Mana Vortex MTG Card

The Dark (DRK)
1994-08-01 - Number 31

Masters Edition III (ME3)
2009-09-07 - Number 44

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment

Key Takeaways

Mana Vortex forces land sacrifice, potentially controlling opponents’ resources effectively.
Heavy blue mana cost and upkeep discard requirement may limit card’s versatility.
Amidst similar control strategies, Mana Vortex stands out with gradual land destruction.

Text of card

Each player who controls land sacrifices one land during his or her upkeep. If at any time there are no lands in play, Mana Vortex is destroyed. If you do not sacrifice a land when Mana Vortex is cast, Mana Vortex is countered.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mana Vortex presents a unique avenue for generating card advantage by forcing each player to sacrifice a land each upkeep. This can decimate your opponent’s board state and leave you in a more favorable position, especially if you have designed your deck to operate efficiently with fewer lands.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources in the same way a mana rock or land ramp spell might, Mana Vortex can act as a form of resource acceleration by disproportionately affecting opponents who rely on land-heavy strategies, effectively setting them back and allowing you to pull ahead.

Instant Speed: While Mana Vortex itself is not an instant, the control it provides can complement a strategy centered around instant-speed interaction. By making sure opponents have fewer lands at their disposal, you increase the impact of your instant-speed spells and abilities, as opponents will have less mana to respond or to further their own game plan.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When you’re harnessing the power of Mana Vortex, you’ll find there’s a catch to this mighty enchantment. Each turn requires a sacrifice. You must throw another card from your hand into the abyss, which can be a heavy toll on your resources, especially when your hand is running thin.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell doesn’t come cheap, not just in terms of raw power but colors as well. Requiring not one, but three blue mana to cast, this card demands a heavy commitment to blue specific mana, which can restrict deck building options and potentially hamper the versatility of your spell lineup.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at a not so light three blue mana, Mana Vortex comes with a hefty price tag. This investment might make you second-guess its inclusion when considering other cards in the MTG universe that could potentially offer more bang for your buck without chaining you down with a recurring cost.

Reasons to Include Mana Vortex in Your Collection

Versatility: Mana Vortex is a unique card that can be incorporated into multiple strategies. As a disruptive element, it forces both players to be cautious with their land plays and can be especially potent in controlling decks that can better mitigate its symmetrical effect.

Combo Potential: For enthusiasts of intricate game plans, Mana Vortex may serve as a special piece in land-destruction or stax-type strategies. It compliments setups that capitalize on opponents being resource-restricted, potentially leading to game-changing scenarios.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where land-heavy strategies prevail, Mana Vortex can act as a counter, challenging opponents’ board stability. It’s particularly pertinent in metas where tempo plays and land conservation are crucial, positioning it as a compelling choice for players looking to disrupt common deck archetypes.

How to beat

Mana Vortex is a potent card in Magic: The Gathering that can greatly disrupt a player’s strategy by forcing land sacrifices. To counter this card, consider using strategies that aren’t heavily reliant on lands, such as those featuring low-cost spells or creatures. Additionally, having a deck that can generate alternative mana sources like artifact-based mana accelerators or creatures that can tap for mana will help dampen the effects of Mana Vortex.

You can also include counter-magic in your deck to handle spells that force sacrifices. Instant-speed destruction or bounce spells that directly target Mana Vortex can effectively neutralize it before it decimates your land base. Remember to play around Mana Vortex’s upkeep trigger by maintaining land cards in your hand, allowing you to play them after the sacrifice occurs. This puts you in a better position to maintain your mana sources and outmaneuver the deck disruption it aims to cause.

Ultimately, adjusting your playstyle to prioritize resource efficiency and having backups for your mana production will make Mana Vortex less daunting. Ensuring your deck’s resilience to an opposing Mana Vortex will secure your gameplay stability and leave you poised to claim victory.

Cards like Mana Vortex

Mana Vortex is a unique piece within the tapestry of control cards in MTG. It shares some similarities with Armageddon, a card notorious for its ability to destroy all lands, effectively resetting the battlefield. Mana Vortex, however, takes a more gradual approach, requiring each player to sacrifice a land during their upkeep. This incremental approach to land destruction can be more controlled, allowing players to strategize their plays around their slowly diminishing resources.

Another card that operates in the realm of resource denial is Winter Orb, which restricts the untapping of lands, meticulously choking opponents’ mana availability. While less direct than Mana Vortex, Winter Orb can be just as stifling, especially in decks designed to circumvent its effects. In comparison, Mana Vortex stands out for its ability to consistently remove lands from play as opposed to simply inhibiting their usage.

Assessing these choices reveals Mana Vortex’s place in MTG as a distinctive, gradual approach to land control. Its uniqueness lies in the balance it strikes, allowing players to dismantle opponents’ land bases while still offering room for tactical play and adaptation.

Cards similar to Mana Vortex by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mana Vortex MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Masters Edition III, 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 Mana Vortex and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mana Vortex Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1994-08-01	The Dark	DRK		31	1993	Normal	Black	Douglas Shuler
2	2009-09-07	Masters Edition III	ME3		44	1997	Normal	Black	Douglas Shuler

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mana Vortex has restrictions

Format	Legality
Oldschool	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-10-01	Mana Vortex’s third ability is a “state trigger.” Once a state trigger triggers, it won’t trigger again as long as the ability is on the stack. If the ability is countered and the trigger condition is still true, it will immediately trigger again.
2009-10-01	When you cast Mana Vortex, its first ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of the Mana Vortex spell. The triggered ability resolves first. When it resolves, you either sacrifice a land or you counter Mana Vortex.