Library of Lat-Nam MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. The card offers substantial card advantage potential, helping to outvalue opponents over time.
  2. Can fit various roles, enhancing control or combo decks that value precise card selection.
  3. Strategic play and countermeasures are crucial when facing opponents wielding this card.

Text of card

Target opponent chooses one: you draw three cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep; or you search your library for a card, put it into your hand, and then shuffle your library.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Library of Lat-Nam offers a unique selection process that can lead to significant card advantage. By allowing you to potentially draw an extra card, it heightens your ability to outpace your opponent in terms of resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana, this card can accelerate your game by obtaining the right answers or threats, depending on the choices made. It’s about quality over quantity, as the drawn card could be pivotal in swinging the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although Library of Lat-Nam operates at sorcery speed, its implications can have an instant impact on the state of the game. By forcing your opponent to make choices on their turn, you affect how they might have to react during yours.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Library of Lat-Nam requires a player to choose between granting an opponent a card advantage or discarding a card of their choice. This can be a significant setback if your hand contains crucial strategies or combo pieces.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific mana combination, including both blue and generic mana. This requirement can pose a challenge for multi-colored decks or those that struggle with mana consistency, potentially limiting its inclusivity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that sits at the higher end of the spectrum, the Library of Lat-Nam may lag behind other options. Considering its output, there are alternative cards in MTG that may provide a similar or better effect without such a steep mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Library of Lat-Nam can serve various roles within your deck. Whether you’re searching for that key piece in a control approach or seeking additional options in a combo setup, this card offers valuable selection to adapt to numerous in-game scenarios.

Combo Potential: The ability of Library of Lat-Nam to selectively draw a card plays well with strategies that revolve around knowing or manipulating deck order. It expands possibilities for combos, especially in blue-centric decks that cherish specific card interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where strategic card advantage can outpace aggressive tactics, the Library of Lat-Nam can be a top contender. Its contribution to hand quality over quantity can be critical in matching or outmaneuvering your competitors’ moves.


How to Beat

Confronting the Library of Lat-Nam card in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic ingenuity. This blue card is unique, allowing a player to search for any card in their deck or forcing an opponent to allow them to draw three cards. To tackle this advantage, it’s essential to disrupt your opponent’s plans before they can leverage the power this card provides.

One effective strategy is to employ counter spells to prevent the Library of Lat-Nam from being played at all. However, if the card does resolve, applying pressure with aggressive creatures or creating card advantage yourself can help to mitigate the benefit your opponent gains. Mindful resource management becomes pivotal when pacing the game against an opponent who utilizes this powerful search card.

Overall, keeping in mind that the Library of Lat-Nam card doesn’t affect the battlefield directly gives players a window to turn the tide. Your goal is to maximize each turn, optimize your hand, and keep your opponent’s searching to a minimum. By carefully navigating the situation, you can overcome the library’s vast knowledge and claim victory on the battlefield.


Cards like Library of Lat-Nam

Library of Lat-Nam is a unique inclusion in the card advantage department of Magic: The Gathering, offering players a distinct approach to drawing cards. Its mechanics are in some respects akin to those seen in cards like Gamble, wherein the card acquisition involves an element of chance and decision-making by opponents. Gamble, being a red card, allows a player to search for a card at the cost of potentially discarding one at random. Library of Lat-Nam’s difference lies within its ability to provide card choices – albeit controlled by the player’s adversary.

Analogous to the celebrated blue spell, Fact or Fiction, Library of Lat-Nam thrives on psychological play, presenting opponents with a dilemma to give you the best card or a selection of potentially helpful cards. However, Fact or Fiction splits cards into two piles while Library of Lat-Nam does not involve revealing any. Then comes Gifts Ungiven, another similar card where an opponent chooses two cards out of four to be discarded. Although Library of Lat-Nam does not offer as much choice or volume, it compensates with a cost-effective card that has no immediate downside.

Overall, Library of Lat-Nam stands its ground as a worthwhile card, particularly in environments where games are more nuanced and control strategies can fully utilize the leverage and mind games it offers.

Gamble - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Gifts Ungiven - MTG Card versions
Gamble - Urza's Saga (USG)
Fact or Fiction - Invasion (INV)
Gifts Ungiven - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Cards similar to Library of Lat-Nam by color, type and mana cost

Psychic Transfer - MTG Card versions
Balance of Power - MTG Card versions
Cruel Fate - MTG Card versions
Temporal Manipulation - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Memories - MTG Card versions
Brilliant Plan - MTG Card versions
Time Warp - MTG Card versions
Reverse Engineer - MTG Card versions
Invoke the Winds - MTG Card versions
Essence Fracture - MTG Card versions
Rush of Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Temporal Fissure - MTG Card versions
Bribery - MTG Card versions
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Petals of Insight - MTG Card versions
Heed the Mists - MTG Card versions
Ribbons of the Reikai - MTG Card versions
Reduce to Dreams - MTG Card versions
Tidings - MTG Card versions
Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Psychic Transfer - Starter 1999 (S99)
Balance of Power - The List (PLST)
Cruel Fate - Portal (POR)
Temporal Manipulation - The List (PLST)
Ancestral Memories - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Brilliant Plan - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Time Warp - Explorers of Ixalan (E02)
Reverse Engineer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Invoke the Winds - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Essence Fracture - Onslaught (ONS)
Rush of Knowledge - Double Masters (2XM)
Temporal Fissure - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Bribery - Commander Masters (CMM)
Acquire - IDW Comics 2014 (PI14)
Petals of Insight - Modern Masters (MMA)
Heed the Mists - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ribbons of the Reikai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Reduce to Dreams - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Tidings - Commander 2018 (C18)
Traumatize - Magic 2014 (M14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Library of Lat-Nam MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Classic Sixth 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 Library of Lat-Nam and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Library of Lat-Nam Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 1999-04-21. Illustrated by Alan Rabinowitz.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 311993normalblackAlan Rabinowitz
21999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 781997normalwhiteAlan Rabinowitz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Library of Lat-Nam has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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