Indentured Djinn MTG Card


Indentured Djinn - Mercadian Masques
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Djinn
Abilities Flying
Released1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameMercadian Masques
Set codeMMQ
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number85
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byVal Mayerik

Key Takeaways

  1. Indentured Djinn grants card advantage but requires strategic play to mitigate its symmetrical effect.
  2. Despite high impact, it needs careful mana planning and has potential drawbacks restricting versatility.
  3. Combines well with strategies that exploit opponents’ card gains, adding a twist to gameplay.

Text of card

Flying When Indentured Djinn comes into play, each other player may draw up to three cards.

It's not always clear who's the master and who's the servant.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Indentured Djinn provides an immediate impact on the board by letting you amass a significant card advantage early in the game. The downside effect impacts all players, which can be leveraged strategically in a multiplayer setting.

Resource Acceleration: Deploying a substantial creature like Indentured Djinn early in the match can accelerate your board presence, putting opponents on the defensive and pressuring them to find an answer quickly.

Instant Speed: While the Indentured Djinn does not operate at instant speed, its potential interaction with other instant speed spells cannot be overlooked. The Djinn forces opponents to act quickly, potentially leading them to make rash decisions and mismanage their instant speed removal or countermagic.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to the Indentured Djinn is the necessity to discard another card upon playing. This can significantly impact your hand, especially in crucial moments when maintaining card advantage is key to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The Indentured Djinn demands a very specific mana arrangement to cast. Requiring two blue mana and one of any color, this card might not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility and requiring careful mana base planning.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Indentured Djinn might feel steep, especially given its drawback. While the body it provides is substantial, there are several other creature options in the same mana range that don’t force you to lose card advantage, leaving some players to seek alternatives for a balance of cost and benefit.


Reasons to Include Indentured Djinn in Your Collection

Versatility: Indentured Djinn offers a unique dynamic to deck building, providing a substantial creature presence on the battlefield. Its ability to give your opponents cards requires a strategic approach to deck construction, making it a fun and challenging card for players who enjoy complex game states.

Combo Potential: Given its ability to distribute cards among opponents, Indentured Djinn works well in decks designed to capitalize on opponents having a full hand. Combining this Djinn with cards that punish opponents for drawing or having a large hand size can turn its apparent drawback into a powerful weapon.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where many decks aim to win through resource advantage, Indentured Djinn can play a dual role. It acts as both a threat and a way to set up situations beneficial to you if your deck is tailored to exploit the card advantage it provides to others.


How to beat

Indentured Djinn is a unique card that brings a mix of risk and reward to the battlefield. When it’s summoned, the opposing player gains the advantage of drawing three cards, which can significantly alter the momentum of the game. To counteract this, players often employ strategies that focus on diminishing the opponent’s hand size before the Djinn’s ability activates, using discard mechanics to ensure the card advantage is limited.

Targeted removal spells are highly effective against this creature, allowing you to deal with it before it causes too much trouble. Cards like Murder or Path to Exile can swiftly remove the Djinn from play, negating the benefit your opponent received. Moreover, strategies that include counterplay, such as proactive counterspells or using cards like Thoughtseize to disrupt the opponent’s plans, can negate the advantage they gain from the Djinn’s entrance onto the field.

Ultimately, while Indentured Djinn can be a daunting card to face, its downside can be exploited with thoughtful gameplay and card choices. Players can balance the playing field and ensure that the temporary advantage their opponent gains doesn’t turn the tide against them for the duration of the match.


Cards like Indentured Djinn

Indentured Djinn makes an intriguing case amongst Magic: The Gathering’s creatures with a notable entrance effect. Threads of Disloyalty and Control Magic are other examples that, while not being creatures themselves, capture the essence of turning the tide by controlling elements on the board. However, Indentured Djinn’s unique selling point lies in its immediate impact by offering a generous three-card draw to an opponent upon entry to the battlefield. This is a considerable advantage to give, reminiscent of symmetrical effects found in cards like Howling Mine which benefit all players.

Another parallel could be drawn with Hunted Phantasm. Both cards provide sizable stats for their mana cost but come with a significant drawback. Hunted Phantasm gives an opponent multiple Goblin creature tokens, where Indentured Djinn loads their hand with cards – both create a potential disadvantage. Finally, we notice Kami of the Crescent Moon, offering consistent card advantage to every player, aligning with Indentured Djinn’s theme of balance through shared benefit.

When weighing the pros and cons, Indentured Djinn stands out within Magic: The Gathering for its substantial temporary setup it affords an opponent versus the immediate board presence it grants the user. This makes it an intriguing choice for players leveraging high-risk, high-reward strategies.

Threads of Disloyalty - MTG Card versions
Control Magic - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Hunted Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Kami of the Crescent Moon - MTG Card versions
Threads of Disloyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Control Magic - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Howling Mine - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Hunted Phantasm - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Kami of the Crescent Moon - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Cards similar to Indentured Djinn by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Clam Session - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Clam Session - Unglued (UGL)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Indentured Djinn MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Indentured Djinn and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Indentured Djinn has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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