Noetic Scales MTG Card


Strategically bouncing creatures to hinder opponents’ boards and generate an ongoing advantage. Perfect for decks with low-cost creatures and spells, optimizing mana and hand size. Compatible with instant speed spells, enabling responsive play to the evolving game state.
Noetic Scales - Urza's Saga
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeArtifact
Released1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Saga
Set codeUSG
Number304
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byAndrew Robinson

Text of card

During each player's upkeep, return to owner's hand each creature that player controls with power greater than the number of cards in his or her hand.


Cards like Noetic Scales

Noetic Scales offers a unique control mechanic in Magic: The Gathering, bearing resemblance to other artifacts like Meekstone. Meekstone restricts creatures with high power from untapping, thereby keeping larger threats at bay. Noetic Scales takes a different approach by considering the cards in a player’s hand, which can be highly disruptive to opponents with hand-heavy strategies.

Analogous to Noetic Scales in effect, Pendrell Mists influences the battlefield by imposing a cost on creature presence. While Noetic Scales returns creatures to their owner’s hand based on their hand size, Pendrell Mists requires players to pay for each creature they wish to keep on the field. This creates a taxing environment similar to the hand size management that Noetic Scales enforces.

Considering these comparisons, Noetic Scales holds a distinct position within MTG artifacts dedicated to controlling the flow of creatures on the battlefield. It can be particularly effective against decks that rely heavily on keeping a full grip of cards, making it a worthwhile tool in certain metagames.

Meekstone - MTG Card versions
Pendrell Mists - MTG Card versions
Meekstone - MTG Card versions
Pendrell Mists - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Noetic Scales by color, type and mana cost

Jayemdae Tome - MTG Card versions
Juggernaut - MTG Card versions
Jade Monolith - MTG Card versions
Jade Statue - MTG Card versions
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Icy Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Grinning Totem - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Processor - MTG Card versions
Patagia Golem - MTG Card versions
Lodestone Myr - MTG Card versions
Lich's Tomb - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions
Synod Centurion - MTG Card versions
Jade Idol - MTG Card versions
Ur-Golem's Eye - MTG Card versions
Jester's Cap - MTG Card versions
Bottled Cloister - MTG Card versions
Rod of Ruin - MTG Card versions
Gnarled Effigy - MTG Card versions
Jayemdae Tome - MTG Card versions
Juggernaut - MTG Card versions
Jade Monolith - MTG Card versions
Jade Statue - MTG Card versions
Mightstone - MTG Card versions
Dancing Scimitar - MTG Card versions
Icy Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Grinning Totem - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Processor - MTG Card versions
Patagia Golem - MTG Card versions
Lodestone Myr - MTG Card versions
Lich's Tomb - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions
Synod Centurion - MTG Card versions
Jade Idol - MTG Card versions
Ur-Golem's Eye - MTG Card versions
Jester's Cap - MTG Card versions
Bottled Cloister - MTG Card versions
Rod of Ruin - MTG Card versions
Gnarled Effigy - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Noetic Scales provides a persistent battlefield effect that can lead to indirect card advantage. By continually returning creatures to their owners’ hands, you ensure that your opponents must repeatedly spend mana to redeploy their threats, which can effectively nullify their board presence and put you ahead.

Resource Acceleration: This card is ideal for decks focused on resource acceleration. Players who build around Noetic Scales can optimize their mana usage by laying down low-cost creatures or spells, keeping their hand sizes small while their opponents struggle with maintaining a board through the scales’ disruptive ability.

Instant Speed: Though Noetic Scales itself is not an instant, it synergizes well with instant speed interactions. It allows you to adjust your strategies in response to the board state at the end of your opponent’s turn, ensuring you have the smallest hand when the ability resolves. Moreover, this can be paired with spells that opponents cast at instant speed, compelling them to either hold back cards or play into your strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Noetic Scales demands that you bounce creatures to their owner’s hand unless their controller discards cards from their hand. This can backfire by depleting your hand, leaving you in a tough spot especially when facing opponents who thrive on empty-handed strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Noetic Scales has an activation requirement of a specific mana type, which might not always align with your deck’s color scheme. This can limit the card’s versatility and integration into various deck builds, ultimately affecting its utility on the battlefield.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana to cast, the scales might seem steep when weighed against other artifacts that activate for less and offer comparable, if not superior, effects. In a game where tempo is king, the opportunity cost of deploying Noetic Scales can be considerable, often prompting players to opt for lower-cost alternatives to maintain momentum.


Reasons to Include Noetic Scales in Your Collection

Versatility: Noetic Scales provides an unexpected form of board control that can be adapted to various play styles. It punishes decks with high-power creatures and fits well into control strategies that maintain card advantage and low creature power.

Combo Potential: This card offers immense synergy with strategies that temporarily reduce the power of your opponents’ creatures, ensuring their return to the hand. It can also work well with setups that encourage opponents to overextend their hand, leaving them vulnerable to your Scales.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames heavy with creature-based strategies, Noetic Scales serves as a unique equalizer. Its presence can tilt the battlefield in your favor against decks that rapidly deploy high-power creatures, making it a distinctive tool for the current competitive landscape.


How to beat

Noetic Scales is an intriguing artifact in Magic: The Gathering that can influence the board state by returning creatures with power higher than the number of cards in their controller’s hand to their owner’s hand during the upkeep. As such, it’s pivotal to adapt your strategy to maintain control over its effects. A straightforward tactic is to keep your hand size considerable to prevent your creatures from being targeted. Low-powered creatures or those with abilities that trigger when they enter or leave the battlefield could also effectively circumvent the scales’ influence.

Alternatively, decks that run instant-speed card draw or flash creatures can manipulate the timing to ensure their hand size is sufficient only when necessary, like right before the Noetic Scales trigger. Cards that allow for no maximum hand size, like Reliquary Tower or Thought Vessel, can also nullify the scales’ condition. Moreover, focusing on non-creature strategies or leaning on abilities such as hexproof to safeguard your important creatures can further secure your position against Noetic Scales. Keep these strategies in mind, and you’ll deftly navigate the scales to keep them tipped in your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Noetic Scales MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Noetic Scales and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Noetic Scales has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Noetic Scales card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2004-10-04 The number of cards in hand is counted on resolution of the ability.