Once Upon a Time MTG Card


Once Upon a Time provides significant card advantage by allowing selection of creatures or lands from the top five cards. This card ensures mana curve consistency and has the potential for free casting as the first game spell. Instant speed casting adds flexibility, optimizing play timing and maintaining strategic advantage.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Text of card

If this spell is the first spell you've cast this game, you may cast it without paying its mana cost. Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a creature or land card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.


Cards like Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time is a noteworthy card in Magic: The Gathering, particularly known for its free cast feature if it’s the first spell of the game. It parallels with cards like Ancient Stirrings which lets you look at the top five cards of your library to select a colorless card. However, Once Upon a Time allows a broader selection, offering any land or creature card which sets a wider net for strategic planning right from the start.

Analogous to cards like Commune with Nature, Once Upon a Time enables players to dig five cards deep into their library. However, Commune with Nature limits the discovery to only creature cards and lacks the versatility of fetching lands or the advantage of potentially being free.

Eldritch Evolution is another card worthy of comparison. It also searches the library for a creature card, but it involves an additional cost of sacrificing a creature and doesn’t have the instant speed or the zero cost potential of Once Upon a Time. Therefore, while there are alternatives in the realm of library-search spells, Once Upon a Time presents an unparalleled blend of early-game tempo and strategic selection that other cards do not match.

Ancient Stirrings - MTG Card versions
Commune with Nature - MTG Card versions
Eldritch Evolution - MTG Card versions
Ancient Stirrings - MTG Card versions
Commune with Nature - MTG Card versions
Eldritch Evolution - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Once Upon a Time by color, type and mana cost

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Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
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Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions
Sheltering Word - MTG Card versions
Druid's Deliverance - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Domain - MTG Card versions
Resuscitate - MTG Card versions
Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Urge - MTG Card versions
Tangle - MTG Card versions
Krosan Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Seedtime - MTG Card versions
Nourish - MTG Card versions
Wear Away - MTG Card versions
Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions
Resize - MTG Card versions
Squall Line - MTG Card versions
Regenerate - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Defiance - MTG Card versions
Tribute to the Wild - MTG Card versions
Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions
Sheltering Word - MTG Card versions
Druid's Deliverance - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Once Upon a Time. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari DepthsGolgari Depths LegacySultai DepthsLegacy League 2024-05-13
Selesnya AggroSelesnya Aggro VintageMono-White AggroVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-09
Selesnya DepthsSelesnya Depths LegacySelesnya DepthsLegacy League 2024-05-06
Naya DepthsNaya Depths LegacySelesnya DepthsLegacy Preliminary 2024-05-10
MaverickMaverick LegacyMaverickLegacy League 2024-05-08
Abzan DepthsAbzan Depths LegacySelesnya DepthsLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-11 (1)
Mono-Green CloudpostMono-Green Cloudpost LegacyGreen CloudpostLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-11 (1)
UBGUBG LegacyLegacy League 2024-05-09
ElvesElves LegacyElvesLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-08

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the perks of playing Once Upon a Time is the potential for significant card advantage. This card lets you look at the top five cards of your deck, choosing a creature or land card from among them to add to your hand. This selection process not only increases your hand options but also strategically shapes future plays.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration is another benefit tied to Once Upon a Time. By potentially retrieving a land card, you can ensure your mana development stays on track without skipping a beat. For creature-heavy strategies, snagging the right creature from the top of your deck can also accelerate your board presence, putting you in a commanding position early on.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Once Upon a Time at instant speed grants you tremendous flexibility during gameplay. You can respond to your opponent’s actions or end their turn, optimizing the timing of your plays. Should no immediate threats or opportunities arise, Once Upon a Time can be cast during the end step, keeping your options open while progressing your game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Once Upon a Time allows for a free cast if it’s the first spell of the game, any subsequent casts require you to discard. This might compel players to part with valuable cards sooner than they’d prefer, potentially impacting their long-term strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Featuring a specific green mana cost, Once Upon a Time is inherently limited to decks that can produce green mana. This can be restrictive for players not running green or decks that struggle with color fixing, potentially excluding a broad range of archetypes from leveraging its power.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When not cast for free, its two mana cost might be considered steep for the effect it provides. In competitive play, where efficiency is key, there are other cards within the same mana range that can offer players immediate board presence or direct answers to opponents’ threats.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Once Upon a Time comes with the flexibility of being able to be cast for free if it’s the first spell of the game, making it a powerful inclusion in a variety of decks; from ramp to creature-based strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can dig through the top five cards of your library to find a key piece for your combo, significantly increasing the consistency of any deck built around synergistic interactions or searching for specific creatures or lands.

Meta-Relevance: As gameplay evolves, Once Upon a Time remains relevant in formats where speed and efficiency are crucial. It ensures a smoother mana curve and can adapt to various metas by helping to find the perfect card to match the situation on the battlefield.


How to beat

Overcoming the Once Upon a Time card in MTG calls for strategic plays and timely disruption. This pivotal spell allows players to look at the top five cards of their library, pick a creature or land card among them, and put it into their hand without paying its mana cost if it’s the first spell of the game. Otherwise, its flexibility comes at the cost of two mana—one green and one of any color.

Adept MTG players tackle this with cards that counter spells or discard effects. Thoughtseize, for example, is a reliable method to preemptively remove Once Upon a Time from an opponent’s hand before they can cast it. For those in blue, cards like Spell Pierce or Mana Leak can counter it effectively, provided you have mana available to do so. Dispel, a counter solely for instants, is an economical and surgical answer to this fairy tale card. Always be ready to act and keep countermagic or hand disruption on hand—after all, every story has its foil.

Ultimately, while Once Upon a Time can offer a strong start, knowledgeable MTG players can weave their own narratives by anticipating this storybook start and preparing the right counterspell or disruption to write a happy ending for themselves.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the MTG landscape involves knowing your cards and how they intertwine with your playstyle. Once Upon a Time is a versatile card that can bolster various strategies, particularly green-focused decks. Its ability to shape early gameplay and smooth out mana curves makes it a staple for competitive players. Whether your deck thrives on combos or you’re seeking to enhance your opening plays, understanding the nuances of this card is key. To further refine your deck-building skills and gameplay strategies, we welcome you to dive deeper into our resources. Learn more about optimizing your MTG deck with Once Upon a Time and other formidable cards to reign supreme in your next duel.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Once Upon a Time MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Throne of Eldraine, 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 Once Upon a Time and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Once Upon a Time Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2019-10-04. Illustrated by Matt Stewart.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 3712015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
22019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 1692015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
32020-09-26The ListPLST ELD-1692015NormalBlackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Once Upon a Time has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricBanned
LegacyLegal
ModernBanned
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerBanned
GladiatorLegal
PioneerBanned
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-10-04 The earliest opportunity you have to cast Once Upon a Time is during the first player's upkeep, before that player can play a land.