Painful Quandary
Scars of Mirrodin 73 • rare
- Set
- Scars of Mirrodin
- Collector number
- 73
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 3 generic mana black mana black mana
- Type
- Enchantment
- Colors
- Black
- Artist
- Whit Brachna
- Market price
- $2.66
What it does
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, that player loses 5 life unless they discard a card.
"For each word spoken, one forgotten. For each thought, a memory rotten."— Moriok incantation
Where you can play it
- StandardLegal
- PioneerLegal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlLegal
- HistoricLegal
- TimelessLegal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
Search for Painful Quandary on the marketplaces collectors use.
Listings from external marketplaces. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
Where it came from
Painful Quandary was released in 2010 as part of the Scars of Mirrodin expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. It was designed during a period when Wizards of the Coast was revisiting the plane of Mirrodin, a metallic world undergoing a transformation due to the influence of the corrupting Phyrexian oil. Mechanically, the card was intended to embody the oppressive and taxing nature of the Phyrexian ideology, forcing opponents to make difficult resource management decisions each time they cast a spell.
The artwork for the card was created by Aleksi Briclot, a prolific contributor to the game known for his atmospheric and often menacing depictions of fantasy landscapes and entities. Briclot utilized a palette that emphasizes the cold, industrial aesthetic of New Phyrexia, focusing on the visual theme of internal psychological distress manifest in a physical, oily form. The card remains a notable example of the set's thematic commitment to 'compleation,' where flavor and mechanics are tightly interwoven to represent the inevitable decay of the Mirrodin plane.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
Real cards collectors on collecto.rs who have this in their public collection.
About Painful Quandary
Painful Quandary is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Scars of Mirrodin 73 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
How many collectors track Painful Quandary on collecto.rs?
Painful Quandary doesn't have any public collectors on collecto.rs yet. Sign up to add it and become the first.
Can I track my own copy of Painful Quandary?
Yes. collecto.rs is free — sign up to log your card, upload photos, record condition, edition, and acquisition cost, and connect with other magic: the gathering collectors. Your collection stays private by default.
Where does the Painful Quandary catalog entry come from?
The catalog entry for Painful Quandary is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.
Is collecto.rs cards tracking free?
Yes. Tracking your cards is free — no paid tier required to catalog items, upload photos, or share your collection.
Track every card you own
Free. Fun. Collection photos, notes, organization, value tracking, friends — all in one place.
Sign up free
