Maddening Cacophony MTG Card


Halves the opponent’s library, possibly eliminating crucial strategy components at a scalable impact. Accelerates resource access indirectly through graveyard synergies without producing mana. Supports strategies at instant speed, despite being a sorcery, enhancing combo potential.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Kicker,Mill

Text of card

Kicker Each opponent mills eight cards. If this spell was kicked, instead each opponent mills half their library, rounded up.

Jace traced Nahiri to the Singing City, but the magic of the ancient ruins threatened to overwhelm his mind.


Cards like Maddening Cacophony

Maddening Cacophony edges its way into the mill arsenal for Magic: The Gathering players, inviting comparison with other notorious mill cards. It belongs to the same family as Traumatize, which also halves an opponent’s library. However, Maddening Cacophony introduces flexibility with the kicker mechanic, allowing mill enthusiasts to double the impact when they have the mana to spare, thus offering potential for a game-ending play that Traumatize can’t always promise.

Glimpse the Unthinkable is another staple in the mill card discussion. It targets fewer cards – ten cards to Maddening Cacophony’s potential entire half with kicker – but it’s more mana-efficient. This has made Glimpse the Unthinkable a go-to for many quick mill decks. Then there’s Fraying Sanity, a unique enchantment that creates a persistent threat by doubling mill effects but requires other cards to activate its potential.

What makes Maddening Cacophony stand out in this company is its versatility. It’s situational use and the option to escalate its effect when opportune demonstrates why it can be a game-changer in any mill-focused deck amongst a variety of similar Magic: The Gathering mill options.

Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Fraying Sanity - MTG Card versions
Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Fraying Sanity - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Maddening Cacophony by color, type and mana cost

Time Walk - MTG Card versions
Braingeyser - MTG Card versions
Drain Power - MTG Card versions
Transmute Artifact - MTG Card versions
Forget - MTG Card versions
Foresight - MTG Card versions
Whimsy - MTG Card versions
Omen - MTG Card versions
Paradigm Shift - MTG Card versions
Piracy - MTG Card versions
Strategic Planning - MTG Card versions
Wind Sail - MTG Card versions
Mana Vapors - MTG Card versions
Turbulent Dreams - MTG Card versions
Quiet Speculation - MTG Card versions
Muse Vortex - MTG Card versions
See the Truth - MTG Card versions
Fae of Wishes // Granted - MTG Card versions
Silver Scrutiny - MTG Card versions
Treasure Hunt - MTG Card versions
Time Walk - MTG Card versions
Braingeyser - MTG Card versions
Drain Power - MTG Card versions
Transmute Artifact - MTG Card versions
Forget - MTG Card versions
Foresight - MTG Card versions
Whimsy - MTG Card versions
Omen - MTG Card versions
Paradigm Shift - MTG Card versions
Piracy - MTG Card versions
Strategic Planning - MTG Card versions
Wind Sail - MTG Card versions
Mana Vapors - MTG Card versions
Turbulent Dreams - MTG Card versions
Quiet Speculation - MTG Card versions
Muse Vortex - MTG Card versions
See the Truth - MTG Card versions
Fae of Wishes // Granted - MTG Card versions
Silver Scrutiny - MTG Card versions
Treasure Hunt - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Maddening Cacophony. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir MillDimir Mill PioneerDimir MillApex Gaming AIQ/RCQ Pioneer 2K
Mono-Blue MillMono-Blue Mill LegacyWeekly Legacy Mont

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Maddening Cacophony excels in the realm of card advantage, enabling players to potentially erase half of an opponent’s library from the game. This action forcibly filters through an opponent’s options, likely removing key pieces vital for their strategy and leaving them with fewer resources to deploy as the game progresses. As a bonus, the card’s effect scales with the game – the more cards an opponent draws, the more devastating the potential effect.

Resource Acceleration: While Maddening Cacophony doesn’t directly produce mana or treasure tokens, its ability to mill an opponent accelerates a player’s access to resources indirectly when synergized with cards designed to capitalize on the number of cards in an opponent’s graveyard. This could translate to cost reductions for certain spells, increased creature sizes, or even the enabling of powerful graveyard-based abilities.

Instant Speed: Although Maddening Cacophony is a sorcery, it plays a key role in strategies that operate at instant speed. This card works excellently with effects that can be deployed on an opponent’s turn, setting up devastating turns where a player can mill a large portion of the opponent’s library then follow up with end-of-turn instant spells that benefit from the sudden influx of cards in the graveyard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Maddening Cacophony does not make you discard cards, the reliance on this strategy can be less effective if your opponent has a way to capitalize on their own graveyard or has few cards left in their library, making the impact less significant.

Specific Mana Cost: Maddening Cacophony requires both blue mana and generic mana, necessitating a commitment to blue mana sources in your deck. This can restrict deck-building options, especially for players looking to incorporate multiple colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, one of which must be blue, Maddening Cacophony may compete for space in a deck with other two-mana spells that offer immediate board presence or more versatile responses to opponents’ threats.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Maddening Cacophony offers a flexible approach to deck building, suitable for those seeking to disrupt opponents’ strategies. It can be included in mill decks or serve as a Plan B in formats where graveyard manipulation is prevalent.

Combo Potential: This card can be a cornerstone of powerful milling combos, especially when paired with cards like “Bruvac the Grandiloquent” or “Fraying Sanity.” Its kicker ability ensures that it scales well as the game progresses.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where getting an edge over your opponents is critical, Maddening Cacophony can be a game-changer. It’s particularly effective in environments filled with strategies reliant on specific cards, efficiently thinning decks to disrupt key plays.


How to Beat Maddening Cacophony

Maddening Cacophony is a potent spell in Magic: The Gathering that can quickly deplete an opponent’s library, edging them closer to defeat through milling. To effectively counter this card, players should consider incorporating graveyard retrieval effects or cards that shuffle the graveyard back into the library. Elixir of Immortality is an excellent example of such a card, providing a simple and efficient way to reset the library and nullify the milling progress.

Alternatively, casting spells like Gaea’s Blessing or employing creatures like Cosmos Elixir can automatically trigger a library shuffle upon hitting the graveyard. Another strategy involves the utilization of cards with hexproof or abilities that grant protection from spells, such as Leyline of Sanctity, to prevent becoming the target of Maddening Cacophony entirely. Overall, the key to staying afloat against this card involves a proactive approach to protecting one’s library or recurring cards from the graveyard.

Keeping these strategies in mind ensures that players can stay resilient against the rising tides of this disruptive spell. With the right deck adjustments and a tactical playstyle, the effects of Maddening Cacophony can be mitigated, preserving your library and maintaining a strong position in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Discovering the right blend of cards like Maddening Cacophony for your MTG deck can make all the difference in gameplay. This card has the muscle to disrupt your opponent’s strategy significantly, especially when synergized with graveyard-exploiting cards or as part of a mill-focused strategy. It’s essential to weigh its strengths against its mana cost and the nuances of your deck build. Interested in further refining your deck and rounding out your collection? Join our community of enthusiasts and experts to gain more insights and tips to ensure your deck is not just a contender but a powerhouse in your next MTG match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Maddening Cacophony MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Zendikar Rising Promos, 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 Maddening Cacophony and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Maddening Cacophony Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-09-25 and 2020-09-25. Illustrated by Magali Villeneuve.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 837742015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
22020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 67p2015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
32020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 67s2015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
42020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 3302015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
52020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 672015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Maddening Cacophony has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-09-25 An ability that triggers when a player casts a kicked spell resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger, but after targets have been chosen for that spell. It resolves even if that spell is countered.
2020-09-25 If you copy a kicked spell, the copy is also kicked. If a card or token enters the battlefield as a copy of a permanent that’s already on the battlefield, the new permanent isn’t kicked, even if the original was.
2020-09-25 If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can’t kick it.
2020-09-25 Kicker represents an optional additional cost that you may choose to pay as you cast the spell. A spell cast with that additional cost paid is “kicked.”
2020-09-25 Some instant or sorcery spells require alternative or additional targets if they’re kicked. You ignore these targeting requirements if those spells aren’t kicked, and you can’t kick those spells unless you can choose the appropriate targets. On the other hand, you can kick a permanent spell even if you won’t be able to choose targets for an enters-the-battlefield ability of that permanent once the spell resolves.
2020-09-25 To determine a spell’s total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card’s effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The converted mana cost of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2020-09-25 You can’t pay a kicker cost more than once.