Game of Chaos MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Game of Chaos offers card draw and resource acceleration with successful coin flips in MTG.
  2. Its instant speed interactions add a layer of unpredictability to gameplay strategies.
  3. Requires careful resource management due to discard costs and specific mana needs.

Text of card

Flip a coin; target opponent calls heads or tails while coin is in the air. If the flip ends up in your favor, you gain 1 life and that opponent loses 1 life. Otherwise, you lose 1 life and the opponent gains 1 life. Effects that prevent or redirect damage cannot be used to counter this loss of life. The winner of each round decides whether to continue. Double the stakes in life each round.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Game of Chaos is more than just a red spell that involves coin flipping. Its design allows players to potentially draw multiple cards over a few turns. This can often shift the tide, ensuring that your hand remains full and giving you the edge over opponents who may be running low on resources.

Resource Acceleration: With each winning flip, the spell has the potential to double the stakes, which can result in significant mana gains. Such resource acceleration can put you far ahead of your opponent, allowing you to cast high-cost spells sooner than usual and dominate the game board.

Instant Speed: Although The Game of Chaos is cast at sorcery speed, its effects can lead to instant speed interactions, especially as you and your opponent engage in the coin flips outside the usual sequence of play. This unpredictability can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, keeping them guessing and unable to plan effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in the Game of Chaos requires careful resource management, as it does not merely rely on mana but also entails a discard requirement. Players must sacrifice another card, which could be pivotal at moments when hand resources are thin on the ground.

Specific Mana Cost: When piloting a multicolored deck, integrating Game of Chaos can be tricky. Its mana cost necessitates not one but two red mana, thereby potentially restricting its inclusion to predominantly red or red-friendly decks that can accommodate such specific mana needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Game of Chaos enters the battlefield demanding a total of five mana, a significant investment in the early to mid-game phase. Within this mana range, players may find alternatives that provide a similar or increased level of impact without the inherent unpredictability attached to Game of Chaos.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Game of Chaos is a unique card that can adapt to various strategies and multiple roles within different deck types. Whether you’re seeking a pinch of unpredictability or a way to flip the game state, this card can offer an engaging twist during gameplay.

Combo Potential: With its intrinsic randomness, Game of Chaos has the potential to create unexpected combos and interact with cards that benefit from or manipulate chance and coin flips. This makes it a powerhouse in decks designed around probability and luck.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where players may not expect the whimsical nature of a chaotic playstyle, Game of Chaos can serve as a wild card, disrupting opponents’ strategies and possibly securing wins when leveraged effectively.


How to beat

Game of Chaos is one of those intriguing red cards in MTG that embodies the trait of chance that red decks often bring to the table. Playing against Game of Chaos requires a cool head and strategic thinking. One of the effective strategies to counteract this card is by managing your life total judiciously. Controlling the board with life gain effects and cards that negate or redirect damage can be key to enduring the random hits Game of Chaos can deliver. Moreover, leverage cards that limit the abilities of opponents to flip coins or even cards that ‘counter target sorcery’ to prevent Game of Chaos from resolving in the first place. Counterspells, or cards like Stranglehold which prevent players from playing with chance and randomness, can completely neutralize the chaos Game of Chaos introduces to the game.

When you’re up against Game of Chaos, it’s also wise to have a backup plan, meaning maintaining strong board control or an alternate win condition that does not depend on life total. Considering this MTG card can swing the game quite dramatically, having diversity in threats ensures you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket and falling victim to the whims of chance.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the world of MTG brings with it the allure of risk and reward, exemplified by the Game of Chaos. While its high stakes coin-flipping can shift the game at any moment, navigating its uncertainties requires skill and foresight. If you’re intrigued by the prospect of drawing power from randomness or you love the thrill of a potentially game-altering mechanic, Game of Chaos might be the wildcard you need. Understanding its strengths and mitigating its drawbacks can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Curious about how to integrate this volatile yet potent card into your deck? Step into the fray with us, and let’s unravel the mysteries of building a winning deck around Game of Chaos.


Cards like Game of Chaos

Game of Chaos is an intriguing MTG card that brings a fun twist with its coin-flipping mechanic. Similar in unpredictability, we have Fiery Gambit, which also hinges on the chaos of chance, where multiple successful coin flips can lead to exponential damage. Game of Chaos offers a risky high-reward strategy as life totals can swing dramatically in either direction with each round of coin tosses.

Chaos Warp is another card that shares the theme of capricious outcomes. While it doesn’t involve coin flipping, it disrupts the board by shuffling a permanent into the library and then potentially unleashing something entirely different onto the battlefield. The potential for a sudden shift in board state makes it a spell akin to the disruptive nature of Game of Chaos.

Mirroring the chaotic yet strategic component, we find Goblin Game. This card takes an entirely different approach to the concept of ‘playing a game’ within the match. Players hide objects and gamble life points based on their choices, introducing a psychological element similar to the tense, high-stakes rounds of coin flips with Game of Chaos.

All these cards encapsulate Magic: The Gathering’s penchant for introducing elements of chance and strategy, each with a unique spin that aligns with the entertaining spirit of Game of Chaos.

Fiery Gambit - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Goblin Game - MTG Card versions
Fiery Gambit - Mirrodin (MRD)
Chaos Warp - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Goblin Game - Planeshift (PLS)

Cards similar to Game of Chaos by color, type and mana cost

Stone Rain - MTG Card versions
Evaporate - MTG Card versions
Pillage - MTG Card versions
Goblin War Cry - MTG Card versions
Steam Blast - MTG Card versions
Goblin Offensive - MTG Card versions
Desert Sandstorm - MTG Card versions
Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Rupture - MTG Card versions
Search for Survivors - MTG Card versions
Panic Attack - MTG Card versions
Searing Rays - MTG Card versions
Tundra Fumarole - MTG Card versions
Browbeat - MTG Card versions
Anger of the Gods - MTG Card versions
Wish - MTG Card versions
Erratic Explosion - MTG Card versions
Threaten - MTG Card versions
Sizzle - MTG Card versions
Hammer of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
Stone Rain - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Evaporate - Homelands (HML)
Pillage - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Goblin War Cry - Portal Second Age (P02)
Steam Blast - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Goblin Offensive - Urza's Saga (USG)
Desert Sandstorm - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Arc Lightning - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Rupture - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Search for Survivors - Prophecy (PCY)
Panic Attack - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Searing Rays - Invasion (INV)
Tundra Fumarole - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Browbeat - Masters 25 (A25)
Anger of the Gods - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Wish - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Erratic Explosion - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Threaten - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sizzle - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hammer of Bogardan - Eighth Edition (8ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Game of Chaos MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Game of Chaos and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Game of Chaos Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2016-11-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 1861993normalblackDrew Tucker
21997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 232†1997normalwhiteThomas Gianni
31997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2321997normalwhiteThomas Gianni
42016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 658212015normalblackThomas Gianni

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Game of Chaos has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 To “double the life stakes” means to double the amount of life lost or gained.

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