Malicious Intent MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	147
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Key Takeaways

Card advantage: Disrupt opponents and maintain hand size by forcing them to discard.
Strategic acceleration: Progress your game faster by depleting opponent’s resources.
Instant speed: Cast at opportune moments for maximum impact on gameplay.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature has ": Target creature can't block this turn."

As peace returned to Thraben, some cathars made the mistake of letting down their guard.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Malicious Intent offers the potential to disrupt your opponent’s strategy by forcing them to discard cards. This can lead to a card advantage as you reduce the resources they have available, while maintaining your own hand.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially removing key spells or threats from your opponent’s hand, Malicious Intent can accelerate your position in the game indirectly. The fewer resources your opponent has, the quicker you can execute your strategy without obstruction.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Malicious Intent at instant speed grants you the flexibility to wait until the most opportune moment. You can decide to cast it during your opponent’s draw step, maximizing the chance of hitting a valuable card they’ve just drawn, or you can hold back to react to their moves before committing to your own play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Malicious Intent demands that you discard a card to activate its key abilities which could set you back when your hand is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise combination of mana types, this card fits primarily into decks that can consistently generate both black and red mana, potentially restricting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the higher side for its category, you may find that there are alternative spells or enchantments that achieve similar results without such a heavy investment, giving you greater efficiency in a match.

Reasons to Include Malicious Intent in Your Collection

Versatility: Malicious Intent offers the ability to grant any creature the power to threaten an opponent’s game plan, fitting seamlessly into aggressive or control-based decks that seek to manage blockers and pave a clear path for crucial attacks.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with tap/untap mechanics or with creatures that have powerful ‘when this creature becomes tapped’ effects, opening the door to inventive and potentially game-ending combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In environments abundant with decks that rely on key creatures to block, Malicious Intent disrupts these strategies, making it a versatile tool to have on hand when facing a creature-heavy meta.

How to beat

The Malicious Intent card in Magic: The Gathering has its own unique challenges, much like other enchantments in the game. Key to overcoming Malicious Intent is understanding the card’s ability to grant a creature the power to tap and cause an opponent’s creature to be unable to block. Deconstructing this, we see that removing the enchanted creature is a paramount strategy. Creature removal spells can effectively neutralize this threat, as can enchantment removal spells to directly dispose of Malicious Intent itself. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant, widely accessible in most deck colors, are ideal tools for handling such enchantments.

Additionally, playing around Malicious Intent involves a strategic approach to combat. Opting not to commit too many creatures unwillingly into your opponent’s potential blockers, anticipating the untap ability, is essential. Prioritizing the control of the board and maintaining a variety of blocking options ensures that the tap-down effect won’t corner you during crucial turns.

Ultimately, strategy and preparedness are key. Whether it’s through direct removal or intelligent playstyles, the power Malicious Intent holds can be mitigated, maintaining the integrity of your game plan against such tactics.

Cards like Malicious Intent

Malicious Intent adds a unique twist to the MtG card arsenal with its aura that grants a creature the ability to dictate block options. It invites comparison to more traditional enchantments such as Spectra Ward, which offers protection but lacks the control over enemy defense. Malicious Intent empowers the creature it enchants to bypass potential blockers entirely by choosing a creature the opponent controls that must block if able, streamlining methods for dealing direct damage or securing board advantage.

Its comparison to cards like Fervent Charge reveals a different angle of augmenting creatures. While Fervent Charge provides a blanket boost to your attacking force, Malicious Intent narrows the focus, providing tactical opportunity rather than raw power. This creates a scenario where Malicious Intent can pave the way for key strategies, disrupting opponent formations more methodically than the blanket aggressiveness of Fervent Charge.

In aligning Malicious Intent with the suite of tactical enchantment cards within MtG, its value is clear as a tool for strategic micromanagement rather than brute force, granting it a unique position within players’ decks that aim for meticulous control over the battlefield’s ebb and flow.

Cards similar to Malicious Intent by color, type and mana cost

Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Malicious Intent MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored, 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 Malicious Intent and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Malicious Intent has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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