Wheel of Misfortune MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Wheel of Misfortune excels at refueling hands, offering strategic advantage through card advantage.
  2. It can accelerate strategies by digging for resources, yet it locks into red mana.
  3. Despite the cost, its meta-relevance, versatility, and combo potential make it a valuable card.

Text of card

Each player secretly chooses a number 0 or greater, then all players reveal those numbers simultaneously and determine the highest and lowest numbers revealed this way. Wheel of Misfortune deals damage equal to the highest number to each player who chose that number. Each player who didn't choose the lowest number discards their hand, then draws seven cards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Wheel of Misfortune, players are propelled into a powerful game of risk and reward where they can potentially draw seven new cards. This can drastically refuel a player’s hand, providing fresh options and a robust advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This card can serve as a catalyst, churning through the deck to uncover more mana sources or combo pieces. In decks built around synergies with discarding or drawing, it accelerates your strategy by moving you closer to critical resources.

Instant Speed: Although Wheel of Misfortune operates at sorcery speed, it interacts with the stack in complex and advantageous ways. It introduces strategic depth as it forces action from opponents, who must decide without knowledge of the bid, whether to respond or wait and possibly be caught unprepared.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The gamble with Wheel of Misfortune is not just in its random outcome, but also in the requirement to potentially discard your hand, leaving players in precarious situations where they may lose valuable cards.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Wheel of Misfortune is locked into red, demanding a dedicated slot in red-centric or compatible multicolored decks, possibly excluding a vast number of deck types from fully utilizing its power.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Wheel of Misfortune provides a unique twist on wheel effects, it comes with a relatively steep cost. With three specific red mana in its cost, some players might find it challenging to efficiently incorporate it into fast-paced games or opt for lower-cost alternatives for their strategies.


Reasons to Include Wheel of Misfortune in Your Collection

Versatility: Wheel of Misfortune is a unique inclusion for decks in MTG that capitalize on card draw. Players have the freedom to strategize their bets on life to refill their hand, making it useful in various scenarios. Its ability to disrupt opponents while potentially granting you an advantage adds a layer of psychological play to the game.

Combo Potential: For decks that thrive on casting many spells, or those that leverage the graveyard, Wheel of Misfortune provides a powerful engine. It can set up surprising combinations by cycling through your deck rapidly, or by enabling graveyard strategies with a fresh set of cards.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where card advantage is king, and players are constantly seeking ways to outpace their opponents, Wheel of Misfortune offers a high-risk, high-reward option that can tilt the game in your favor. As games become more about out-maneuvering and out-thinking your rival, having such a card in your collection could prove invaluable.


How to beat

The Wheel of Misfortune is a unique twist on the classic wheel effects in Magic: The Gathering, challenging players to a risky bid for a potential reward. A savvy strategist knows that understanding opponents’ tendencies is key to coming out on top when this card appears. Players looking to navigate around this card’s chaotic potential should prioritize life total management and a keen sense of timing.

Monitoring your life points and gauging opponents’ life totals can determine how high you should bid to not be at a loss. Efficient bidding enables you to either draw a new hand of seven cards without losing life or see someone else lose a significant chunk of theirs. Moreover, seasoned players will recognize the pivotal moments to cast disruption spells or opt to minimize the impact of a resolved Wheel of Misfortune by holding onto cards that protect life totals or disrupt opponents’ newfound hands.

Ultimately, overcoming Wheel of Misfortune’s challenge lies in careful monitoring of game state and the strategic use of life points as a resource. This allows you to emerge from the wheel’s chaotic spin in a position of strength, transforming a potential misfortune into a fortunate twist of fate.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is a continuous journey of strategy and finesse, especially with dynamic cards like Wheel of Misfortune. Whether you seek to push your deck’s limits or disrupt the flow of your opponent’s game, understanding and utilizing such cards can be key. We encourage players to delve deeper into the strategic uses of Wheel of Misfortune, considering the card’s strengths and risks. If the thrill of a high-stakes game appeals to you, adding this card to your arsenal could turn the tide of battle in your favor. Dive deeper with us as we explore MTG’s most intriguing strategic elements and optimize your deck for victory.


Cards like Wheel of Misfortune

Wheel of Misfortune stands out in the pantheon of wheel effects in Magic: The Gathering. It brings a unique twist with its secret bidding gameplay, differing markedly from its ancestral namesake, Wheel of Fortune. While Wheel of Fortune is a straightforward card that makes each player discard their hand and draw seven new cards, Wheel of Misfortune adds a layer of strategy, with players bidding life to potentially draw a fresh hand or getting nothing for their trouble.

This gameplay mechanic calls to mind the more recent addition of Magus of the Wheel. Both have the potent ability to refill a player’s hand, yet Magus requires a creature on the battlefield and an additional mana to activate. Another comparable card is Reforge the Soul, which can either be cast for its mana cost or its Miracle cost. While Reforge the Soul lacks the bidding element of Wheel of Misfortune, it can still massively disrupt the game by replacing all players’ hands, often at an unexpected moment.

Evaluating the options, Wheel of Misfortune holds a distinctive spot. Its unpredictability and potential for large swings in game state make it an exciting choice for players seeking to add a touch of chaos to their games without the higher cost of its predecessor, Wheel of Fortune.

Wheel of Fortune - MTG Card versions
Magus of the Wheel - MTG Card versions
Reforge the Soul - MTG Card versions
Wheel of Fortune - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Magus of the Wheel - Commander 2015 (C15)
Reforge the Soul - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Cards similar to Wheel of Misfortune by color, type and mana cost

Stone Rain - MTG Card versions
Game of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Evaporate - MTG Card versions
Pillage - MTG Card versions
Steam Blast - MTG Card versions
Goblin Offensive - MTG Card versions
Desert Sandstorm - MTG Card versions
Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Search for Survivors - MTG Card versions
Searing Rays - MTG Card versions
Rupture - MTG Card versions
Tundra Fumarole - MTG Card versions
Browbeat - MTG Card versions
Erratic Explosion - MTG Card versions
Threaten - MTG Card versions
Sizzle - MTG Card versions
Hammer of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
Fiery Gambit - MTG Card versions
Flamebreak - MTG Card versions
Panic Attack - MTG Card versions
Stone Rain - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Game of Chaos - Ice Age (ICE)
Evaporate - Homelands (HML)
Pillage - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Steam Blast - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Goblin Offensive - Urza's Saga (USG)
Desert Sandstorm - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Arc Lightning - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Search for Survivors - Prophecy (PCY)
Searing Rays - Invasion (INV)
Rupture - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Tundra Fumarole - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Browbeat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Erratic Explosion - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Threaten - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sizzle - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hammer of Bogardan - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Fiery Gambit - Mirrodin (MRD)
Flamebreak - Darksteel (DST)
Panic Attack - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wheel of Misfortune MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Wheel of Misfortune and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Wheel of Misfortune Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-12-02 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 859602015normalblackJ.P. Targete
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 13002015normalborderlessMark Riddick
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 2112015normalblackJ.P. Targete
42020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6722015normalblackJ.P. Targete

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wheel of Misfortune has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wheel of Misfortune card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-11-10 For each player to secretly choose a number, that player should write down their chosen number without showing it to anyone else. Each player then keeps their number secret until all players simultaneously reveal their numbers.
2020-11-10 The number of players choosing the highest number doesn't change how much damage is dealt. For example, if the four players in your game reveal 4, 7, 7, and 7, Wheel of Misfortune will deal 7 damage to each of the last three players and those three players will discard their hand and draw seven cards.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks