Serum Powder MTG Card
2004-02-06 - Number 138
2017-11-17 - Number 228
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Offers unique card advantage by enabling a new hand draw without a mulligan penalty.
- Accelerates resources regardless of deck color, aiding in early powerful spell casts.
- Instant strategic decisions with Serum Powder can significantly influence game outcomes.
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. Any time you could mulligan and Serum Powder is in your hand, you may remove your hand from the game, then draw that many cards. (You can do this in addition to taking mulligans.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: In the ever-evolving gameplay of MTG, Serum Powder offers a unique form of card advantage. Should you find yourself with an unsatisfactory starting hand, this artifact gives you a second chance at a more favorable draw, potentially sifting through your deck for the pieces you need without a mulligan penalty.
Resource Acceleration: Serum Powder stands as a beacon of resource acceleration, a colorless component in your mana pool. Having the ability to provide a consistent influx of mana regardless of the deck archetype, Serum Powder primes your game state for launching powerful spells earlier than anticipated.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the instantaneous decision-making power enabled by Serum Powder is a strategic boon. Before the game begins in earnest, its effect steps in at a crucial moment, allowing for snap judgments that could pivot the direction of your early game, setting up for winning conditions right from the start.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Serum Powder, the discard isn’t optional; players must exile their hand to utilize its main feature. This can be a hefty price, especially when useful cards are present in your hand that could potentially turn the tide of the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Serum Powder requires three generic mana, which isn’t restrictive by color. However, in faster or more streamlined decks, having to set aside three mana for an effect that does not immediately influence the board can be a significant slowdown.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With Serum Powder, the opportunity cost is considerable. Three mana to maybe land a better hand can often pale in comparison to other cards at the same cost that offer immediate board presence, disruption, or card advantage, contributing directly to your gameplay strategy.
Reasons to Include Serum Powder in Your Collection
Versatility: Serum Powder offers a unique ability to mulligan more effectively in any deck. Its ability to exile your hand and draw that many cards plays well with strategies that utilize the graveyard or need specific combo pieces.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes with strategies built around “casting from exile” mechanics or reanimating discarded cards. It’s a key piece in decks that aim to assemble certain combinations of cards quickly.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games are won by assembling critical pieces or navigating through disruption, Serum Powder can ensure consistency and resilience. Its presence can tilt the scales in a meta filled with control or combo decks.
How to beat
Serum Powder is an intriguing card that offers MTG deck builders a unique mulligan strategy. Its ability lets players exile their hand and draw that many cards when deciding whether to keep their opening hand. This can be a powerful tool for those seeking specific combo pieces or a more balanced starting hand. To effectively counteract Serum Powder, it’s crucial to disrupt your opponent’s game plan.
Denying them their key pieces via discard effects or strategic counterspells can nullify the benefit of a Serum Powder mulligan, as the likelihood of them finding the critical elements again decreases. Graveyard manipulation can also be useful since Serum Powder relies on a solid graveyard strategy. By focusing on resource denial and keeping pressure on your opponent’s hand and graveyard, you can mitigate the advantage provided by Serum Powder and steer the game in your favor.
It’s worth noting that Control and Aggro decks might be better suited to counter Serum Powder’s strategy, as they often have the tools necessary to preemptively deal with an opponent’s preparations and follow through with a consistent beatdown or lockdown plan.
Cards like Serum Powder
Serum Powder offers a unique mulligan strategy for Magic: The Gathering players, allowing them to exile their hand to redraw if it’s in their opening hand. This effect is different from the London Mulligan, which reduces the hand size upon each mulligan. Serum Powder provides the option to keep the hand count but at the cost of the cards being exiled.
Another card with a mulligan-focused design is Mulligan’s Reclamation, which can be used during the mulligan process to potentially improve the starting hand. Unlike Serum Powder, it doesn’t exile cards but rather places them on the bottom of the library. Then there’s Gemstone Caverns, which if in your opening hand with you not playing first, allows you to begin the game with it on the battlefield with a luck counter, effectively giving you a head start in resources.
These comparisons illustrate while Serum Powder may not always guarantee an optimal hand, it enables players to dig deeper into their deck, avoiding a potential disadvantage of starting with one less card and keeping the hand count the same. This unique capability positions Serum Powder as a notable choice in decks that can capitalize on its effect or can afford to exile cards.
Cards similar to Serum Powder by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Serum Powder MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Iconic 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 Serum Powder 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Serum Powder Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2017-11-17. Illustrated by Matt Thompson.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004-02-06 | Darksteel | DST | 138 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Matt Thompson | |
| 2 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 228 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Matt Thompson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Serum Powder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Serum Powder card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-11-17 | The cards in your hand are exiled for the rest of the game; they aren’t shuffled back into your library if you take another mulligan. Cards exiled are always face up unless the effect that exiled them says they aren’t. Be sure to return those cards to your deck for your next game. |
| 2017-11-17 | Unlike a normal mulligan, Serum Powder lets you draw the same number of cards that were in your hand, not one less. If you have already taken one mulligan and your hand contains six cards including a Serum Powder, you can choose to exile those six cards and draw six new cards. |
| 2017-11-17 | You can use Serum Powder’s second ability only while it’s in your hand. If this card is in your hand, you can choose either to mulligan or to use Serum Powder’s ability. Using the ability doesn’t prevent you from taking further mulligans, and taking a mulligan doesn’t prevent you from using a Serum Powder’s ability if you happen to draw one in your new hand. |
