Parallax Inhibitor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	2000-02-14
Set symbol
Set name	Nemesis
Set code	NEM
Number	134
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Greg Staples

Key Takeaways

Parallax Inhibitor offers strategic board control and flexibility, especially during critical phases of gameplay.
Its specific mana requirements suggest careful deck planning for optimal use and effectiveness.
In counter-centric meta, it could be a game-changing addition, with potential for powerful combos.

Text of card

o1, oc T, Sacrifice Parallax Inhibitor: Put a fade counter on each permanent with fading you control.

"The best I can offer is a temporary reprieve." —Belbe

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enhances your ability to manipulate the battlefield by offering mastery over permanents, providing strategic upper hand and potential card superiority.

Resource Acceleration: Its utilization can disrupt opponents’ momentum while solidifying your board presence, effectively speeding up your gameplay objectives.

Instant Speed: With its instantaneity, the Parallax Inhibitor affords the flexibility to adapt to unfolding game situations, making it a formidable tool for seizing the most opportune moments.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of the Parallax Inhibitor is it involves pitching a card, potentially forcing players to lose grip on valuable hands.

Specific Mana Cost: The Inhibitor demands a precise mana arrangement to cast. Its entry is locked behind particular mana, calling for a strategic and sometimes restrictive deck build.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Parallax Inhibitor does bring unique abilities to the battlefield, its mana cost is on the higher side. In the realm of artifacts and their myriad abilities, there may be leaner options that afford similar benefits without taxing mana reserves as heavily.

Reasons to Include Parallax Inhibitor in Your Collection

Versatility: Parallax Inhibitor showcases flexibility unparalleled in certain deck builds. Its ability to manipulate counters makes it an excellent addition to decks that revolve around +1/+1 counters, charge counters, or even time counters, giving players an edge by modifying the state of the board to their advantage.

Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for creative combos with its unique counter manipulation. Imagine synchronizing with cards that thrive on counter removal or addition, thus enabling powerful plays that can potentially disrupt your opponents’ strategies or enhance your own.

Meta-Relevance: Given its distinctive ability to control the pace of the game through counters, Parallax Inhibitor can be a strategic fit in a meta where counter-centric decks are prominent. This could make it a secret weapon in your arsenal, ready to surprise players who may not be expecting such a tactical move.

How to beat

Parallax Inhibitor is one of those unique artifacts in Magic: The Gathering that can influence the tide of a match by controlling the number of time counters on permanents. Players often use it to prolong the fading mechanic of their own cards or to speed up the demise of an opponent’s permanents. To successfully navigate around this card’s impact, strategic play is key.

One effective strategy is employing artifact destruction or removal spells, which are plentiful in the MTG universe. Cards such as Naturalize or Abrade are affordable and can directly target the Parallax Inhibitor, negating its effect entirely. Another approach is to focus on counterplay, using countermagic like Negate to prevent the Parallax Inhibitor from ever hitting the board. By anticipating your opponent’s strategies and maintaining answers in your deck, you can ensure that the Parallax Inhibitor doesn’t disrupt your game plan.

Lastly, it’s always wise to be cautious of overcommitting resources to deal with this artifact, as it can leave you vulnerable to other threats. Balance is crucial, and as with all games of Magic: The Gathering, adaptability and foresight often lead to victory.

Cards like Parallax Inhibitor

The Parallax Inhibitor offers a unique tactical edge within Magic: The Gathering’s realm of artifact cards. Its nearest analog might be the Tormod’s Crypt, also designed to serve as graveyard disruption. While Tormod’s Crypt can exile an opponent’s graveyard at no cost, the Parallax Inhibitor affords players the strategic flexibility to dictate the timing of exile and affects both graveyards, albeit at the price of mana and sacrificing the artifact itself.

Another comparable piece of technology in MTG’s vast arsenal is Relic of Progenitus. Both possess the capacity to disrupt graveyard strategies, crucial for maintaining a competitive stance against decks that leverage the graveyard as a resource. Unlike the Parallax Inhibitor, Relic of Progenitus allows for gradual graveyard control, with the option to draw a card upon its exit from the battlefield. Understanding your deck’s needs and the meta you’re facing is essential when weighing the inclusion of these powerful artifacts.

Deciding which artifact earns its place in your deck is a delicate balance – Parallax Inhibitor shines in situations where controlling both graveyards is paramount, providing a level of command that its counterparts do not. In evaluating these options, Parallax Inhibitor stands out for its versatility and the unique decision-making opportunities it can present during gameplay.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Parallax Inhibitor MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Parallax Inhibitor and other MTG cards: