Psychic Transfer MTG Card
1996-10-08 - Number 85
1999-04-21 - Number 90
1999-07-01 - Number 46
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Compare your life total with target player's life total. If the difference is 5 or less and you have at least 1 life, exchange life totals with that player.
"The memory of your existence will fade like the final stars of morning." —Kaervek
Cards like Psychic Transfer
The analysis of Psychic Transfer in the world of Magic the Gathering Card reveals its unique position among cards that manipulate players’ libraries and hands. It stands in the same arena as Traumatize, a card renowned for its ability to halve a player’s library – an effect that significantly disrupts strategies reliant on a large deck. Unlike Psychic Transfer, which is primarily focused on transferring hand contents, Traumatize applies direct pressure on the deck itself.
Another card worth comparing is the notorious Jace’s Archivist, providing a repeatable effect that echoes Psychic Transfer’s one-time event. Though Jace’s Archivist affects all players equally and requires only to be tapped, it’s limited to the size of the smallest hand. Psychic Transfer, while a single-use, could see a greater disparity in hand sizes exchanged.
Delving further, we encounter Whispering Madness, which encapsulates aspects of both cards—disrupting hands and potentially milling by cycling through each player’s deck. However, as opposed to Psychic Transfer, Whispering Madness can affect all players and potentially multiple times with its cipher ability. Clearly, Psychic Transfer offers a targeted and decisive approach, steering clear of fraying the game state with communal effects.
Cards similar to Psychic Transfer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Psychic Transfer shines in its potential for significant card advantage. It can enable players to swap a less desirable hand with their opponent’s potentially stronger set of cards, disrupting their plan and benefiting your game state.
Resource Acceleration: Beyond just exchanging hands, Psychic Transfer might lead to an indirect form of resource acceleration. Gaining access to a hand rich with land drops and mana resources can propel your board state and strategy forward more quickly than anticipated.
Instant Speed: The utility of Psychic Transfer being cast at instant speed cannot be understated. It offers the flexibility to wait until the most advantageous moment during an opponent’s turn, possibly after they’ve drawn for the turn, to exchange hands. This timing allows for greater strategic depth and surprise factor in gameplay.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Psychic Transfer necessitates the forfeiture of a card from your hand, which could strain your resources, especially in the crucial early or mid-game where maintaining card advantage is key.
Specific Mana Cost: The card requires a niche set of mana to cast, specifically blue. This can restrict its integration into multicolored decks or those not heavily invested in blue mana sources, potentially hampering its versatility in a broader range of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Psychic Transfer’s mana cost is on the heftier side. Other options might provide more immediate or broader effects for the same or lessened mana investment, making them more appealing in a variety of gameplay situations.
Reasons to Include Psychic Transfer in Your Collection
Versatility: Psychic Transfer opens up a variety of strategic plays and fits seamlessly into decks focusing on life manipulation or alternate win conditions. Its capacity to swap life totals with an opponent can turn the tides in games where life points are a key focus.
Combo Potential: This card can be a cornerstone in combos that take advantage of life total exchanges. It pairs well with cards designed to lower your life for an advantage, enabling a surprise shift that can be difficult for opponents to counter.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies might reduce life totals quickly, Psychic Transfer provides an unexpected form of defense and offense. Switching life totals at a critical moment can be a game-winning move, especially in formats where life swings are prevalent.
How to beat
Psychic Transfer is an intriguing card that can twist the tides of a game by allowing a player to swap life totals. This can be a formidable strategy, particularly if you’ve been cornered with a low life count. Defeating this tactic requires foresight and control. Firstly, maintaining a healthy life total is key, as it renders Psychic Transfer less impactful. Cards with life gain abilities can help cushion the effects of a life swap.
Secondly, counterplay is crucial. Counter spells such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can stop Psychic Transfer before it takes effect. If Psychic Transfer does resolve, be prepared with a response. Damage-dealing spells or creatures with haste can take advantage of the abrupt life total change. Finally, hand disruption through thoughtseize or duress can preemptively remove Psychic Transfer from your opponent’s grip before they have a chance to cast it.
Taking preemptive strategies against Psychic Transfer is the best way to maintain the upper hand. Awareness, life management, and having the right counters at the right moment will ensure that your opponent’s Psychic Transfer doesn’t end the game in their favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Psychic Transfer MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Classic Sixth Edition, 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 Psychic Transfer and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Psychic Transfer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 1999-07-01. Illustrated by Dom!.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996-10-08 | Mirage | MIR | 85 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dom! | |
| 2 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 90 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dom! | |
| 3 | 1999-07-01 | Starter 1999 | S99 | 46 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dom! |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Psychic Transfer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Psychic Transfer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-08-01 | If one of the players has a negative life total, you use their actual life total for determining the difference. If that difference is five or less, then the other player receives the negative life total. |
| 2011-01-01 | If an effect says that a player can’t lose life, that player can’t exchange life totals with a player who has a lower life total; in that case, the exchange won’t happen. |