Dementia Sliver MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Sliver |
| Released | 2006-10-06 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Time Spiral |
| Set code | TSP |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 236 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Una Fricker |
Text of card
All Slivers have ": Name a card. Target opponent reveals a card at random from his or her hand. If it's the named card, that player discards it. Play this ability only during your turn."
Cards like Dementia Sliver
Dementia Sliver presents an intriguing strategy for any MTG player fond of the Sliver archetype. It brings to mind the Mindlash Sliver, as both encourage hand disruption. However, Dementia Sliver’s ability to exile cards directly from the opponent’s library stands out. The Mindlash version requires a sacrifice plus a discard, which isn’t as direct or potentially as debilitating as exiling the top card of an opponent’s library with Dementia Sliver.
When we delve into comparisons, Sadistic Hypnotist is another creature that dominates the mind game by forcing discards, yet it lacks the tribal synergy that Dementia provides to Sliver decks. Moreover, Sadistic Hypnotist’s effect is purely discard-based and can’t remove threats preemptively like Dementia Sliver does by exiling them from the game before they’re even drawn.
Considering the unique impact on gameplay, Dementia Sliver offers a distinctive approach to disrupting opponents’ plans. In a Sliver deck geared towards control and disruption, Dementia Sliver’s ability to systematically dismantle an opponent’s resources from their library is a powerful tool, setting it apart from similar types of cards within MTG.
Cards similar to Dementia Sliver by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dementia Sliver allows you to manipulate the top card of each player’s library. Players seeking to optimize their next draws in MTG or disrupt their opponent’s strategies can use Dementia Sliver to maintain control over the flow of the game, effectively creating card quality advantage.
Resource Acceleration: As part of the sliver tribe, Dementia Sliver benefits from many of MTG’s synergistic cards that can ramp up your mana. Combine it with gemhide or manaweft slivers to turn all your slivers into mana sources for an explosive surge of resources.
Instant Speed: The ability to control top decks with Dementia Sliver can be activated at instant speed, providing flexibility during both your turn and your opponent’s. This allows savvy MTG players to wait until the most opportune moment to disrupt an opponent’s upcoming draw or set up their own next draw, all while keeping mana available for other instant-speed interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Dementia Sliver’s ability necessitates the discard of a card, which can deplete your hand quickly. This could leave you at a disadvantage especially in the latter stages of the game where every card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This Sliver has a demanding mana cost that requires both black and blue mana. This restricts its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both colors, potentially limiting its versatility across various MTG archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of five, Dementia Sliver can be a tough play in the early game. There are other creatures and spells in MTG that cost less and may provide similar or greater immediate impact on the game state.
Reasons to Include Dementia Sliver in Your Collection
Versatility: Dementia Sliver offers dynamic gameplay as it easily slots into Sliver decks, morphing them into formidable opponents. Its ability to grant all Slivers the tap to mill feature makes it adapt to both offensive and defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combination with Sliver’s synergistic nature, enabling potentially game-ending combos. When paired with slivers that untap or have evasion, it can rapidly deplete your opponent’s library.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where graveyard strategies are prevalent, Dementia Sliver can be a silver bullet. Its milling capability disrupts opponents’ plans and removes key components from their game, proving its worth across various metas.
How to beat
Dementia Sliver is a card that demands attention in any MTG game due to its unique ability to disrupt an opponent’s strategies. It has the power to give all Slivers the possibility to exile cards from an opponent’s deck, which can decimate their game plan. In addition, Dementia Sliver can generate serious card advantage when combined with a swarm of Slivers on the battlefield.
To effectively counter this card, removal spells are your best friend. Single-target options like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can take care of Dementia Sliver before its ability becomes a factor. Mass removal spells, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, can wipe the whole board clean, nullifying the collective threat posed by Sliver synergy. It’s also beneficial to disrupt Sliver tribal bonuses by targeting key Slivers with spells like Unsummon or Shock, minimizing the chances of a Dementia Sliver combo.
Implementing graveyard recursion in your deck can also help recover from any potential milling Dementia Sliver might cause. Cards like Eternal Witness or Regrowth allow you to bring back essential cards from the graveyard to your hand, ensuring you have the resources needed to continue fighting. Keep these strategies in mind, and Dementia Sliver’s impact will significantly diminish.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dementia Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Dementia Sliver 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 Dementia Sliver has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dementia Sliver card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-07-01 | Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit. |
| 2013-07-01 | If the creature type of a Sliver changes so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures. |