Soulknife Spy MTG Card
2021-07-23 - Number 75
2022-07-07 - Number 133
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Rogue |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Soulknife Spy excels in providing card draw when dealing combat damage, enhancing player advantage.
- Drawing into instant-speed spells increases adaptability and can keep opponents in check.
- The requirement to discard for activation can be a drawback, especially with a limited hand.
Text of card
Whenever Soulknife Spy deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
"My psychic blade cuts the mind and severs thoughts. Even if you survive, you'll never remember I was here."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: As a player delving into the strategic depths of MTG, Soulknife Spy is an exceptional ally that enhances your hand by allowing you to draw a card every time it deals combat damage to a player. This efficient method of drawing cards ensures a steady flow of options, keeping you one step ahead in the race for supremacy on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While Soulknife Spy itself may not directly accelerate your resources, its ability to secure additional cards can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By drawing into a greater variety of mana sources or spells that generate additional mana, it supports a more robust and flexible mana curve throughout the game.
Instant Speed: Soulknife Spy performs its reconnaissance at the speed of sorcery when it hits the board, but its true value lies in the spells you draw into. Instant speed interaction becomes more probable with each card drawn, allowing you to adapt to threats and opportunities in real time and keeping your opponents off-balance.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Soulknife Spy necessitates discarding a card to activate its ability, a drawback when your hand is already depleted or when every card is pivotal to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both blue and colorless mana to cast, potentially restricting its inclusion in multicolored decks that struggle with mana consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing in mind the efficiency of many two or three mana creatures with comparable abilities, the Soulknife Spy’s cost may be considered steep for its stats and effect, potentially slowing down your deck’s tempo.
Reasons to Include Soulknife Spy in Your Collection
Versatility: Soulknife Spy is well-suited for any deck looking to capitalize on unblocked creatures. Its ability to draw a card when it deals combat damage to a player makes it a solid addition to aggressive blue strategies or any deck that values card flow.
Combo Potential: It pairs excellently with cards that render your creatures unblockable or those that tap down potential blockers. This synergy ensures that you get to draw consistently, keeping your hand filled with options.
Meta-Relevance: Given that games often swing in the favor of the player with better card knowledge and selection, Soulknife Spy holds relevance in environments where maintaining card advantage can lead to victory. Plus, as an aggressive creature in blue, it can fit into tempo decks that are currently performing well in the meta.
How to beat
Soulknife Spy presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, being a creature that capitalizes on its unblockability as long as you’ve cast a spell this turn. This blue-aligned card blends stealth and card advantage, making it a silent but potent threat. Its ability to carve through defenses and draw cards escalates the player’s game, curating hand advantage turn after turn.
To counter such a creature, control and removal spells are key. Consider employing instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile to disrupt the Spy before it becomes unblockable. Alternatively, a solid defense with creatures boasting high toughness can deter attacks, prompting a shift of strategy. If you maintain a vigilant board state, the Spy’s efficiency dwindles, reducing its card draw capability. Additionally, pinpointing and disabling the enablers—the spells that would make the Spy unblockable—can be as effective as tackling the Spy itself.
Ultimately, ensuring Soulknife Spy never comfortably slips through your defenses necessitates swift action and preemptive control. Your ability to negate or mitigate its unblockability and card advantage will prove critical in preserving your foothold in the game.
Cards like Soulknife Spy
Exploring creatures adept at both subterfuge and combat brings Soulknife Spy to the forefront in Magic: The Gathering. The Soulknife Spy’s prowess is in its ability to draw a card when it deals combat damage to a player, likening it to the notorious Shadowmage Infiltrator. While Shadowmage Infiltrator also offers card draw upon damaging a player, it comes with the additional benefit of being unblockable if the opponent controls no artifact creatures. What Soulknife Spy lacks in guaranteed evasion, it compensates with a more accessible casting cost.
Another interesting comparison is with Thieving Magpie, a classic creature that shares the card draw upon dealing combat damage mechanism. However, the Magpie demands one extra mana and offers flying, increasing its survivability in the aerial combat. Much like Soulknife Spy, the ability to translate direct damage into card advantage makes Thieveing Magpie a valuable asset in blue-focused decks that thrive on information and resource disparity.
When evaluating these creatures side by side, Soulknife Spy holds a competitive edge for players seeking early game board presence and strategic card advantage. Its blend of offensive potential and incremental advantage aligns well with decks emphasizing tempo and calculated assaults.
Cards similar to Soulknife Spy by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Soulknife Spy MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Soulknife Spy and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Printings
The Soulknife Spy Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2022-07-07. Illustrated by Miguel Mercado.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 75 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Miguel Mercado | |
| 2 | 2022-07-07 | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate | HBG | 133 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Miguel Mercado |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Soulknife Spy has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
