Psionic Gift MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Odyssey
Set code	ODY
Number	95
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dany Orizio

Key Takeaways

Grants card advantage and resource acceleration, essential for sustaining momentum in a match.
Its instant speed play offers flexibility, crucial for responding to dynamic game states.
The discard requirement and specific mana cost pose notable disadvantages for deck synergy.

Text of card

Enchanted creature has "oc T: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player."

For sale: Complete wizard's library. Rare scrolls, grimoires, and works of ancient spellcrafting! Slightly abridged.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Psionic Gift upholds the crucial strategy of gaining card advantage in a game. Upon activation, it enables you to tap into additional options and can potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy by manipulating their plays. This ability to draw out more from your deck is a significant edge in any match.

Resource Acceleration: This spell has the potential to fuel your gameplay by increasing your resources swiftly. Whether it boosts mana or grants access to other abilities tied to untapped creatures, Psionic Gift can serve as a catalyst for faster development on the board, sustaining your momentum.

Instant Speed: The utility of being able to cast a card at instant speed cannot be overstated. Psionic Gift affords you the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield, using your resources efficiently. This responsiveness to in-game stimuli is key to staying one step ahead of your adversary.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Psionic Gift asks you to discard a card as part of its cost, which can deplete your hand, especially in game stages when maintaining card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Psionic Gift includes both generic and blue mana, potentially limiting its integration in multi-color decks that may have challenges with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost sitting at three mana, including two blue, it occupies a slot on the curve where players might expect a more impactful play, considering the other options available in the game.

Reasons to Include Psionic Gift in Your Collection

Versatility: Psionic Gift is a flexible enchantment that can turn any creature into a pinger, allowing you to deal damage directly to creatures or players. This can be especially useful for decks that need to remove key threats or close out a game.

Combo Potential: This card can combo well with creatures that have tap abilities or those that benefit from dealing damage, such as with deathtouch or when aiming to trigger certain abilities upon dealing damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where x/1 creatures are prevalent or where unblocking damage can shift the game, Psionic Gift’s ability to consistently deal damage can become a significant tactical advantage on the battlefield.

How to beat

Psionic Gift offers a unique ability that lets you tap an enchanted creature to deal one damage to any target. This simple yet potent effect can be utilized in various strategic ways, sometimes making it seem quite formidable in certain MTG matchups. Dealing with Psionic Gift requires a balance of removal and control tactics. This can range from bouncing or destroying the enchanted creature to using enchantment removal like Naturalize or Disenchant to directly target Psionic Gift itself.

Negating the card’s influence can also be done by incorporating creatures with hexproof into your deck, preventing them from becoming targets of the ability. Counterspells also serve as a preventive measure, ensuring Psionic Gift doesn’t hit the field in the first place. Crafting a strategy with these options in mind and fostering a deck that can adapt to such threats will create a path to overcoming the challenges posed by Psionic Gift on the battlefield.

Understanding the card’s strengths and limitations will also provide insight into its potential impact on your game plan. With well-thought-out countermeasures, Psionic Gift can transform from a threatening obstacle to a manageable aspect of your opponent’s arsenal.

Cards like Psionic Gift

Psionic Gift, an intriguing card with an aura that allows you to tap enchanted creatures to deal damage, sits in a unique niche within Magic: The Gathering. It shares some similarities with the staple aura cards like Power of Fire which also grants the ability to tap and deal damage. However, unlike Power of Fire, Psionic Gift doesn’t provide an additional power boost to the creature it’s enchanting.

Looking at other counterparts, Ghostly Wick is another enchantment offering similar tap-to-damage effects. While Ghostly Wick encompasses the capability to prevent the damage that would be dealt to the enchanted creature, Psionic Gift provides no such defensive benefits. Considering the mana value, Psionic Gift maintains an edge with its lesser cost and straightforward effect.

The comparison highlights that while Psionic Gift might not offer as much versatility as some of its counterparts, its efficiency in mana cost and the direct damage utility it provides make it a card worth considering for players who aim to wield control and direct damage in their gameplay strategies within Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Psionic Gift by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Psionic Gift 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 Psionic Gift and other MTG cards: