Sorcery, U (1) Psychic Purge deals 1 damage to target creature or player. When a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard Psychic Purge, that player loses 5 life.1
Illus. Susan Van Camp
The loss of life cannot be prevented by any means. It is not damage. [bethmo 1994/06/15]
Not triggered by effects which cause the hand to be reshuffled into the library like Winds of Change, but is triggered by effects which say to discard entire hand such as Wheel of Fortune. [Aahz 1994/06/16]
Not triggered by payment of costs like Land's Edge. [D'Angelo 1995/10/11]
Is triggered even if the discard goes to the top of your library because of the Library of Leng. [WotC Rules Team 1995/05/10]
It is not triggered if Psychic Purge is countered and thereby sent to the graveyard. [Duelist Magazine #2, Page 9] This is not a discard. [Duelist Magazine #4, Page 64]
Extended tournaments (see Rule 803) have always banned this card.
Legends
(Common)