Divide by Zero MTG Card


Divide by Zero - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Learn
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number41
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byLiiga Smilshkalne

Key Takeaways

  1. Divide by Zero offers both immediate board impact and strategic card selection via learning.
  2. Its mana cost and color specificity may restrict usage, yet its versatility justifies inclusion.
  3. Comparing to similar spells, it stands out for merging bounce and learn mechanics efficiently.

Text of card

Return target spell or permanent with mana value 1 or greater to its owner's hand. Learn. (You may reveal a Lesson card you own from outside the game and put it into your hand, or discard a card to draw a card.)

"Misery. Inadequacy. Failure. The common denominator is you."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Divide by Zero allows the caster to not only bounce an opponent’s spell back to their hand but also to learn, which essentially means you can handpick a card from your sideboard or lesson collection. This can pivot the flow of the game to your favor by maintaining a stronger hand.

Resource Acceleration: Even though the card itself doesn’t directly produce additional mana, the ability to fetch a lesson that can act as a resource accelerator from your sideboard is a significant indirect benefit. The versatility it brings by sending you to your sideboard can provide exactly what’s required to optimize your resource curve in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Divide by Zero’s instant speed flexibility allows you to adapt to the board state on the fly. Whether you’re interrupting an opponent’s combo or protecting your own interests during their turn, the timing of this spell is key for strategic plays, making your mana usage more efficient and reactive.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Divide by Zero offers the flexibility of returning a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand, the requirement to discard a card for its full effect may be a setback. This can reduce your hand size, potentially putting you at a disadvantage if you’re not able to replenish your card supply swiftly.

Specific Mana Cost: Divide by Zero’s mana cost includes blue mana, making it less versatile in decks that do not have blue as a central or supporting color. This requirement can restrict the card’s inclusion only to certain deck archetypes that can reliably produce blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three, Divide by Zero’s cost can be considered high for its bounce effect, particularly when compared to other instant-speed interaction spells. For competitive play, this can sometimes mean the difference between maintaining tempo or falling behind, especially when early game efficiency is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Divide by Zero is a robust addition to almost any blue-based control or tempo deck, offering the ability to temporarily deal with threats while also fetching sideboard solutions via the learn mechanic.

Combo Potential: This card allows players to interrupt opponents’ plays while setting up their own combos, by bouncing crucial pieces and tutoring for combo-enabling cards with the learn ability.

Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamic nature of MTG’s meta, Divide by Zero’s capability to disrupt opponent strategies and adapt to various game states make it a strong contender in diverse formats.


How to beat

Dispelling the magic of Divide by Zero in the realm of Magic: The Gathering can be as strategic as the card is disruptive. This intriguing instant allows players to return target spell or permanent with mana value 1 or greater to its owner’s hand and learn, which can significantly delay an opponent’s plans. However, there are clever ways to outmaneuver this setback.

One technique is to bait out the card by playing less crucial spells first, thereby preserving your more critical ones. Additionally, playing spells that cannot be countered, or utilizing cards that grant your spells uncounterable status, effectively neutralizes Divide by Zero’s impact. Another tactic is to overwhelm the opponent with multiple threats at once, forcing them to choose and potentially allowing some of your strategies to succeed. Timing is also essential; consider playing your important spells when your opponent may not have the mana to cast Divide by Zero or after they’ve used their learning resources, reducing the card’s advantage. Adapting to the ebb and flow of the game, while staying mindful of potential threats, can ensure your deck’s resilience against Divide by Zero’s controlling grip.


Cards like Divide by Zero

Divide by Zero holds a unique place in the variety of interactive spells in MTG. It’s akin to bounce spells, such as Unsummon, which permits returning a creature to its owner’s hand, but Divide by Zero offers broader targeting options that include nonland permanents and spells, not just creatures. However, Unsummon has the advantage of being a low-cost instant, which can be crucial for nimble responses during the game.

Also within this group, we can look at Disperse, another card that returns nonland permanents to the owner’s hand. It offers additional flop compared to Unsummon due to its wider range of targets, but like Divide by Zero, it cannot interact with spells on the stack. Countermand is another, offering both bounce and counterplay, but it lacks the flexibility and additional Learn mechanic that Divide by Zero provides.

Bringing this comparison full circle, it becomes evident that Divide by Zero carves out a strategic niche in MTG by merging bounce spell utility with the educational upside of Learning, allowing you to grab a lesson card or a card from outside the game, making it a compelling choice for flexible control decks.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Disperse - MTG Card versions
Countermand - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Disperse - Morningtide (MOR)
Countermand - Journey into Nyx (JOU)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Divide by Zero MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Divide by Zero and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Divide by Zero has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-04-16 If a card is brought into the game from outside the game, it will stay in the game until it ends or until its owner leaves the game, whichever comes first.
2021-04-16 If an effect returns a copy of a spell to its owner’s hand, the copy ceases to exist.
2021-04-16 If instructed to learn, you may do nothing. Discarding a card and putting a Lesson card into your hand are both optional.
2021-04-16 If you bring a card into the game from outside the game in a Constructed tournament (or a Constructed game played under tournament conditions), you may select only a card from your sideboard. In casual Constructed games, the card comes from your collection.
2021-04-16 If you bring a card into the game from outside the game in a Sealed Deck or Booster Draft event, you may select only a card that is in the card pool that you built your deck from.

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