Wall of Junk MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When thinking of Wall of Junk, consider the unique mechanics that often allow for card advantage in a game. Its ability to bounce back to your hand means it can be reused, effectively increasing your hand size each time it blocks an opponents creature.

Resource Acceleration: This defensive powerhouse offers more than just protection. Although it doesn’t directly accelerate resources in traditional ways, its repetitive block-usage gently shifts the tempo of the game, granting you valuable time to summon more lands or cast key spells without losing board presence.

Instant Speed: The formidable Wall of Junk might not fit the mold of instant-speed spells, but it compensates by influencing the game at critical moments. Its return to the owner’s hand acts almost like a pseudo-instant effect, offering a surprise element to disrupt combat calculations during each defensive phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Wall of Junk requires you to return it to your hand at the beginning of the end step whenever it blocks. This situation potentially leaves you without a blocker and may lead you to discard if you exceed the hand size limit.

Specific Mana Cost: Wall of Junk’s casting cost includes two colorless mana, which might not be easily accommodated in decks that heavily utilize colored mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, there are alternative walls or defensive creatures that could be cast for less and still provide a substantial defensive presence on the battlefield without the drawback of bouncing back to your hand.

Reasons to Include Wall of Junk in Your Collection

Versatility: Wall of Junk can be a flexible addition to decks that value high toughness creatures. Its ability to block any incoming attack and then return to a player’s hand makes it an excellent defender that’s hard to permanently remove from the game.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield. It can repeatedly trigger enter-the-battlefield effects or be used with cards that benefit from casting spells.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive strategies are prevalent, Wall of Junk provides a reliable defense. It can slow down opponents, buying time for a player to set up their own board and execute their long-term strategy.

How to beat

The Wall of Junk presents a unique challenge among Magic: The Gathering defensive options, returning to its owner’s hand at the end of any combat it blocks. To navigate around this peculiarity, consider adopting strategies that render its constant bouncing disadvantageous to your opponent. This can be achieved by utilizing spells that can capitalize on the times Wall of Junk is not on the battlefield, or by incorporating effects that punish or restrict the playing of spells during other player’s turns.

Moreover, employing removal spells that exile or destroy without engaging in combat, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade, can effectively bypass the need to deal with the Wall’s blocking gimmick. Other tactics include countering the casting of the Wall or exploiting its bounce mechanic with cards that benefit from opponents casting spells or creatures entering the battlefield under their control. Cards like Smothering Tithe or Harsh Mentor could provide additional value or penalize the repetitive casting. In essence, countering the unique properties of Wall of Junk requires strategic planning and a deck built to exploit its weaknesses or the timing of its return to hand.

BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the strengths and weaknesses of Wall of Junk is key to understanding its role in MTG gameplay. It shines in decks where repetitively casting creatures is beneficial, yet demands careful hand management to avoid unnecessary discards. Its resilience in blocking mighty creatures allows for turn-by-turn defense but requires strategic play to mitigate its potential as a temporary barrier. Intrigued by the tactical applications of Wall of Junk? Dive deeper into the strategic depth of MTG and discover how to optimize your deck builds, counter popular strategies, and utilize unique cards like Wall of Junk to navigate the intricate dance of MTG combat and control. Engage with us further to enhance your gaming experience and uncover the fullest potential of your MTG collection.