Brainiac MTG Card


Brainiac - Unstable
TypeToken Creature — Brainiac
Released2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set nameUnstable
Set codeUST
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number10
Frame2015
Layouttoken
Bordersilver
Illustred byMatt Dixon
TokenTokens act as indicators during gameplay and are not included into building a deck.
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Brainiac enables card advantage and faster resource access, crucial in high-stakes matches.
  2. Its direct mana type demands may limit versatility; high casting cost can deter use.
  3. Brainiac’s disruption capabilities make it a formidable addition to any strategic deck.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Brainiac provides an effective way to sift through your deck, ensuring you get to the spells you need when it matters most. By helping you draw into more cards, it can put you ahead, particularly in long, drawn-out matches.

Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its ability to unpack resources rapidly, Brainiac can propel you into a commanding position by ramping up your mana supply. This acceleration is vital in outpacing opponents and deploying threats ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: Brainiac’s instantaneous nature means you can maneuver around your adversary’s moves with finesse. The power to act in the eleventh hour keeps the opposition guessing and grants you the upper hand in the strategic duel of wits.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Brainiac card might demand you discard another card to activate its primary abilities. This can put players at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where each card in hand is vital to maintaining gameplay strategy and momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Brainiac requires a particular combination of mana to cast, which could potentially make it less versatile. This specificity can hinder the card’s integration into multicolor decks that may struggle with consistent access to the necessary mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: If Brainiac’s casting cost is on the higher end compared to other options within the same role, this could reduce its overall playability. Players may opt for alternatives that offer similar benefits without such a substantial mana investment, affecting how often Brainiac sees play in competitive formats.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Brainiac is one of those cards that can sneak into a range of decks looking to capitalize on strategy and intellect. It shines in control decks or even those geared towards puzzles and trickery, offering a unique edge over opponents.

Combo Potential: With its ability to draw upon the intricate interactions between spells and abilities, Brainiac excels. It can be a key piece in complex combos, potentially turning the tides of the game within a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ever-evolving metagame, Brainiac holds its ground by supporting strategies that stay one step ahead. Its adaptive nature makes it a card that can evolve with the meta, remaining relevant across various competitive scenes.


How to beat

Overcoming a Brainiac card during a game requires careful strategy. As a player, you would need to look at disruption tools as a key tactic. Counter spells wait at the top of the list, ready to deny the casting of Brainiac altogether. These cards halt the card before it can have any impact, effectively neutralizing the threat it poses. Removal spells also serve as an effective measure, allowing you to get rid of Brainiac after its arrival on the battlefield. Looking at the broader scope, cards that limit your opponent’s hand size or force them to discard can severely hamper their ability to capitalize on Brainiac’s benefits, proactively curbing its power. To strategize effectively against Brainiac, keep watch for moments to disrupt its play and mitigate its influence during the match.

In competitive play, understanding the nuances between various disruption and removal spells is key. By equipping your deck with a diverse set of answers, you create opportunities to handle not only Brainiac but also other threats that may arise. Recognizing the timing and context of when to play these spells can pivot the course of the match in your favor, allowing you to maintain control over the game’s flow and ultimately, securing victory.


Cards like Brainiac

Brainiac brings a unique twist to the array of brain-bending options in Magic: The Gathering. It’s similar to cards like Thought Scour, which allows players to draw while manipulating the library, but Brainiac has its distinct strategic appeal. While Thought Scour targets the player’s own library to potentially set up graveyard strategies, Brainiac is designed to delve into an opponent’s deck configuration, allowing for disruptive play and a glimpse at their next moves.

On the same wavelength, we encounter Peek, a card that also permits peeping into an opponent’s hand at instant speed, fostering knowledge-based gameplay without altering either library. While it doesn’t offer the same potential for reshuffling an opponent’s deck as Brainiac, the immediate hand information can be pivotal. Then there’s Telepathy, offering unrestricted view of all opponents’ hands, a continuous advantage that Brainiac can’t maintain. However, Brainiac’s ability to meddle with the top cards can set back an opponent’s strategy, applying a subtle but potentially game-altering pressure.

After juxtaposing these options, Brainiac can certainly hold its ground as a strategically advantageous card, delivering both intel and influence over an opponent’s deck, a dual-threat that similar cards might not provide as efficiently.

Thought Scour - MTG Card versions
Peek - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Thought Scour - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Peek - Odyssey (ODY)
Telepathy - Urza's Saga (USG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Brainiac MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Brainiac and other MTG cards:

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