Mind Warp MTG Card

Ice Age (ICE)
1995-06-03 - Number 148

Fifth Edition (5ED)
1997-03-24 - Number 177

Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
1999-04-21 - Number 143

Mind Warp - Friday Night Magic 2000 (FNM)

Friday Night Magic 2000 (FNM)
2000-01-01 - Number 5

Magic Online Promos (PRM)
2002-06-24 - Number 35982

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Mind Warp’s hand disruption can effectively dismantle an opponent’s strategy and future plays.
Instant speed and strategic flexibility allow Mind Warp to catch opponents off-guard during critical moments.
The card’s high mana cost and specific requirements may limit its utility in diverse MTG decks.

Text of card

Look at target player's hand and choose X cards; that player then discards those cards. If the player does not have enough cards in hand, his or her entire hand is discarded.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mind Warp is a unique card that offers you the power to disrupt an opponent’s hand while potentially gaining card advantage. By forcing an opponent to discard a number of cards of your choice, you create a situation in which you can control the flow of the game, effectively removing their future plays.

Resource Acceleration: Although Mind Warp does not directly produce mana or tokens that can be used for acceleration, by stripping key cards from your opponent’s hand, you reduce their ability to properly utilize their resources. This indirect resource acceleration can hinder their development while you continue to advance your strategy unfettered.

Instant Speed: As a spell that can be cast at instant speed, Mind Warp offers strategic flexibility. You can wait until the most opportune moment, perhaps in response to an opponent’s action during their turn, to catch them off guard and significantly alter their game plan. This timing can be crucial to maximize the impact of the card’s effect.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mind Warp requires a player to choose and discard cards, which can be a severe disadvantage when already facing limited options in hand. This effect may disrupt your strategy more than it impacts your opponent, especially if crucial cards are lost in the process.

Specific Mana Cost: With a demanding mix of generic and black mana needed to play, Mind Warp poses a challenge for non-monocolored decks. This can be particularly troubling for decks that require a flexible mana base to operate efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a base cost of four mana, including three that must be black, Mind Warp’s ability to target multiple cards in an opponent’s hand may not justify its price. In many scenarios, there are alternative cards that can disrupt opponents more effectively without such a high mana expenditure.

Reasons to Include Mind Warp in Your Collection

Versatility: Mind Warp offers a flexible approach to handling your opponent’s resources. The ability to choose cards from an opponent’s hand and force them to discard those cards allows for strategic planning and can be adapted to various play styles and deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies that benefit from information control and hand disruption. In combination with other discard mechanisms or effects that penalize an opponent for a reduced hand size, Mind Warp can become a cornerstone in a powerful control or denial strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where players are heavily reliant on specific combo pieces or key spells, Mind Warp’s targeted discard can dismantle such setups, making it a relevant choice against decks that require a high degree of hand-card synergy.

How to beat

Mind Warp, a card that challenges players by forcing targeted discard, can be a thorn in one’s side when strategically deployed in Magic: The Gathering. Unlike wide-reaching discard spells, Mind Warp targets a single opponent, giving it a more focused approach to disruption. However, this intricate card is not without its counters.

To effectively neutralize its potential, players can adopt multiple strategies. Employing cards that reanimate or benefit from being in the graveyard can turn the tables, rendering the discard element advantageous rather than detrimental. Additionally, cards that grant hexproof to one’s hand or utilize the tactic of ‘hand size control’ can mitigate the effects of Mind Warp, making it less impactful. Having instant-speed card draw can also replenish your hand, blunting the intended impact of your opponent’s Mind Warp play.

Thus, while Mind Warp introduces a tactical angle to discard strategies within Magic: The Gathering, it is by no means unbeatable. With the right deck construction and strategic play, one can ensure that this card becomes more of a minor hindrance than a game-winning threat.

Cards like Mind Warp

Mind Warp is an intriguing addition among hand disruption spells in Magic: The Gathering. It can be likened to cards such as Mind Rot, which also targets an opponent, causing them to discard two cards from their hand. Mind Warp, however, offers a more flexible approach, allowing a player to choose any number of cards from the opponent’s hand, given enough mana investment. This versatility contrasts with Mind Rot’s fixed effect and can potentially lead to greater strategic plays.

In the arena of targeted discard, we also find Hymn to Tourach, a notorious spell for randomly discarding two cards at a cheap cost, impacting the early game much more significantly. While not as flexible as Mind Warp, the randomness can sometimes work in its favor, hitting key cards by chance. Another similar card to consider is Duress, which, though it only targets non-creature, non-land cards, does so at an efficient one mana cost, making it a staple in disrupting the opposition’s early game plans.

Assessing the balance between cost, effect, and strategy, Mind Warp carves out its niche within MTG as an adaptable tool for those looking to tailor their disruption tactics, especially in longer games where mana is plentiful.

Cards similar to Mind Warp by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mind Warp 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 Mind Warp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mind Warp Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 1999-04-21. Illustrated by Liz Danforth.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1995-06-03	Ice Age	ICE	148	1993	Normal	Black	Liz Danforth
2	1997-03-24	Fifth Edition	5ED	177	1997	Normal	White	Liz Danforth
3	1999-04-21	Classic Sixth Edition	6ED	143	1997	Normal	White	Liz Danforth
4	~~2000-01-01~~	Friday Night Magic 2000	FNM	5	1997	Normal	Black	Liz Danforth
5	~~2002-06-24~~	Magic Online Promos	PRM	35982	1997	Normal	Black	Liz Danforth

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mind Warp has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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