What Happens When You Run Out of Cards in Your Hand in Magic: The Gathering?
The short answer is: nothing bad happens if you run out of cards in your hand in Magic: The Gathering. In fact, having no cards in hand is often a strategic position in the game. Unlike running out of cards in your library (your deck), which can have dire consequences, an empty hand in Magic is simply a state of the game. The primary importance of having cards in hand is to have options to play spells and creatures onto the battlefield. Without a hand, you may be unable to interact with your opponent’s moves or advance your strategy, but there’s no specific penalty for having an empty hand.
However, a lack of cards in hand can lead to a tricky situation. You might find yourself topdecking (relying on luck from the top card of your library), as you have no way to strategically play the game. So while having no cards in hand doesn’t actively hurt you, the lack of options it presents can put you at a disadvantage.
Understanding Hand Size in Magic: The Gathering
The Maximum Hand Size
Most of the time in Magic, you’ll be trying to maintain a healthy hand size. The general rule is that you have a maximum hand size of seven cards. This is enforced at the end of your turn during the cleanup step. If you have more than seven cards in your hand at that point, you must discard down to seven cards. Discarding is a choice you make on which cards to let go; you are not forced to discard any specific card.
Exceptions to the Seven-Card Limit
However, there are exceptions to this rule. Certain cards and game effects can modify or eliminate the maximum hand size. For example, cards like “Reliquary Tower” or “Library of Leng” allow you to have no maximum hand size, meaning you can hold as many cards as you can draw. This is an important consideration when building your deck. If you find yourself drawing cards frequently, it would be beneficial to have a way to store more cards.
What Happens When Your Hand is Empty?
As mentioned before, if you run out of cards in your hand, there are no penalties for this. You’re simply in a situation where you can’t play additional spells or creatures. As long as you’re not required to discard a card from your hand (which is another rule, and not impacted by the number of cards), you are fine. The state of having no cards in your hand is something you should pay attention to during a game since it can be a potential weak spot in your strategy.
Strategic Implications of an Empty Hand
While not a penalty in itself, an empty hand can leave you vulnerable to your opponent’s attacks and spells. You have no immediate way to respond or surprise your opponent. Because you are not holding cards in your hand, your opponent can get a better idea of the position of your board state. Playing with an empty hand can be a strategic move in some situations, but in most cases, you want to have cards in your hand to keep your options open.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 FAQs to provide more clarity about hand management in Magic: The Gathering:
1. What happens if I have more than 7 cards in my hand?
At the end of your turn, during the cleanup step, if you have more than seven cards in your hand, you must discard cards down to a hand size of seven. You choose which cards to discard.
2. Can I have no cards in my hand and still play the game?
Yes, you can play the game with no cards in hand. There’s no penalty for having an empty hand, but it can limit your options. You can still draw a card during your draw step.
3. What does ‘discard’ mean in Magic?
To discard a card means to move it from your hand to your discard pile. Discarding can happen for a variety of reasons, including the cleanup step, specific card effects, and opponent card effects.
4. If I have no cards in my hand, can I still draw a card each turn?
Yes, you still draw a card during your draw step, even if you have no cards in your hand. The draw step is a mandatory part of your turn.
5. What is the ‘cleanup step’?
The cleanup step is the last part of your turn. During this step, you must discard down to a hand size of seven, and damage is removed from creatures.
6. Are there cards that allow me to have no maximum hand size?
Yes, there are several cards that remove the maximum hand size restriction. Reliquary Tower is a popular example. These cards can be very beneficial when used in a deck that focuses on drawing cards.
7. Does drawing a card at the start of the turn help me with an empty hand?
Yes. You will draw one card, filling your hand to 1 card if it was empty.
8. If I run out of cards in my library, do I lose?
No, but things get bad fast. When your deck runs out of cards, every attempt to draw another card will deal you 1 cumulative damage. This can quickly lead to your defeat.
9. What is a ‘topdeck’?
When you have no cards in hand and you draw the top card of your library, this is called a topdeck. This situation can be crucial to the game.
10. Can I discard a card even if my hand is full?
Yes, some card effects may cause you to discard cards, no matter your hand size. If these card effects force you to discard, you must discard even if you have 7 cards. This is an exception to the rules for having too many cards in your hand at the end of your turn.
11. Are there cards that benefit from my opponent having no cards in hand?
Yes, some cards have effects that trigger when an opponent has no cards in hand. These strategies can be very strong.
12. Is it advantageous to play down to an empty hand?
Sometimes, yes. In some strategies, emptying your hand can be beneficial in combination with certain cards, but in most cases, it makes you vulnerable. It’s a balancing act to manage your hand.
13. Can I discard cards during my upkeep step?
Generally, you don’t discard cards during the upkeep step. Discarding to meet the hand size limit happens during the cleanup step. Certain cards may have effects that cause you to discard during your upkeep step, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
14. What does ‘library’ mean in Magic: The Gathering?
The library is your deck of cards, from which you draw cards at the start of your turn. When someone talks about your “library”, they are talking about your deck.
15. Can I look at my discard pile at any time?
Yes, you can look at your discard pile at any time. It’s helpful for remembering what cards you or your opponent have previously played or discarded.
In conclusion, while having an empty hand in Magic: The Gathering isn’t a penalty in itself, it can lead to strategic vulnerabilities. Understanding how hand size works and how to manage it effectively is essential for success in the game. With careful planning and card selection, you can minimize the times you are stuck topdecking, and maximize the power of your hand to control the game.