Painful Truths MTG Card


Provides substantial card advantage, drawing three cards which can strategize and outmaneuver opponents. Demands specific mana costs and can require inconvenient discards, affecting deck fluidity and tempo. Excels in multi-colored decks, enhancing its potential as a versatile addition to diverse collections.
Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Converge

Text of card

Converge — You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to cast this spell.

As the Eldrazi spread, no secret that could give Zendikar's defenders an advantage was considered too dangerous to seek.


Cards like Painful Truths

Painful Truths has established itself as a potent card draw option in Magic the Gathering. It’s often compared to Read the Bones and Night’s Whisper, both of which offer the player additional cards in hand. Painful Truths, with its convergence mechanic, demands a more diverse mana base to draw three cards with a life loss of three. This can be particularly advantageous in multicolored decks where mana diversity is a given.

In contrast, Read the Bones allows players to scry two cards before drawing, giving a slight edge in card selection but offering only two cards for the same amount of life. Night’s Whisper is even more straightforward, costing less mana for two cards immediately, but the absence of a scry or draw flexibility makes it less dynamic. While it is an efficient draw mechanism, it lacks the sheer volume of cards that Painful Truths provides when maximized.

Ultimately, Painful Truths shines in environments where the mana can support it, providing a significant boost in card advantage essential for any strategy aiming to outpace and outdraw the opponent. The versatility in multicolored decks makes it a compelling choice for players seeking to optimize their draw potential.

Read the Bones - MTG Card versions
Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions
Read the Bones - MTG Card versions
Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Painful Truths by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Inquisition - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Inquisition - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Abzan Amalia ComboAbzan Amalia Combo PioneerAbzan Amalia ComboPioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-04
Four-color MidrangeFour-color Midrange LegacyMO78#CS

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Painful Truths stands out as a source of card advantage, providing the opportunity to draw three cards with a single cast. This can be a significant boost, putting you ahead of opponents in terms of options and strategies.

Resource Acceleration: Even though Painful Truths doesn’t directly create mana or tokens, it can be considered a form of resource acceleration. Drawing into additional lands or ramp spells can indirectly speed up your mana development and overall game plan.

Instant Speed: While Painful Truths is a sorcery, it plays well with other instant-speed cards by refilling your hand. This ensures that even after spending your turn casting it, you’re well-prepared for any surprises during your opponent’s turn with a refreshed hand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Casting Painful Truths often requires you to discard a card as part of its color identity clause, specifically if you are not running a three color deck. This can be disadvantageous, particularly when your hand is sparse or the discarded card is of high value.

Specific Mana Cost: Painful Truths demands a precise mana configuration—one colorless and two others each of different colors—to harness its maximum potential. This makes the card somewhat rigid and potentially cumbersome for decks not boasting a tri-color array or an efficient mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the draw three cards effect, the three mana investment is at the higher end when juxtaposed with other draw spells in MTG. This can affect your tempo, especially when facing fast-paced opponents or when trying to maintain board presence.


Reasons to Include Painful Truths in Your Collection

Versatility: Painful Truths offers adaptability across multiple deck builds with its straightforward card-drawing mechanism, proving valuable in any strategy that thrives on maintaining a full hand.

Combo Potential: The card stands out for its synergy with life-loss strategies, enabling plays that can benefit from both replenishing resources and setting up conditions advantageous for certain combos.

Meta-Relevance: In shifting metagames where control and midrange decks are prevalent, the efficiency of Painful Truths in drawing cards can outpace opponents and gain the edge needed to win.


How to Beat Painful Truths

Painful Truths stands out in the realm of card draws in Magic: The Gathering as a potentially high reward spell. It taps into the Converge mechanic, allowing players to draw cards equal to the number of mana colors used to cast it. However, it does come with the downside of losing life equal to the number of cards drawn. This presents an interesting challenge for opponents who seek to minimize the impact of this spell.

To outmaneuver Painful Truths, consider employing strategies that disrupt your opponent’s mana base, limiting their ability to utilize multiple colors and thus reducing the potency of the card draw. Spell quellers or counterspells like Negate can shut down this sorcery before it takes effect, preventing the potential card advantage. In addition, increasing the cost of your opponent’s spells through cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben can hinder their ability to cast Painful Truths efficiently. Keeping pressure on their life total also makes the cost of Painful Truths more daunting, creating a situation where the risk may outweigh the reward for your adversary.

When it comes to rattling an opponent wielding Painful Truths, the keys are disruption, pressure, and calculated interference at the opportune moment. By focusing on these elements, you can effectively neutralize the threat and maintain an upper hand in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Optimizing your MTG deck with the right mix of cards is crucial for outsmarting opponents, and Painful Truths can be a game-changer by offering robust card advantage. Drawing three cards can significantly refresh your hand, providing the resources needed for that strategic edge. However, carefully consider its mana demands and life cost when integrating it into your deck. If you’re intrigued by the potential of Painful Truths or are keen on discovering more about similar cards and strategies to enhance your gameplay, dive deeper with us. Expand your collection and gameplay wisdom; let Painful Truths lead you to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Painful Truths MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar Promos and Battle for Zendikar 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 Painful Truths and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Painful Truths Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by Winona Nelson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 120p2015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
22015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 120s2015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
32015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 1202015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
42017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1182015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
52020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1342015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
62022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 2552015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
72022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1162015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
82023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 952015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
92023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 2622015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
102024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 1462015NormalBlackWinona Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Painful Truths has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-08-25 If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied.
2015-08-25 If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the mana spent to pay those costs will count. For example, if an effect makes sorcery spells cost more to cast, you could pay to cast Radiant Flames and deal 4 damage to each creature.
2015-08-25 If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero.
2015-08-25 The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend.
2015-08-25 Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can't choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can't ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana.