Uncanny Speed MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	163
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Raymond Swanland

Key Takeaways

Uncanny Speed enhances gameplay by offering strategic and reactive creature acceleration, impacting your MTG tactics.
The instant speed and flexibility of casting Uncanny Speed introduces unexpected combat twists, essential for surprise maneuvers.
It requires red mana and a discarded card, which makes it a nuanced strategic choice within specific MTG deck builds.

Text of card

Target creature gets +3/+0 and gains haste until end of turn.

"To survive, we must embrace the savagery we knew in our race's infancy." —Edgar Markov

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key benefits of the Uncanny Speed card is that it can provide a strategic advantage by allowing you to surprise your opponent. While it doesn’t directly draw you cards, it enables quicker cycling through your deck when paired with card-draw mechanics, facilitating the accumulation of resources.

Resource Acceleration: Uncanny Speed can accelerate your game by increasing the swiftness of your creatures. This velocity not only amplifies the pressure you can apply on your opponent but also aligns with strategies focused on resource acceleration, as your creatures become immediate threats, potentially even hasty blockers if played during the last turn.

Instant Speed: Its instant nature allows for maximum flexibility during gameplay. You can cast Uncanny Speed at the last possible moment, ideally after your opponent has already committed to their course of action for the turn. This can turn the tide of battle, making an unassuming creature into a formidable threat or an unexpected blocker, all at instant speed.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Uncanny Speed demands a card to be discarded to unleash its potential. This can be a tricky trade-off during the game when you’re holding a hand of valuable cards. This discard cost can often leave you at a card disadvantage, forcing difficult decisions on what to hold and what to let go. Especially in a game where card advantage is crucial, the requirement can sometimes be more of a setback than a strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Uncanny Speed, your deck needs to have access to red mana. This requirement can restrict the versatility of the card, relegating it primarily to red or red-inclusive decks. Decks that don’t run red mana can’t benefit from this card, thereby reducing its applicability across various MTG strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the acceleration Uncanny Speed provides can be significant, its mana cost is substantial when compared to other speed-increasing options available. Players must weigh if the cost is justified by the benefit, considering there may be other spells and abilities that accomplish similar effects with less strain on mana resources.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Uncanny Speed is a useful addition to any collection due to its flexibility. This card can easily be slotted into various red-based decks, providing a quick power boost that can turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Combo Potential: As a low-cost instant, it works well with cards that profit from casting spells, especially during combat. It can enable surprise wins or synergize with creatures that have prowess or similar abilities that trigger when you cast a spell.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where swift, aggressive strategies are effective, Uncanny Speed’s ability to give a creature haste can be crucial. It aligns perfectly with decks aiming to outpace control mechanisms and claim victory before the opponent can establish their defenses.

How to beat

Uncanny Speed is an agile option for players looking to give a swift power boost in the game of Magic: The Gathering. The card mirrors effects similar to cards like Brute Strength which also provide a temporary lift to a creature’s prowess. Uncanny Speed, with its ability to give a creature +3/+0 until end of turn, shifts the battlefield dynamics instantaneously, often surprising opponents unprepared for such a quick escalation.

Despite its potential to turn the tides, Uncanny Speed can be overcome. Key strategies include holding back instant-speed removal or bounce spells until your opponent invests in casting Uncanny Speed, which renders their tempo play ineffective. Examples of such spells are Doom Blade or Unsummon, allowing you to respond to the boosted creature by either sending it back to their hand or removing it from play altogether. Additionally, countering the spell as it’s cast can neutralize the threat, keeping you in control of the match pace.

Ultimately, when faced with Uncanny Speed or similar burst combat tricks, a calculated defensive stance with ready-to-use responses is crucial. Maintaining this approach ensures composure against surprise offensives and can defuse the impending danger posed by such quick enhancement spells.

Cards like Uncanny Speed

Uncanny Speed is an intriguing element within the Magic: The Gathering roster, offering a quick boost to creatures’ velocity that echoes the functions of other instant-speed buff spells. A card like Brute Force is a viable comparison, offering a significant power increase similar to Uncanny Speed’s haste advantage. Brute Force grants a creature +3/+3 until end of turn, essentially providing a substantial combat edge for a single red mana.

Another peer to Uncanny Speed is Titan’s Strength, which not only buffs a creature by +3/+1 but also allows players to scry 1, thus setting up future draws. While it lacks the haste enabling, the added scry can be pivotal in certain strategies. On the other hand, Rush of Adrenaline offers a more direct comparison, giving a creature +2/+1 and trample until end of turn, similar to how Uncanny Speed confers haste, both enhancing combat prowess for a swift strike.

The key to understanding the appeal of Uncanny Speed is recognizing the tactical advantage of instantaneous creature mobilization. It’s this element of surprise and overwhelming rush that positions it as a strong contender among red spells that aim to turn the tide of battle instantly.

Cards similar to Uncanny Speed by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

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