Tormented Thoughts MTG Card
2014-05-02 - Number 86
2015-07-17 - Number 122
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
As an additional cost to cast Tormented Thoughts, sacrifice a creature. Target player discards a number of cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power.
"Not all nightmares can be escaped by waking." —Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Cards like Tormented Thoughts
Tormented Thoughts has a unique place in the pantheon of sacrifice-themed spells in Magic: The Gathering. Like other cards that leverage a player’s own creatures, such as Thoughtseize, it targets an opponent’s hand. However, Tormented Thoughts requires a creature to be sacrificed as part of its casting cost, influencing both the player’s board presence and the opponent’s hand.
When comparing Tormented Thoughts to Mind Rot, for instance, both disrupt the opponent by forcing them to discard cards. However, Mind Rot lacks the requirement of a sacrifice, allowing a player to maintain board control. Conversely, Tormented Thoughts has the potential for greater discard based on the sacrificed creature’s power, potentially clearing out more of the opponent’s hand compared to the fixed amount of Mind Rot.
Similarly, Altar’s Reap also asks the player to sacrifice a creature but is designed for card advantage rather than hand disruption. Where Tormented Thoughts is proactive in stripping resources from the opponent, Altar’s Reap is a reactive tool that refills your hand in response to unfavorable situations.
In essence, Tormented Thoughts demands a strategic approach, where the player must weigh the benefit of potentially impactful hand disruption against the cost of sacrificing creatures. It’s a card that can hold its own within the MTG realm, especially for those looking to exert psychological pressure and control over their opponents.
Cards similar to Tormented Thoughts by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Tormented Thoughts, you can force an opponent to discard numerous cards, potentially stripping away their options and giving you a significant advantage in control of the flow of the game.
Resource Acceleration: This sorcery scales with the power of the sacrificed creature, effectively translating creature strength into immediate disruption of your opponent’s hand, which can accelerate your chances of winning by depriving them of crucial resources.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Tormented Thoughts can be combined with creatures that have flash, allowing for unexpected plays that can catch an opponent unprepared and disrupt their planned strategies at crucial moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Tormented Thoughts demands that a player sacrifices a creature upon casting, which can lead to a loss of board presence and momentum. This may not always be beneficial, especially if you’re already facing an unfavorable board state or if your strategy relies heavily on maintaining creatures in play.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s mana cost necessitates one black mana, potentially restricting its integration exclusively into black or black-inclusive decks. This can be limiting for players who run multicolored decks that might not always have the necessary black mana source available at the right moment.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana including two of any color and one black, Tormented Thoughts might be considered costly given its effect. The card’s upside is entirely dependent on the discarded creature’s power, a variable component that can make it less reliable compared to other discard spells in the game that offer more consistent outcomes.
Reasons to Include Tormented Thoughts in Your Collection
Versatility: Tormented Thoughts offers flexibility as a strong discard spell. It can be slotted into various black-centric or multicolored decks that focus on sacrificing creatures for value.
Combo Potential: With the ability to force an opponent to discard several cards at once, this card synergizes well with decks that capitalize on an opponent’s reduced hand size or benefit from opponents discarding.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players often hold onto key cards for late-game victory, Tormented Thoughts can disrupt their strategy and provide you with a significant advantage.
How to beat
Tormented Thoughts is a unique sorcery that can create significant card disadvantage for your opponent in Magic: The Gathering. Its power hinges on sacrificing a creature to force discard equal to that creature’s power, which could potentially strip an opponent’s hand clean.
To counteract the effects of Tormented Thoughts, consider strategies that maintain a low hand size, thus minimizing the impact of the discard. Cards with madness or similar effects that trigger upon discarding can also turn this potential setback into an advantage. Moreover, employing instant-speed spells that can be cast in response, or using cards with flash, keeps your hand flexible and less vulnerable to Tormented Thoughts’ potent effect.
Additionally, holding onto cards that can revive creatures from the graveyard or generate token creatures can quickly restock your board after a sacrifice, ensuring that the loss of your creature doesn’t leave you defenseless. By adapting these tactics, you can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Tormented Thoughts, retaining control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tormented Thoughts MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx and Magic Origins, 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 Tormented Thoughts 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 Tormented Thoughts Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-05-02 and 2015-07-17. Illustrated by Allen Williams.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-05-02 | Journey into Nyx | JOU | 86 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Allen Williams | |
| 2 | 2015-07-17 | Magic Origins | ORI | 122 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Allen Williams |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tormented Thoughts has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tormented Thoughts card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-04-26 | Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell. |
| 2014-04-26 | The targeted player will discard a number of cards equal to the power of the sacrificed creature as it last existed on the battlefield. |
| 2014-04-26 | You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures. |
| 2015-06-22 | Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrifice to stop you from casting this spell. |
| 2015-06-22 | You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast Tormented Thoughts. You can't cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you can't sacrifice additional creatures. |