Pendrell Flux MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Number	87
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Andrew Robinson

Key Takeaways

Pendrell Flux offers card advantage by disrupting opponents’ creature-based strategies at instant speed.
Its potential resource acceleration gives players a chance to advance their board unchallenged.
However, the discard requirement and specific mana cost can be a strategic drawback.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gains "During your upkeep, pay this creature's casting cost or sacrifice it."

Devoured by the mists, Tolaria was stuck in time, trapped between two eternal heartbeats.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pendrell Flux can effectively disrupt your opponent’s board presence by forcing them to return creatures to their hand, indirectly translating into card advantage for you as their planned strategies are delayed or dismantled.

Resource Acceleration: By temporarily removing creatures from the battlefield, Pendrell Flux may open the avenue for you to accelerate your own resources unopposed, seizing the opportunity to build a stronger board position without immediate threats.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Pendrell Flux at instant speed provides tactical flexibility, allowing you to wait until the most opportune moment, such as in response to an opponent’s spell or abilities, to maximize its disruptive potential.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pendrell Flux obliges players to discard a card as part of its effect. This could potentially deplete a player’s hand, especially in situations where retaining card advantage is crucial for maintaining control of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both blue mana and colorless mana to cast, making it somewhat restrictive. Players running multi-colored decks might find it challenging to consistently meet the color demand, which could impede the card’s timely deployment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that may be considered steep by some players for its temporary disruption effect, Pendrell Flux competes with other control spells that might provide a more lasting solution or greater flexibility for a similar or lower investment.

Reasons to Include Pendrell Flux in Your Collection

Versatility: Pendrell Flux is a card that can adapt to numerous situations on the battlefield. Given its capability to alter the cost of creature upkeep, it can hinder opponents’ board development while giving you tempo advantage.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with a plethora of strategies that punish players for having multiple creatures or can force sacrifices if upkeep costs cannot be paid. This creates opportunities for powerful plays and board control.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Pendrell Flux can shift the balance in your favor. It is a strategic card that can tip the scales against opponent’s creature-heavy decks and demand an immediate answer.

How to Beat Pendrell Flux

Pendrell Flux can be a tricky enchantment to navigate in a match of Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to make creatures return to their owner’s hand if their controller fails to pay the upkeep cost can disrupt many strategies. To effectively counter Pendrell Flux, focus on managing your resources to either pay the upkeep cost for your key creatures or pivot your strategy to rely on non-creature spells.

Card selection is critical; include spells that can destroy or disable enchantments, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, to remove Pendrell Flux from play. Alternatively, strategies that thrive on casting creatures from the hand repeatedly or that benefit from having a full hand can also circumvent the downside Pendrell Flux imposes. It’s also worth considering the deployment of low-cost creatures so you can maintain a board presence without overcommitting mana to Pendrell Flux’s ability.

In summary, while Pendrell Flux aims to constrain your creature-based strategies, a well-prepared deck with enchantment removal, efficient creatures, or alternative game plans can navigate around this card’s limitations and secure victory.

Cards like Pendrell Flux

Pendrell Flux holds a unique position in the realm of creature control within Magic: The Gathering, sharing some similarities with enchantments that manipulate or diminish opposing forces. When considering similar cards, Standstill is a prominent example that creates a type of stalemate by incentivizing players not to cast spells lest they allow their opponent to draw cards. Pendrell Flux, however, specifically targets creatures and can potentially change the board state by turning creatures into ticking time bombs of cost for their controllers.

Another analogue comes in the form of Mana Breach, which doesn’t target creatures but instead affects the overall resources by returning lands to their owners’ hand whenever they cast a spell. While both Pendrell Flux and Mana Breach impact the pacing of a game, Pendrell Flux focuses on pressuring creature-heavy strategies. Then there’s Overburden, which, akin to Mana Breach, discourages the development of the board but interacts directly with the action of playing creatures rather than casting spells in general.

In essence, while other cards exert pressure or control resources in different ways, Pendrell Flux finds its niche by specifically taxing the upkeep of creatures. This can lead to interesting dynamics in gameplay, forcing difficult decisions upon an opponent with a crowded battlefield.

Cards similar to Pendrell Flux by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pendrell Flux MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Pendrell Flux and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pendrell Flux has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	You choose whether to pay or not on resolution. If not, then you sacrifice the creature. You can choose to not pay if you no longer control the creature on resolution.
2004-10-04	You have to even match the color requirements of the mana cost.