advantages, making it a complementary addition to decks designed around synergies and alliances.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that is often dynamic, having cards like Prisoner’s Dilemma can position a player to adapt to a wide range of opponent strategies. Its relevance is maintained by the capacity to exert psychological pressure and to offer alternative paths to victory in a shifting competitive landscape.

How to beat

Prisoner’s Dilemma is a card that presents unique challenges in Magic: The Gathering. Overcoming this card requires a strategic approach focusing on predicting opponent’s choices and managing your own threats efficiently. The key to beating Prisoner’s Dilemma lies in smart decision-making and potentially baiting your opponent into making a choice that’s more advantageous for you. To effectively counteract the card, consider employing cards that can mitigate the consequences of whatever decision is made, such as quick removals, counter spells, or using cards that benefit regardless of your opponent’s choices.

Decks with versatility and the ability to adapt can navigate through the complications posed by Prisoner’s Dilemma. Additionally, keeping a track of resources and understanding the flow of gameplay enables players to anticipate the outcome of the dilemma, thereby diminishing the card’s impact. Remember, the advantage does not only stem from the cards you have in your hand, but also from how you predict your opponent’s play and adjust your strategy in response.

Careful game plan and situational awareness are paramount when dealing with Prisoner’s Dilemma, making it an intricate but not insurmountable obstacle within the MTG universe.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prisoner's Dilemma MTG card by a specific set like Murders at Karlov Manor Commander and Murders at Karlov Manor Commander, 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 Prisoner's Dilemma and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Prisoner's Dilemma Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2024-02-09 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Serena Malyon.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 342015NormalBlackSerena Malyon
22024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 3442015NormalBlackSerena Malyon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prisoner's Dilemma has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal