Alt con

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Alt Con
Mechanic
Introduced Ice Age
Last used Bloomburrow
Commander Decks
Scryfall Statistics

Alt cons is the name given by R&D to cards which provide an alternate win or loss condition.[1]

Description

Alt cons are generally categorized into three separate effects.

  1. Alternate win conditions provide additional means for winning the game other than reducing all opponents life totals to zero.[2] An alternate win condition is also called a wincon.[3]
  2. Alternate loss conditions are cards which let their controller lose the game.[4]
  3. Alternate draw conditions will cause the game to result in a draw. Nowadays, R&D avoids making draw effects.[5]

Alt cons are generally permanents, with triggered abilities which explicitly state that their controller wins or loses if certain conditions are met. Some such cards state that another player loses the game, which may not immediately end a multiplayer game. Alt loss cons, especially spell-based ones, are generally a way to enforce a payment or event that could be exploited or can't be enforced by the rules otherwise. Alt con cards tend to be printed at rare, but rarely at mythic rare.[6][7] The first mythic rare card with alternative win condition was printed in Dragon's Maze with Maze's End.

The use of poison counters in sets without a combat poison mechanic is a loose collective of alt cons that reward a player that completes a certain action multiple times, often five iterations of generating two counters each. They act like other iteration-based alt cons in this regard. They are often the only source of poison counters in their own Limited format but can be combined with others in larger formats.

Alternate win conditions

Card Colors Set Condition
Angel of Destiny White mana Zendikar Rising At the beginning of your end step, if you have at least 15 life more than your starting life total, each player Angel of Destiny attacked this turn loses the game.
Amulet of Quoz Colorless mana Ice Age Target opponent may ante the top card of his or her library. If he or she doesn't, you flip a coin. If you win the flip, that player loses the game. If you lose the flip, you lose the game. Activate this ability only during your upkeep.
Approach of the Second Sun White mana Amonkhet If Approach of the Second Sun was cast from your hand and you cast another spell named Approach of the Second Sun this game, you win the game.
As Luck Would Have It Green mana Unstable If there are 100 or more luck counters on As Luck Would Have It, you win the game.
Atemsis, All-Seeing Blue mana Core Set 2020 Whenever Atemsis, All-Seeing deals damage to an opponent, you may reveal your hand. If cards with at least six different mana values are revealed this way, that player loses the game.
Azor's Elocutors W/U Return to Ravnica At the beginning of your upkeep, put a filibuster counter on Azor's Elocutors. Then if Azor's Elocutors has five or more filibuster counters on it, you win the game.
Barren Glory White mana Future Sight At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no permanents other than Barren Glory and have no cards in hand, you win the game.
Battle of Wits Blue mana Odyssey At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 200 or more cards in your library, you win the game.
Biovisionary Green manaBlue mana Gatecrash At the beginning of the end step, if you control four or more creatures named Biovisionary, you win the game.
Call the Spirit Dragons White manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana Tarkir: Dragonstorm If you put +1/+1 counters on five dragons, you win the game.
Celestial Convergence White mana Prophecy At the beginning of your upkeep, remove an omen counter from Celestial Convergence. If there are no omen counters on Celestial Convergence, the player with the highest life total wins the game. If two or more players are tied for highest life total, the game is a draw.
Chance Encounter Red mana Odyssey At the beginning of your upkeep, if Chance Encounter has ten or more luck counters on it, you win the game.
The Cheese Stands Alone White mana Unglued If you control no cards in play other than The Cheese Stands Alone and have no cards in your hand, you win the game.
The Cinematic Phoenix Black manaRed mana Heroes of the Realm Tap six untapped creatures you control: Return The Cinematic Phoenix from your graveyard to the battlefield. If you tapped six legendary creatures this way, you win the game.
Coalition Victory White manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana Invasion You win the game if you control a land of each basic land type and a creature of each color.
Darksteel Reactor Colorless mana Darksteel When Darksteel Reactor has twenty or more charge counters on it, you win the game.
The Deck of Many Things Colorless mana Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms 20 | Put a creature card from any graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. When that creature dies, its owner loses the game.
Door to Nothingness White manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana Fifth Dawn Target player loses the game.
Epic Struggle Green mana Judgment At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control twenty or more creatures, you win the game.
Ersta, Friend to All White manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana Heroes of the Realm -8: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control twenty or more Wizards, you win the game."
Etrata, the Silencer Blue manaBlack mana Guilds of Ravnica Whenever Etrata deals combat damage to a player, exile target creature that player controls and put a hit counter on that card. That player loses the game if they own three or more exiled cards with hit counters on them.
Felidar Sovereign White mana Zendikar At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 40 or more life, you win the game.
Form of the Approach of the Second Sun White mana Unfinity When you draw yourself, you win the game.
Frodo, Sauron's Bane White mana The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game if the Ring has tempted you four or more times this game.
Gallifrey Stands White manaBlue mana Doctor Who At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a Doctor creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. Then if you control thirteen or more Doctors, you win the game.
Halo Fountain White mana Streets of New Capenna White manaWhite manaWhite manaWhite manaWhite mana, The tap symbol., Untap fifteen tapped creatures you control: You win the game.
Happily Ever After White mana Throne of Eldraine At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are five colors among permanents you control, there are six or more card types among permanents you control and/or cards in your graveyard, and your life total is greater than or equal to your starting life total, you win the game.
Hedron Alignment Blue mana Oath of the Gatewatch At the beginning of your upkeep, you may reveal your hand. If you do, you win the game if you own a card named Hedron Alignment in exile, in your hand, in your graveyard, and on the battlefield.
Helix Pinnacle Green mana Eventide At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are 100 or more tower counters on Helix Pinnacle, you win the game.
Hellkite Tyrant Red mana Gatecrash At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control twenty or more artifacts, you win the game.
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries Blue mana War of the Spark Static effect: If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.
-8: Draw seven cards. Then if your library has no cards in it, you win the game.
Laboratory Maniac Blue mana Innistrad If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.
Liliana's Contract Black mana Core Set 2019 If you control four or more Demons with different names, you win the game.
Luck Bobblehead Colorless mana Fallout 1 generic mana, The tap symbol.: Roll X six-sided dice, where X is the number of Bobbleheads you control. Create a tapped Treasure token for each even result. If you rolled 6 exactly seven times, you win the game.
Mayael's Aria Red manaGreen manaWhite mana Alara Reborn At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control if you control a creature with power 5 or greater. Then you gain 10 life if you control a creature with power 10 or greater. Then you win the game if you control a creature with power 20 or greater.
Maze's End Colorless mana Dragon's Maze If you control ten or more Gates with different names, you win the game.
Mechanized Production Blue mana Aether Revolt At the beginning of your upkeep, create a token that's a copy of enchanted artifact. Then if you control eight or more artifacts with the same name as one another, you win the game.
Mirrodin Besieged Blue mana Modern Horizons At the beginning of your end step, draw a card, then discard a card. Then if there are fifteen or more artifact cards in your graveyard, target opponent loses the game.
Mortal Combat Black mana Torment At the beginning of your upkeep, if twenty or more creature cards are in your graveyard, you win the game.
Near-Death Experience White mana Rise of the Eldrazi At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have exactly 1 life, you win the game.
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God Blue manaBlack manaRed mana War of the Spark -8: Each opponent who doesn't control a legendary creature or planeswalker loses the game.
Now I Know My ABC's Blue mana Unhinged At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control permanents with names that include all twenty-six letters of the English alphabet, you win the game.
Phage the Untouchable Black mana Legions Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.
All cards that give poison counters (incl. Infect/Poisonous/Toxic). Colorless manaWhite manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana Various When an opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game.
Princess Twilight Sparkle White manaBlue mana Ponies: The Galloping White manaBlue manaBlack manaRed manaGreen mana: If you control Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, everypony wins the game.
Promising Stairs 2 generic manaBlue mana Duskmourn: House of Horror At the beginning of your upkeep, surveil 1. You win the game if there are eight or more different names among unlocked doors of Rooms you control.
Ramses, Assassin Lord Blue manaBlack mana Dominaria United Whenever a player loses the game, if they were attacked this turn by an Assassin you controlled, you win the game.
Revel in Riches Black mana Ixalan At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control ten or more Treasures, you win the game.
Simic Ascendancy Green manaBlue mana Ravnica Allegiance At the beginning of your upkeep, if Simic Ascendancy has twenty or more growth counters on it, you win the game.
Sinner's Judgment White mana Innistrad: Crimson Vow At the beginning of your upkeep, put a judgment counter on Sinner’s Judgment. Then if there are three or more judgment counters on it, enchanted player loses the game.
Strixhaven Stadium Colorless mana Strixhaven: School of Mages Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, put a point counter on Strixhaven Stadium. Then if it has ten or more point counters on it, remove them all and that player loses the game.
Test of Endurance White mana Judgment At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life, you win the game.
Thassa's Oracle Blue mana Theros Beyond Death If your devotion to blue is greater than or equal to the number of cards in your library, you win the game.
Topdeck the Halls Red manaWhite mana Holiday card At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control twelve or more decorated permanents, you win the game.
Triskaidekaphile Blue mana Innistrad: Midnight Hunt At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have exactly thirteen cards in your hand, you win the game.
Twenty-Toed Toad Blue mana Bloomburrow Commander decks Whenever Twenty-Toed Toad attacks, you win the game if there are twenty or more counters on it or you have twenty or more cards in hand.
Vessel of the All-Consuming Black manaRed mana Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Whenever Vessel of the All-Consuming deals damage to a player, if it has dealt 10 or more damage to that player this turn, they lose the game.
Vorpal Sword Black mana Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms 5 generic manaBlack manaBlack manaBlack mana: Until end of turn, Vorpal Sword gains "Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game."
Vraska the Unseen Black manaGreen mana Return to Ravnica -7: Create three 1/1 black Assassin creature tokens with “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.”
Vraska, Golgari Queen Black manaGreen mana Guilds of Ravnica -9: You get an emblem with “Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.”
Vraska, Scheming Gorgon Black mana Rivals of Ixalan -10: Until end of turn, creatures you control gain deathtouch, and “Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, that player loses the game.”
^†Oracle text as of April 2023.
^‡This effect causes one or more other players to lose the game, which can cause their controller to win the game.

Alternate loss conditions

Card Colors Set Condition
A Good Thing White manaBlack mana Mystery Booster If you have 1,000 or more life, you lose the game.
Alchemist's Gambit Red mana Innistrad: Crimson Vow Take an extra turn after this one. During that turn, damage can't be prevented. [At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game].
Amulet of Quoz Colorless mana Ice Age Target opponent may ante the top card of his or her library. If he or she doesn't, you flip a coin. If you win the flip, that player loses the game.
If you lose the flip, you lose the game. Activate this ability only during your upkeep.
Archfiend of the Dross Black mana Phyrexia: All Will Be One At the beginning of your upkeep, remove an oil counter from Archfiend of the Dross. Then if it has no oil counters on it, you lose the game.
Chance for Glory Red manaWhite mana Guilds of Ravnica [4] Creatures you control gain indestructible. Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.
Demonic Pact Black mana Magic Origins At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one that hasn't been chosen —
• Demonic Pact deals 4 damage to any target and you gain 4 life.
• Target opponent discards two cards.
• Draw two cards.
• You lose the game.
Enduring Angel White mana Innistrad: Midnight Hunt If your life total would be reduced to 0 or less, instead transform Enduring Angel and your life total becomes 3. Then if Enduring Angel didn’t transform this way, you lose the game.
Final Fortune Red mana Mirage Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.
Forbidden Crypt Black mana Mirage If you would draw a card, return a card from your graveyard to your hand instead. If you can't, you lose the game.
Form of the Squirrel Green mana Unhinged As Form of the Squirrel enters, create a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token. You lose the game when that creature leaves the battlefield.
Glorious End Red mana Amonkhet End the turn. At the beginning of your next end step, you lose the game.
Immortal Coil Black mana Shards of Alara When there are no cards in your graveyard, you lose the game.
Intervention Pact White mana Future Sight[8] At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay 1 generic manaWhite manaWhite mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Last Chance Red mana Portal Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.
Lich Black mana Limited Edition Whenever you're dealt damage, sacrifice that many nontoken permanents. If you can't, you lose the game.

When Lich is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you lose the game.
Lich's Mastery Black mana Dominaria When Lich's Mastery leaves the battlefield, you lose the game.
Nefarious Lich Black mana Odyssey If damage would be dealt to you, exile that many cards from your graveyard instead. If you can't, you lose the game.

When Nefarious Lich leaves the battlefield, you lose the game.
Nine Lives White mana Core Set 2021 When Nine Lives leaves the battlefield, you lose the game.
One With Death Black mana Mystery Booster You lose the game.
Out of the Tombs Black mana Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, instead return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. If you can't, you lose the game.
Pact of Negation Blue mana Future Sight[8] At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay 3 generic manaBlue manaBlue mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Pact of the Titan Red mana Future Sight[8] At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay 4 generic manaRed mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Phage the Untouchable Black mana Legions When Phage the Untouchable enters the battlefield, if you didn't cast it from your hand, you lose the game.
Phyrexian Vatmother Black mana Mirrodin Besieged When a player has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game.
Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug Red mana Unhinged Super haste (This may attack the turn before you play it. (You may put this card into play from your hand, tapped and attacking, during your declare attackers step.
If you do, you lose the game at the end of your next turn unless you pay this card's mana cost during that turn.))
Seek Bolas's Counsel Blue manaBlack manaRed mana Mystery Booster At the beginning of your upkeep, pay Blue manaBlack manaRed mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Slaughter Pact Black mana Future Sight[8] At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay 2 generic manaBlack mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Summoner's Pact Green mana Future Sight[8] At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay 2 generic manaGreen manaGreen mana. If you don't, you lose the game.
Transcendence White mana Torment When you have 20 or more life, you lose the game.
Triskaidekaphobia Black mana Shadows over Innistrad At the beginning of your upkeep, each player with exactly 13 life loses the game.
Warrior's Oath Red mana Portal Three Kingdoms Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.
^†Oracle text as at April 2023.

Alternate draw conditions

Card Colors Set Condition
Celestial Convergence White mana Prophecy At the beginning of your upkeep, remove an omen counter from Celestial Convergence. If there are no omen counters on Celestial Convergence, the player with the highest life total wins the game. If two or more players are tied for highest life total, the game is a draw.
Divine Intervention White mana Legends When you remove the last intervention counter from Divine Intervention, the game is a draw.

References

  1. Magic Arcana (August 15, 2005). "Let Me Count the Ways...". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021.
  2. Mark Rosewater (September 7, 2024). "Are alt wincon cards like Promising Stairs independent of the color pie?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  3. a b Mark Rosewater (September 24, 2018). "Stories from the City". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Mark Rosewater (October 22, 2019). "What if it was 'deal 20 damage to each player"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. Mark Rosewater (September 12, 2017). "Why do you print alternate win condition cards at rare?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  6. Mark Rosewater (September 12, 2017). ""We do it this way" is not a reason!". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  7. a b c d e Magic Arcana (June 07, 2007). "No Really, You'll Lose the Game". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022.