The Big Idea MTG Card
Text of card
{BR}{BR}, : Roll a six-sided die. Create a number of 1/1 red Brainiac creature tokens equal to the result. Tap three untapped Brainiacs you control: The next time you would roll a six-sided die, instead roll two six-sided dice and use the total of those results.
Cards like The Big Idea
The Big Idea is an intriguing card that invites comparisons to others that exhibit the same spark of innovation in Magic: The Gathering. Take Madcap Experiment for instance, which also dances on the fine line of risk and reward, offering the potential for a considerable impact on the game. Both cards encourage players to think creatively, harnessing chance to unleash powerful effects. Yet, The Big Idea stands apart with its quirky Goblin-driven theme and the potential to create multiple Brainiac tokens, a feature Madcap Experiment lacks.
Another card worth considering is Goblin Test Pilot. This card shares the essence of unpredictability with The Big Idea, extending the game into realms of chance. While The Big Idea gives players numerous tokens to steer the game’s direction, Goblin Test Pilot randomly selects targets for its abilities, which can potentially backfire. Lastly, we should not overlook Experimental Frenzy, a card that provides a continuous potential for card advantage, although it does not offer the immediate token generation that The Big Idea does.
In reflecting on The Big Idea, its unique combination of chance, theme, and token generation clearly strikes a balance that distinguishes it from these similar cards, providing MTG players with a blend of strategy and serendipity in their gameplay experience.
Cards similar to The Big Idea by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Big Idea card can generate significant card advantage by enabling you to draw additional cards, thus bolstering your hand and providing a variety of options to outmaneuver your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: This card facilitates resource acceleration by potentially granting you access to extra mana, allowing you to cast more spells or play pivotal cards ahead of schedule, thereby taking command of the game’s pace.
Instant Speed: With the ability to cast The Big Idea at instant speed, you gain the strategic upper hand, keeping your adversaries guessing. You can adapt to the unfolding game and make decisive moves at the most opportune moments, disrupting your opponent’s strategy while reinforcing your own.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing The Big Idea demands that you pitch another card from your hand into the graveyard. This trade-off can be challenging when you’re already managing limited hand options or seeking to maintain a strategic variety of spells and lands in play.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes a mix of colorless and red mana, The Big Idea requires a deck that is streamlined or compatible with red mana generation. This can pigeonhole the card into specific archetypes, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card comes with a considerable mana investment for its effects. Fans of efficient gameplay might find other cards that can execute similar strategies with a lower mana commitment, thereby making The Big Idea a less favored option when optimizing a deck’s performance.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: “The Big Idea” offers a broad application in a variety of deck builds, easily syncing with decks that thrive on both creature strategies and generating a plethora of tokens.
Combo Potential: This card pairs exceptionally well with mechanics that capitalize on having numerous creatures or artifacts on the field, expanding its synergy with other combo-enabling cards.
Meta-Relevance: Given that it aligns well with popular trends in gameplay, especially those favoring token generation or sacrifice mechanics, “The Big Idea” maintains its strategic importance in various metagames.
How to Beat
The Big Idea is a unique card in the Magic: The Gathering universe, requiring strategic planning to overcome. Its ability to generate both Brainiac tokens and leverage them for card advantage or to boost other creatures poses a significant challenge. To counteract The Big Idea effectively, it’s imperative to manage the battlefield by keeping the token population in check. Cards like Electrickery or Pyroclasm can sweep away the Brainiacs before they become a formidable presence.
Disruption also plays a pivotal role. Tactics such as targeted discard spells disrupt the opponent’s hand, hindering their plans to play or exploit The Big Idea to its full potential. The use of instant speed removals like Doom Blade or Path to Exile ensures that The Big Idea is taken care of before it can have a lasting impact. Moreover, enchantments that restrict creature abilities can shut down The Big Idea’s token synergies and minimize the threats they pose.
Overcoming The Big Idea demands preemptive actions and thoughtful reactions to its strategy. Stay attentive to the tokens and have removal at the ready. By controlling the board and staying one step ahead, The Big Idea can be rendered just another clever concept rather than a winning strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Big Idea MTG card by a specific set like Unstable and The List (Unfinity Foil 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 The Big Idea 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 The Big Idea Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-12-08 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Bram Sels.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-12-08 | Unstable | UST | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Silver | Bram Sels | |
| 2 | 2022-10-07 | The List (Unfinity Foil Edition) | ULST | 26 | 2015 | Normal | Silver | Bram Sels |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Big Idea card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | If another spell or ability instructs you to roll two dice and use the difference, you can use The Big Idea’s second ability to replace one of those die rolls. First, roll two dice and use their sum. That’s the first result. Then roll one die. That’s the second result. Then figure out the difference between those two results. |
| 2018-01-19 | If you use the second ability to roll two dice instead of one, any ability that triggers “whenever you roll a die” will trigger twice. |
| 2018-01-19 | Some cards, like Chittering Doom, care about the results of individual die rolls and not the total if two dice are rolled together. For example, if you use The Big Idea’s second ability to replace one die roll with two and roll two 3s, Chittering Doom’s ability (which triggers whenever you roll 4 or higher on a die) won’t trigger. |