Second Thoughts MTG Card
2001-10-01 - Number 45
2016-06-10 - Number 27
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- An instant-speed removal that rewards players with a card, enhancing hand options.
- Casting cost and discard requirement may reduce its utility compared to alternatives.
- Despite limitations, its surprise factor and synergy potential make it a worthy inclusion.
Text of card
Remove target attacking creature from the game. Draw a card.
It suddenly dawned on Jorin that farming was quite a noble profession.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Casting Second Thoughts provides the immediate benefit of drawing a single card, helping you replace it in your hand and potentially drawing into more options.
Resource Acceleration: While Second Thoughts doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the form of mana or tokens, the ability to exile an attacking creature can indirectly protect your resources on the battlefield by removing potential threats.
Instant Speed: The power of Second Thoughts lies in its instant speed, allowing you to react swiftly to an opponent’s threats. This flexibility lets you efficiently manage your mana and choose the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Second Thoughts demands that players discard a card to trigger its effects. This can be a steep price, especially if your hand is already running thin or you’re in a game state where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Its casting requirements are exclusive to decks with white mana. This restriction can be limiting as it demands a white mana source, making it less flexible in multicolored or colorless strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana, this card’s ability to exile a target attacking or blocking creature can feel inefficient. In scenarios where tempo is vital, using such a significant amount of mana might not be the most resourceful play, given other lower-cost removal options available.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Second Thoughts presents itself as an adaptable answer to creature threats in any control or midrange deck. Its instant speed allows it to be a surprise play, dodging the opponent’s anticipation and timing their most crucial threats.
Combo Potential: With the exile effect, Second Thoughts contributes to strats that capitalize on cards in exile. In decks focusing on processing (bringing cards from exile to the graveyard), it can become a setup card for bigger plays.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment abundant with critical creatures, Second Thoughts shines by removing a key attacker or blocker and drawing a card, thus maintaining card advantage. It’s especially potent where creatures with potent enter the battlefield or death effects dominate, circumventing potential disadvantages.
How to beat
Second Thoughts is a versatile card in the realm of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. Unlike options such as Swords to Plowshares, Second Thoughts provides the added advantage of card draw while exiling the targeted creature. To effectively face this card, it is imperative for players to consider tactics that outpace or negate its single-target removal mechanic.
For instance, employing cards that grant hexproof or shroud can prevent Second Thoughts from targeting your key creatures. Additionally, creatures with indestructible or those that can regenerate offer resilience against such exile-based removals. Moreover, diversifying threats across the board forces the Second Thoughts caster to make difficult choices, diluting its impact.
To sum up, while Second Thoughts brings removal with card draw to the table, it can be strategically outmaneuvered. Well-timed counterspells, protective abilities for creatures, or simply swarming the board can ensure that this card does not hamper your route to victory.
Cards like Second Thoughts
Second Thoughts is an intriguing entrant among Magic: The Gathering’s myriad of removal spells. It draws a comparison with cards like Oblivion Ring, which also provides a way of dealing with creatures. However, Second Thoughts stands out because it’s a one-time effect that also allows you to draw a card upon resolution, enhancing card advantage. Oblivion Ring, in contrast, can be removed from the battlefield, potentially returning the exiled creature to play.
Exile effects in white, such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, also share similarities in dealing with creatures. While both are more cost-efficient, they do not provide the bonus of drawing a card. This factor sets Second Thoughts apart as it can be a crucial tactical move later in the game. Additionally, there’s the factor of these spells being instants, allowing for more flexibility in play, whereas Second Thoughts comes with a sorcery speed constraint.
In evaluating Second Thoughts against its counterparts, it’s clear that it carries a unique value in creature control with card draw. While not as fast as other removal spells, the added benefit of replenishing your hand ensures that Second Thoughts finds its niche within MTG gameplay dynamics.
Cards similar to Second Thoughts by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Second Thoughts MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and Eternal Masters, 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 Second Thoughts and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See Magic products
Printings
The Second Thoughts Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by Ray Lago.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 45 | 1997 | normal | black | Ray Lago | |
| 2 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 27 | 2015 | normal | black | Ray Lago |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Second Thoughts has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Second Thoughts card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-06-08 | If the targeted creature is an illegal target when Second Thoughts tries to resolve, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t draw a card. |
