Outwit MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	70
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Erica Yang

Key Takeaways

Outwit provides card advantage by effectively countering spells targeting you, maintaining hand and board control.
As an instant, Outwit ensures flexible, responsive play, safeguarding assets when crucial.
Despite utility, Outwit’s discard requirement and specific mana cost may limit its use.

Text of card

Counter target spell that targets a player.

The student asks how a spell is begun. The master ponders what ends it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Outwit offers a significant tactical advantage by countering a spell that targets you, thus preserving your hand and board position. This keeps your strategic options open and can disrupt your opponent’s plans.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost spell requiring only one blue mana, Outwit permits efficient mana allocation. This allows for a smoother gameplay curve, helping to accelerate resources towards more substantial threats earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Outwit allows for reactive play, enabling you to respond to threats at a moment’s notice. You’re capable of protecting your most valuable assets without having to commit mana until it’s absolutely necessary, making it a flexible tool in any duel.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Outwit demands a card be discarded in addition to its casting cost, which can be daunting when your hand is already dwindling and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked behind a blue mana requirement, Outwit can be tricky to weave into a non-blue deck or even multicolored ones if mana fixing is not well tended to.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana, Outwit might be considered costly considering it only counters spells that target you or a permanent you control, which can be restrictive compared to other broader counter spells.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Outwit offers a flexible counter spell option for blue decks looking to safeguard key plays or creatures. It’s especially handy in formats where critical noncreature spells can decide the game’s outcome.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in environments where your opponents rely heavily on spells that could disrupt your strategy. By countering their spells that target you or a permanent you control, you can maintain the upper hand and protect your combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where burn decks or combos that target players directly are prevalent, Outwit can be an unexpected and cheap tool to prevent your opponent’s win conditions, making it an excellent choice for sideboards or even main decks anticipating such tactics.

How to Overcome Outwit

Outwit is a unique spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering that allows a player to counter a spell that targets a single player. This nuance positions it as a smart defensive choice against certain burn spells or direct damage effects. In essence, it’s a lifesaver against strategies that revolve around targeting opponents directly to achieve victory.

Defeating a card like Outwit requires a versatile approach. Foremost, diversifying your strategy lessens the chances of getting thwarted by a single countermeasure. This might involve employing spells that affect multiple players or the entire board, which Outwit cannot negate. Cards with broader impact, such as board wipes or global enchantments, can slip past Outwit’s specific criteria. Moreover, keeping a watchful eye for the right moment and casting spells when an opponent’s mana is tapped out or their guard is down can ensure your impactful spells connect.

Overall, while Outwit may offer a tactical advantage in certain MTG matchups, a well-rounded deck with a blend of direct and indirect attacks, alongside timing considerations, can effectively navigate around its defenses. Recognizing when to bait out the counter spell and when to go all in is key in outmaneuvering Outwit.

Cards like Outwit

Outwit stands out within the Magic: The Gathering suite of counter spells due to its unique proposition of preventing damage from a single source to a player. Unlike comprehensive counters such as Counterspell that invalidate any spell, Outwit is more targeted. It requires only one blue mana, making it a formidable choice when playing blue-aligned decks that aim to protect life totals or critical game pieces from specific threats.

Cards like Redirect not only share similarities with Outwit by operating at instant speed but also change the focus of a spell or ability. Yet, Redirect demands more mana, positioning Outwit as a more accessible option especially in the early game phases. Then there’s Muddle the Mixture, which serves as a counter but doubles up as a tutor – a marked difference that pivots the cards’ roles based on the in-game situation. Despite serving different purposes, these alternatives highlight how Outwit’s design caters to a clever defensive strategy in Magic: The Gathering.

By examining these comparisons, Outwit proves its worth as a strategic tool, offering players a low-cost option to safeguard themselves or their creatures against targeted spells or abilities, thereby reinforcing its niche amidst blue’s versatile spell suite.

Cards similar to Outwit by color, type and mana cost

Blue Elemental Blast - MTG Card versions

Whispers of the Muse - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Outwit 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 Outwit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.