Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Tech choices for dealing with this five-fold conundrum
Magic: The Gathering loves a good toolbox card, but when the toolbox comes with five different hammers, you’re talking strategic chaos with a side of rulebook giggles. Who // What // When // Where // Why from Unsanctioned is a rare, five-faced instant that lets you pick one precise answer to any tabletop headache: life gain, artifact destruction, creature-counter magic, land destruction, or enchantment removal. It’s a playful reminder that the best tech in a game night is often adaptability. And yes, the card’s multi-face design—{X}{W} for life gain on Who, {2}{R} for artifact destruction on What, {2}{U} for countering a creature spell on When, {3}{B} for land destruction on Where, and {1}{G} for enchantment removal on Why—means you’re building toward a plan that can morph on a dime depending on who’s at the table and what else is on the board 🧙🔥💎⚔️.
First and foremost, acknowledge the set’s playful pedigree. Unsanctioned isn’t a sanctioned format, but its five-faced instant is a prime example of design whimsy done right. It’s rare, it’s color-flexible (color identity includes all five colors), and it’s a reminder that sometimes the best answers are the ones you tailor on the fly. The card’s lore-friendly aura—crafted by Dan Frazier in a tongue-in-cheek universe—invites you to lean into the moment rather than fight it. That spirit translates beautifully into strategy: you don’t just plan for a single line of attack; you prepare for a spectrum of possibilities, each with its own mana cost and impact. And in a table full of conversations, this is the sort of spell that sparks them while you keep your board intact 🎲🎨.
Face-by-face tech considerations
To get maximum mileage from this multi-face artifact, you’ll want to think in terms of tempo, resources, and board state. Here’s a practical breakdown of when to cast which face and what to watch for:
- Who — Target player gains X life ({X}{W})
- What — Destroy target artifact ({2}{R})
- When — Counter target creature spell ({2}{U})
- Where — Destroy target land ({3}{B})
- Why — Destroy target enchantment ({1}{G})
Life gain is a classic equalizer—great when you’re behind and the table is teetering on a burn finish. The key tech here is choosing the right X and leveraging life as a resource buffer. If you’re playing a control shell or a life-gain deck, this face can swing life totals into sustainable territory, letting you stabilize through sweeping threats or a long grind. Pro-tip: in multiplayer, the life you grant might be targeted at a player who’s about to swing the game toward a coalition, so weigh who benefits most from a longer game. 🧙🔥
Artifact destruction is a classic tempo tool. If there’s a pesky mana-rock or a troublesome card with a continuous effect, this face gives you direct removal at a predictable cost. In tables heavy with Eldrazi temple-analogues or investment artifacts, the timing matters—don’t blow it on a harmless mana rock when you could cripplingly hit a strip-mine analogue. If you’re running a red-heavy or artifact-hungry build, this face doubles as a strategic answer to stale boards and a moment to spike your own advantage with tempo plays.
Counter magic in a five-color spell is a delicious thread to pull. Countering a key creature spell can halt a game-turn swing, protect a fragile plan, or deny a board-state you simply can’t interact with through combat. This face invites you to lean into blue’s core identity—anticipation, sequencing, and knowledge of what’s coming next. In practice, you’ll want to save a counter window for the biggest threats and use other tools to handle surprises. It’s not always about negating the biggest threat; sometimes it’s about delaying the moment you fall into a bad topdeck spiral ⚔️.
Land destruction is a dramatic but situationally potent move. In casual play, this can mute a fast combo or disrupt a mana base that’s rolling at peak speed. In formats where mana acceleration matters, destroying a single key land can shift the game’s tempo decisively. The drawback? You’re potentially throwing a wrench into your own plans if you misread the table. The mood of the room matters here—land destruction shines when used judiciously as a late-game pivot to slow down a multi-color threat or to push a game toward a final stretch where you can out-value the table.
Enchantments can be the glue that binds a strategy together—Auras, durarive auras, or global anthem effects. Removing an enchantment is often a clean, targeted removal that allows you to regain parity in board presence. This face is particularly potent against problematic enchantments and prison-style jail effects that slow your plan. Green’s familiar penchant for resource-friendly removal dovetails with other colors when you’re hunting the right spell at the right moment. It’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest tool—the most literal “un-do”—is the best answer to a sticky enchantment problem 🧙♀️🎨.
Building around the chaos
In practice, the right deckbuilding approach is to embrace flexibility. You don’t want to rely on a single plan; you want a spectrum of routes that can be executed as the situation evolves. Consider a board that’s light on fragile, high-cost combos and heavy on resilient threats that can weather a removal or two. You’ll want a backup plan for life gain to weather burn-heavy tables, strengthened counter-magic to stall dangerous plays, and diversified removal to handle a wide array of problematic permanents. The card’s 13 total mana value when fully considered (the combined faces) is a playful reminder that the most entertaining games come from flexible play—not a single slam-dunk line, but a menu you can choose from depending on the vibe of the night 🧙♂️💎.
Design notes and flavor lore
Dan Frazier’s art on this multi-face instant exudes a kind of mischievous wizardry—the kind of image that makes you grin at the table and rethink how you’ll spend your next turn. The Un- set’s playful spirit shines through in its rules-bending concept: a single card that offers five distinct responses, each with its own color identity and flavor. It’s not about perfect balance; it’s about celebrating the chaotic joy of tabletop magic, where a well-timed counter can be as satisfying as a dramatic life swing or a well-aimed disenchant. This is the kind of card that fuels stories—like the time someone countered a creature spell with a face you didn’t expect and the room erupted in laughter 🎲🎨.
Value, collectibility, and where to grab it
As a rare from the Undisclosed/Unsanctioned era, this card sits at a niche intersection of nostalgia and novelty. In practical terms, its paper-only release keeps it out of most sanctioned formats, but for collectors and casual players who love quirky cards, it’s a delightful centerpiece. The market price sits modestly soft, reflecting its playful nature rather than power-driven competitiveness, with those who appreciate the humor and design likely to value its story above raw gameplay impact. The art, rarity, and the concept of a five-face instant ensure it remains a conversation piece at game nights and a fun centerpiece for your MTG collection 🧙♀️💎.
For players who enjoy blending rule-bending fun with practical table management, this card is a playful reminder that tech choices in MTG aren’t just about raw power—they’re about timing, personality, and the shared laughter around the table. If you’re coordinating a night of quirky replays or planning a casual event, this card is a fantastic centerpiece to spark conversation, debate, and a few good-natured arguments about what “counts” as the right answer in a given moment. And if you’re looking to pair your MTG hobby with everyday tech, consider this: a sturdy phone case with a card holder (MagSafe-compatible) keeps your deck notes, price guides, and play checkpoints within arm’s reach while you shuffle, debate, and roll the dice of fate 🎲🧙🔥.
Pro players might test a playlist of sideboard tech: - Bring in targeted removal for artifacts and enchantments as needed. - Keep a plan for life gain to outlast burn or stall. - Maintain a comfortable tempo with counter magic for creature heavy boards. - Exploit lands with a measured hand to slow down multi-color strategies. - Use this card as a social engine at the table to encourage creative plays and memorable moments.