Contempt MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Contempt offers the strategic edge of removing a key opponent piece while also granting you valuable life points, essentially handling two issues with a single card. This dual benefit bolsters your position enormously, especially in games that teeter on tight resource management and board control.

Resource Acceleration: While Contempt itself does not directly provide resource acceleration in the form of mana or tokens, it does efficiently pave the way towards a more stable board state. By eliminating a critical threat, it indirectly accelerates your game plan by clearing the path for your own creatures and strategies to take center stage without opposition.

Instant Speed: The power to cast Contempt at instant speed cannot be overstated. It allows you to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield on a moment’s notice, whether that’s during combat or in response to an activation of an ability. This flexibility ensures that you maintain the upper hand, preserving surprise and control as you artfully manage the pace and flow of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Contempt comes with a caveat where you must part with another card in your hand. In games where every resource counts, this can set you back, especially when faced with an empty hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana alignment, particularly requiring black mana, which can be restrictive and not always in sync with your deck’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With Contempt’s mana cost leaning on the higher side, it’s important to consider that there are alternatives that could achieve similar effects for less. Allocating resources efficiently is key in MTG, and sometimes Contempt’s cost might not match its impact on the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Contempt offers a unique blend of removal and life gain, making it a flexible inclusion for a variety of decks. Whether you’re up against aggro threats or need to handle problematic creatures or planeswalkers, this card adapts to numerous situations.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that thrive on life gain or benefit from the removal of a creature or planeswalker, Contempt can act as a key piece in a combo, turning the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In matchups where high-value targets are prevalent, having a reliable answer like Contempt is essential. Its ability to deal with top threats and alter the course of a match makes it a strategic choice in any competitive setting.

How to beat

Contempt is a card that often finds its place in MTG decks due to its sheer utility in disrupting opponent strategies. It becomes essential to form a plan to mitigate the effects of Contempt and retain control of the game. As it primarily targets creatures and planeswalkers, designing your deck with an abundance of versatile threats can reduce the impact of a single removal. Additionally, the utilisation of instant-speed spells and abilities that can protect or regenerate your key permanents is a solid strategy to nullify Contempt’s dominance on the board.

One could also consider incorporating cards that benefit you when your permanents leave the battlefield. This way, even if Contempt successfully resolves, you gain advantages in return. Moreover, countermagic is always a reliable countermeasure, as denying Contempt before it takes effect preserves your board state and keeps the momentum on your side. Lastly, always track your opponent’s mana, especially the needed double black, as that’s your window to safely deploy critical threats without the immediate worry of Contempt. It lies in the art of timing and resource management to outmaneuver an opponent’s Contempt and maintain dominance throughout the match.