Thought Sponge MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Sponge |
| Abilities | Flash |
| Released | 2019-08-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Commander 2019 |
| Set code | C19 |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 12 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jason Kang |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage through drawing mechanics, notably after opponent’s heavy draw turns.
- Can be activated at instant speed, adding a layer of strategic depth.
- Demands careful timing and strategy for optimal usage and impact.
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.
Text of card
Flash Thought Sponge enters the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the greatest number of cards an opponent has drawn this turn. When Thought Sponge dies, draw cards equal to its power.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thought Sponge shines in situations where maintaining card flow is crucial. Its unique ability to enter the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters, where X is the number of cards drawn by an opponent this turn, sets the stage for a potentially hefty draw. Upon death, it lets you draw cards equal to its power, essentially refilling your hand and giving you a significant advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Thought Sponge enhances your resource pool by increasing your options. The cards drawn from its ability can lead to more lands for mana development or key spells that accelerate your game plan, effectively amplifying your resources and game speed.
Instant Speed: This card’s reactionary nature adds strategic depth to your gameplay. It can be cast at instant speed thanks to its flash ability, enabling you to adapt to the current state of the game. This ensures that you can optimize the timing of its deployment, making it an ideal response to your opponent’s actions and securing its full potential.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Thought Sponge necessitates a condition to be met involving the discard of cards, potentially pressuring players into making unfavorable trades or losing valuable resources they’d rather conserve for later stages of the game.
Specific Mana Cost: With its precise mana requirements, this MTG card demands a dedicated color commitment, restricting its integration to decks synergistic with blue mana and potentially causing it to be a less versatile pick in a player’s arsenal.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the mana investment against potential returns, Thought Sponge’s entry cost might be seen as steep considering alternative options available for card advantage that require less investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Thought Sponge is adaptable to various strategies due to its potentially massive card draw ability. It thrives in environments where you control the pace, allowing you to maximize its effect at the perfect time.
Combo Potential: This card has substantial synergy with effects that trigger on card draw or death of a creature. It can be essential in decks that revolve around drawing cards or graveyard strategies, offering a dual benefit.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where the frequency of opponent’s spells dictates the pace, Thought Sponge can be highly effective. Its relevance grows in metas with numerous instants and sorceries, as it scales with your opponent’s actions.
How to Beat Thought Sponge
Thought Sponge is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that thrives on the number of cards your opponent has drawn this turn. It enters the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters equal to that number and it allows its controller to draw cards equal to its power when it dies. To effectively challenge Thought Sponge, it’s essential to minimize card draw from the opposing side or to rapidly remove it from play before it can grow too powerful or before a significant amount of cards are drawn.
Utilizing instant speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can be particularly effective against Thought Sponge. These spells can disrupt the play by targeting it before the end of your opponent’s turn or in response to their card draw actions, limiting the advantages it can provide. Another tactic involves graveyard disruption through cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void, which can prevent Thought Sponge’s death trigger from allowing your opponent to draw cards.
By strategically managing the flow of the game and employing well-timed removal or graveyard disruption tactics, you can neutralize Thought Sponge’s impact and maintain control of the match.
Cards like Thought Sponge
Thought Sponge is an intriguing card that offers a unique take on drawing mechanics in MTG. Comparable to the likes of Mind Unbound, which provides a steady stream of card advantage over time, Thought Sponge has the potential for an immediate and substantial draw effect, hinging upon the number of cards your opponents have drawn on their last turn. Unlike Mind Unbound, Thought Sponge requires careful timing to maximize its impact.
Biding its time in a category alongside other draw engines like Psychic Possession, Thought Sponge capitalizes on the opponents’ actions, posing a reactive approach to card advantage. The lack of an upfront draw compared to the immediate gains from something like Brainstorm might deter some, but the delayed gratification that Thought Sponge can yield often outweighs the initial wait.
Lastly, puling it into the same conversation with Consecrated Sphinx gives an idea of its possible reach. While the Sphinx has a more consistent and threatening presence, the Sponge can serve as a sleeper hit, potentially drawing a remarkable number of cards in the right circumstances. Each card has its niche, with Thought Sponge standing out for those who enjoy calculating the most advantageous moment to reap bountiful card gains.
Cards similar to Thought Sponge by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thought Sponge MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2019, 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 Thought Sponge 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thought Sponge has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thought Sponge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-08-23 | Thought Sponge checks how many cards were drawn by opponents this turn, even opponents who have left the game. The greatest number drawn by a single opponent is how many +1/+1 counters it enters with. |
| 2019-08-23 | Thought Sponge checks the total number of cards drawn by each opponent, not how many were drawn due to a single instruction. |
| 2019-08-23 | Thought Sponge gets its +1/+1 counters at the moment it enters the battlefield. There’s not a time that it’s on the battlefield before its replacement effect has applied. |
| 2019-08-23 | Use Thought Sponge’s power as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how many cards to draw for its last ability. If that number is negative, you neither draw nor discard cards. |
