Bamboozle MTG Card


Bamboozle - Odyssey
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameOdyssey
Set codeODY
Number68
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAlan Pollack

Key Takeaways

  1. Bamboozle offers dual benefits of deck disruption and drawing cards, potentially swinging the game state.
  2. Instant speed play means strategic flexibility, but the card comes with a steep discard cost.
  3. Adding Bamboozle to collections can offer meta-relevant, game-altering interactions and combos.

Text of card

Target player reveals the top four cards of his or her library. You choose two of those cards and put them into his or her graveyard. Put the rest on top of his or her library in any order.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bamboozle, with its clever mechanism, enables the player to potentially disrupt the opponent’s deck strategy while also drawing two cards. This can lead to a significant card advantage, bolstering the player’s hand and potential plays.

Resource Acceleration: Though Bamboozle does not generate mana or treasure tokens directly, the ability to draw into additional resources can indirectly accelerate the player’s resource access by providing more land or mana-generating cards.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Bamboozle at instant speed provides flexibility in gameplay, allowing players to wait for the most opportune moment to disrupt and draw. This strategic timing can be pivotal in maintaining the upper hand against an opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bamboozle forces the player to discard two cards, potentially depleting valuable hand resources which could be a strategic setback.

Specific Mana Cost: With a specific and somewhat strict casting cost that includes both blue and generic mana, Bamboozle may not easily fit into multicolored decks or those with a tight mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing five mana to possibly disrupt an opponent’s draw can be a steep price, especially when other disruptive or card advantage options are available at lower mana costs.


Reasons to Include Bamboozle in Your Collection

Versatility: Bamboozle is a card with flexibility at its core. This instant spell is capable of fitting into various blue-based decks that seek to control the game by manipulating draw steps and disrupting opponent strategies.

Combo Potential: Beyond its face value, Bamboozle has the potential to synergize with library-manipulation effects and top-deck control strategies, enhancing game-winning combinations and disrupting opponents’ plans with unexpected card draws.

Meta-Relevance: Given its utility in a meta that’s heavy on strategy and planning, Bamboozle can be a crucial tactical addition. Its ability to affect opponent card quality makes it a considerable asset in matches that demand careful management of resources and timing.


How to beat

Bamboozle stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a challenge to overcome due to its ability to disrupt an opponent’s strategy by forcing card draw and discard. It compels the affected player to draw two cards and then choose and discard three from their hand, which can potentially eliminate key cards and disrupt their game plan. To counter this, maintaining a hand with expendable cards is essential. Similarly, leveraging cards that benefit from discard mechanics, such as the ones with Madness or Flashback abilities, could turn the tables to your favor. Additionally, instant speed cards that can draw or filter through your deck could help you ensure that the cards you want to keep are not in your hand when Bamboozle is played. Cards like Brainstorm can be particularly useful in this scenario, as they let the player choose the cards to be put back.

Ultimately, outwitting Bamboozle involves foresight and the strategic management of your hand. Incorporating cards that mitigate the effects of discard or transform it into an advantage is key in diminishing the impact Bamboozle has on your game plan.


Cards like Bamboozle

Bamboozle is an intriguing option within MTG’s portfolio of card advantage spells. Resembling the dynamics of Concentrate, which is known for its straightforward appeal of drawing three cards, Bamboozle brings a twist to the table. While Concentrate offers a no-nonsense draw at four mana, Bamboozle ups the ante by potentially disrupting your opponent’s next draw, albeit at the expense of an unpredictable outcome.

Comparatively, we have Compulsive Research, striking a balance between certainty and gamble. It allows for drawing three cards similar to Bamboozle, but includes a degree of control over the discard, which can be a land instead of two cards at random. Induce Paranoia can also be cited as a relative. It doesn’t draw cards, but it counters a spell and mills cards, potentially unsettling an opponent’s plan like Bamboozle might with its replacement effect.

When taking stock of MTG strategic depth, Bamboozle stands out for its unique fusion of draw power and potential player interaction. Its element of surprise gives it a distinct place among cards that alter both your and your opponent’s fortunes with a single play.

Concentrate - MTG Card versions
Compulsive Research - MTG Card versions
Induce Paranoia - MTG Card versions
Concentrate - Odyssey (ODY)
Compulsive Research - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Induce Paranoia - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Cards similar to Bamboozle by color, type and mana cost

Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Tinker - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Wistful Thinking - MTG Card versions
Savor the Moment - MTG Card versions
Sanity Grinding - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Eruption - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Baleful Stare - Portal (POR)
Déjà Vu - Portal (POR)
Exhaustion - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Political Trickery - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Time Ebb - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Dream Cache - Tempest (TMP)
Tinker - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Sage's Knowledge - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Undo - Starter 1999 (S99)
Ingenious Mastery - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Reminisce - Onslaught (ONS)
Timetwister - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Fabricate - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Counsel of the Soratami - Tenth Edition (10E)
Vacuumelt - Guildpact (GPT)
Wistful Thinking - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Savor the Moment - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Sanity Grinding - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bamboozle MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Bamboozle and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bamboozle has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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