mana screw

alternative mana-screw · alternative manascrew

1. uncountableMagic: The GatheringThe condition of having an insufficient supply of (the correct color of) mana.

   Because he knows how to design his deck to avoid mana screw (or the opposite and usually equally deadly mana glut).

   1997 May 22, Johnny Ace, “Re: My mana screw proposal: a defense”, in rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (Usenet)

   2 more examples

   Also, I think that not enough shuffling in Magic tends to result in very poor hands, characterized by mana screw or mana flood.

   1999 August 9, Ben Kidwell, “Re: Stat:Randomness Theory [Was Cheating S.O.Bs]”, in rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (Usenet)

   This is why we occasionally experience "mana screw" (too little mana) and "mana flood" (too much mana), even though the mana sources are randomly distributed throughout the deck.

   2002 February 15, John Hwang, “Re: Traumatize/Haunting Echoes (was Type 2 deck)”, in rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (Usenet)

present singular third person mana screws · participle present mana screwing · participle past mana screwed · past mana screwed · alternative mana-screw · alternative manascrew

1. Magic: The GatheringTo affect with this condition.

   Game 1 and 2 I get horribly manascrewed. I never have more than 2 lands.

   1997 November 11, Manuel Bevand, “GP Como (Italy) Report”, in rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (Usenet)

   2 more examples

   Opponent, on the other hand, can't cast more than one spell a turn without manascrewing himself (less than that if you have multiple Breaches), and can never use the Oath or even dump his hand to prevent you from using it.

   , Chris Byler, “Re: [G-Tech] A real try at Oath of Scholars”, in rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (Usenet)

   In game 2, I am again sort of manascrewed, as I am held to 3 lands, 2 Springs and a Mountain.

   2006, Michael J. Flores, Deckade: 10 Years of Decks, Thoughts, and Theory!, To Be Continued LLC (2006), page 8 (originally posted 13 October 1996 on Usenet)