Risk Factor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Jump-start

Key Takeaways

  1. Risk Factor provides card advantage and strategic flexibility with its potential three-card draw.
  2. Instant speed allows Risk Factor to integrate seamlessly into gameplay, enhancing its tactical use.
  3. Despite being mana-specific, Risk Factor’s Jump-start ability offers repeated utility in matches.

Text of card

Target opponent may have Risk Factor deal 4 damage to them. If that player doesn't, you draw three cards. Jump-start (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a card in addition to paying its other costs. Then exile this card.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Risk Factor shines by offering a potential draw of three cards, significantly boosting your hand and providing more strategic options as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or tokens, Risk Factor can indirectly accelerate resources by pressuring your opponent. Faced with the threat of taking damage, an opponent may allow card draw that leads to greater plays.

Instant Speed: This card operates at instant speed, which lets players weave it seamlessly into their strategy during the most opportune moments, often at the end of an opponent’s turn or in response to an action.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Risk Factor demands that players relinquish another card from hand to activate its Jump-start ability, potentially depleting valuable hand resources and limiting plays in the same turn.

Specific Mana Cost: This card costs two red mana and one of any color, anchoring it firmly in red-based strategies and restricting its flexibility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Risk Factor can be a significant investment in the early game, where establishing board presence is crucial, and other lower-cost options could be more impactful.


Reasons to Include Risk Factor in Your Collection

Versatility: Risk Factor offers a unique choice to opponents, which makes it adaptable to various play styles. Whether you’re burning opponents out in an aggressive deck or aiming to draw cards, this card can serve dual purposes effectively.

Combo Potential: This card shines in strategies that revolve around dealing damage and drawing cards. It pairs well with cards that benefit from instants and sorceries being cast or that trigger upon dealing damage to an opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where decks might have difficulty dealing with direct damage or in situations where card advantage is key, Risk Factor can prove to be a persistent threat. Its Jump-start ability ensures that even if initially dealt with, it can come back for a second round, keeping it relevant in various matchups.


How to beat

Risk Factor is a unique card in MTG that presents a formidable challenge to opponents, given its potential to either deal significant damage or replenish the hand of the player casting it. The key to countering Risk Factor lies in situational awareness and strategic decision-making. Understand that Risk Factor’s leverage depends on the state of the game. If you are at a high life total, taking the damage may be a more viable option to prevent your opponent from gaining card advantage.

Alternatively, if your life total is precariously low, allowing the card draw might be mandatory. Always assess your opponent’s board and hand when Risk Factor is played. Cards that can gain you life can offset the damage taken, and counterspells can prevent Risk Factor from resolving entirely. It’s crucial to plan ahead and manage resources effectively, potentially forcing the opponent into a position where Risk Factor is less impactful, and thus, easier to overcome.

In essence, beating Risk Factor requires a fine balance between understanding the dynamics of your own deck and predicting your opponent’s moves. Careful life total management and precise timing of your responses are the keys to mitigating the risks this card poses.


BurnMana Recommendations

With the advantages and strategic depth Risk Factor provides, this captivating card has undeniable appeal for red deck enthusiasts. Its instant speed interaction and powerful choice mechanic make it a worthy contender in the MTG arena. For those looking to amplify their gameplay and hold their opponents at the mercy of tough decisions, Risk Factor is an asset to consider. As we unravel the complexities of MTG, we extend a warm invitation to join us in a deeper exploration of card dynamics, deck-building secrets, and gameplay strategies. Enhance your collection and refine your skills with us – the journey to MTG mastery awaits.


Cards like Risk Factor

Risk Factor stands out in the realm of player choice cards in Magic: The Gathering. It is often compared to the likes of Browbeat, which presents the opponent with the decision to take damage or allow the card’s controller to draw three cards. However, Risk Factor brings flexibility to the table with its Jump-start ability, letting you cast it from the graveyard by discarding a card, effectively doubling your chances to draw cards or deal damage.

Card comparisons extend to the versatile Exquisite Firecraft. While it doesn’t offer a choice to opponents, it guarantees four damage to any target, potentially closing games when paired with Risk Factor’s pressure. Another similar spell is Fiery Confluence, which strikes a balance between direct damage and utility, allowing a choice of modes but missing the psychological aspect of Risk Factor where the opponent’s choices are integral to the card’s effect.

In sum, Risk Factor occupies a unique spot in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to influence the opponent’s decisions and recur from the graveyard gives it an edge over similar spells, making it a compelling choice for aggressive red decks aiming to keep their opponents constantly on edge.

Browbeat - MTG Card versions
Exquisite Firecraft - MTG Card versions
Fiery Confluence - MTG Card versions
Browbeat - Judgment (JUD)
Exquisite Firecraft - Magic Origins Promos (PORI)
Fiery Confluence - Commander 2015 (C15)

Cards similar to Risk Factor by color, type and mana cost

Disharmony - MTG Card versions
Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Flare - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
Turf Wound - MTG Card versions
Char - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Aura Barbs - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Puncture Blast - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Disharmony - Legends (LEG)
Solfatara - Visions (VIS)
Flare - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Trumpet Blast - Masters 25 (A25)
Urza's Rage - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Turf Wound - Invasion (INV)
Char - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Chaos Warp - Fallout (PIP)
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Seething Song - Commander 2021 (C21)
Unforge - Darksteel (DST)
Aura Barbs - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Path of Anger's Flame - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Smash - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Fiery Temper - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Orcish Cannonade - Time Spiral (TSP)
Chaos Wrap - Happy Holidays (HHO)
Fatal Frenzy - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Puncture Blast - Eventide (EVE)
Seismic Strike - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Risk Factor MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica Promos and Guilds of Ravnica Promos, 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 Risk Factor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Risk Factor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2018-10-05. Illustrated by Chris Seaman.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of Ravnica PromosPGRN 113p2015normalblackChris Seaman
22018-10-05Guilds of Ravnica PromosPGRN 113s2015normalblackChris Seaman
32018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 1132015normalblackChris Seaman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Risk Factor has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-10-05 A spell cast using jump-start will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, it’s countered, or it leaves the stack in some other way.
2018-10-05 If a card with jump-start is put into your graveyard during your turn, you’ll be able to cast it right away if it’s legal to do so, before an opponent can take any actions.
2018-10-05 If an effect allows you to pay an alternative cost rather than a spell’s mana cost, you may pay that alternative cost when you jump-start a spell. You’ll still discard a card as an additional cost to cast it.
2018-10-05 If the target player is an illegal target by the time Risk Factor tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve. You don’t draw three cards.
2018-10-05 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card’s type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using jump-start only when you could normally cast a sorcery.

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