A-Psionic Snoop MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Rogue |
| Abilities | Connive, Flash |
| Released | 2022-04-29 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Streets of New Capenna |
| Set code | SNC |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | A-53 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Marcela Medeiros |
Text of card
Flash When Psionic Snoop enters the battlefield, it connives. (Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
She knows your next move before you do.
Cards like A-Psionic Snoop
A-Psionic Snoop boasts unique capabilities in the dense landscape of blue creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It shares thematic similarities with cards like Augury Owl and Sage Owl, which both carry the ability to arrange the top cards of a library upon entering the battlefield. A-Psionic Snoop, however, adds an innovative layer by allowing you to play with the top card of your library revealed, and you may cast the top card if it’s a sorcery or instant.
Glaring similarities can also be seen with fan-favorite creatures like Goblin Electromancer, which reduces the cost of sorcery and instant spells. While A-Psionic Snoop does not reduce costs, the ability to play spells from the library could potentially offer a card advantage. Delving further, we encounter Melek, Izzet Paragon, which not only reveals the top card but also duplicates any instant or sorcery spells cast from the library. This can lead to powerful combinations, albeit at a higher casting cost compared to A-Psionic Snoop.
Evaluating A-Psionic Snoop against its counterparts, it becomes apparent that while each card offers value in manipulating the flow of sorcery and instant spells, A-Psionic Snoop’s ease of integration into decks for consistent card flow might just give it an edge in certain MTG gameplay strategies.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A-Psionic Snoop presents players with the ability to peek at the top card of their deck at any time, allowing them to plan their moves with foreknowledge. This continuous sneak peek can translate into strategic card draws, ensuring you’re never in the dark about your next draw.
Resource Acceleration: By knowing what’s coming, you can optimize your resource allocation. If the next card is land, you might play differently than if it’s a game-changing spell. The foresight provided by A-Psionic Snoop can thus indirectly accelerate your resources, letting you make plays more efficiently.
Instant Speed: The ability of A-Psionic Snoop to be activated at instant speed means it has significant flexibility. You can utilize the information on your opponent’s turn to better prepare for your actions, allowing you to make more informed decisions without sacrificing the tempo of your play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A Psionic Snoop requires you to discard a card in order to leverage its full potential, presenting a drawback when your hand is already sparse or when every card is crucial to maintaining your strategic momentum.
Specific Mana Cost: Demanding a precise combination of mana types, this card mandates blue mana in its cost, potentially restricting its seamless inclusion to decks that don’t typically support blue or are already strained by color requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the utility against its mana expenditure, A Psionic Snoop’s cost is notably steep, making it less appealing compared to other options that could yield similar benefits or provide greater versatility for the same or lesser investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: A-Psionic Snoop is a card that can seamlessly adapt to various deck archetypes. Its ability to manipulate the top card of your library allows for enhanced strategic planning, fitting well into decks that thrive on library and hand manipulation.
Combo Potential: The card excels in enabling combinations, particularly in decks that exploit knowledge of the top deck card. It can work alongside other cards that synergize with drawing, casting from the top of the library, or setting up the perfect draw.
Meta-Relevance: With an ever-shifting competitive landscape, A-Psionic Snoop represents a piece that can adjust and potentially counter prevalent strategies by providing incremental advantage and foresight into upcoming plays, keeping your game plan one step ahead.
How to beat
A-Psionic Snoop enters the array of MTG cards with a unique edge, especially in formats where information is power. Knowledge of the next card you or your opponent will draw can be strategically advantageous. However, like any piece of MTG’s intricate puzzle, there are ways to outmaneuver this card’s benefits.
Counterspells are the first line of defense; they can stop the Snoop dead in its tracks before it even hits the board. Removal spells that can specifically target creatures at instant speed remove it swiftly after it lands. Another angle is to disrupt the hand or library since A-Psionic Snoop relies on the top-deck situation. Hand disruption spells can throw the player’s strategy off balance, while shuffle effects can diminish the foresight provided by the Snoop.
Remember that timing is critical. By addressing the Snoop during your opponent’s end step or before they draw for their turn, you minimize the window for them to exploit the knowledge it provides. With these strategies in mind, overcoming the Snoop becomes a tactical achievement in your gameplay, making it less of a threat and more of a component to advance your victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase A-Psionic Snoop MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 A-Psionic Snoop and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where A-Psionic Snoop has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.