Enigma Sphinx MTG Card

Its cascade ability generates card advantage, potentially casting spells for free, enhancing your play. Resilient nature shuffles it back into the library, providing a consistent threat during the game. Versatile and meta-relevant in multicolored decks, Enigma Sphinx delivers persistent board impact.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Sphinx
Abilities Cascade,Flying
Power 5
Toughness 4

Text of card

Flying When Enigma Sphinx is put into your graveyard from play, put it into your library third from the top. Cascade (When you play this spell, remove cards from the top of your library from the game until you remove a nonland card that costs less. You may play it without paying its mana cost. Put the removed cards on the bottom in a random order.)

Enigma Sphinx: A Puzzling Presence in Commander

Enigma Sphinx stands as a majestic and potent multi-colored creature in the realm of MTG, bearing unique attributes and a casting cost that reflects its diverse alignment. With a blend of Esper colors (White, Blue, Black), it carries an intriguing cascade mechanic that sets the stage for unpredictable and advantageous gameplay. What distinguishes Enigma Sphinx is its ability to play an additional card for free via the cascade, potentially pulling out spells of lesser mana value and generating momentum in your favor. This distinctive trait echoes in its 5/4 flying body that asserts a commanding presence in aerial combat.

Cards like Enigma Sphinx

When exploring alternatives to Enigma Sphinx, certain cards come to mind due to their similarity in either color identity or in-game mechanics. Etherium-Horn Sorcerer, with its own cascade ability, parallels Enigma Sphinx. However, it’s important to note that while the sorcerer offers flexibility being able to be returned to the owner’s hand, it doesn’t promise the same flying threat or stat stability. A more robust albeit costlier comparison is Maelstrom Archangel. Despite its higher mana demand, the archangel’s ability to play any spell from your hand for free upon dealing combat damage offers a broader range of possibilities compared to the predetermined cascade of Enigma Sphinx.

In the intricate dance of strategy and luck, Enigma Sphinx carves its niche through MTG’s cascade mechanic, delivering both predictable and surprising elements to the battlefield. While comparable cards share similar aspects, the confluence of Enigma Sphinx’s mana value, evasion, and engaging cascade effect amalgamate to make it an appealing choice for decks splashing the enigmatic hues of Esper.

Etherium-Horn Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Archangel - MTG Card versions
Etherium-Horn Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Archangel - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Enigma Sphinx by color, type and mana cost

Magister Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Magister Sphinx - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enigma Sphinx presents a strategic edge with its Cascade ability. Upon casting this creature, you unlock the potential to cast another spell for free from the top of your library, offering a two-for-one deal that can shift the tide of a game in your favor by increasing your card presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although Enigma Sphinx itself does not directly generate additional mana, its ability to potentially cast spells without paying their mana costs indirectly accelerates your available resources. This can lead to a faster deployment of your game plan and overwhelm your opponents with an array of threats ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: While Enigma Sphinx does not have instant speed, its resiliency makes up for this. After all, if this creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, it shuffles into your library, ready to be redealt. This effectively means your opponents can never truly get rid of the Sphinx, ensuring a lingering threat and continuous card advantage possibilities throughout the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Enigma Sphinx’s cascade ability might lead to discarding a card that is pivotal for your game plan. Therefore, triggering cascade can be a double-edged sword, requiring careful consideration of the current state of your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost is heavily colored, necessitating one blue, one black, and one white mana. This restricts its seamless integration into multicolored decks and can pose a challenge in mana-fixing, especially in fast-paced games where color accessibility could hinder its timely play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of six mana, including three specific colors, Enigma Sphinx can be cumbersome to summon. In a game where speed can be crucial, there may be other more cost-effective creatures that offer similar or quicker board impact without such a steep mana investment.

Reasons to Include Enigma Sphinx in Your Collection

Versatility: Enigma Sphinx is a multifaceted card, seamlessly fitting into artifact, multicolor, and flying-themed decks. Its cascade ability offers an unpredictable element that can turn the tides by dropping unexpected spells into play.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that manipulate the top of your library, Enigma Sphinx’s cascade effect becomes a powerful tool for unleashing potent combos. It works exceptionally well with setup cards that allow you to control your cascades for maximum impact.

Meta-Relevance: Given the increased prominence of multicolored cards in the competitive scene, having a spell that addresses this while contributing to your board state is quite beneficial. Enigma Sphinx’s resilience, returning to your deck when put into your graveyard from the battlefield, ensures enduring value in a variety of meta environments.

How to beat

Enigma Sphinx is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that brings quite the puzzle to the battlefield. With a solid strength and toughness and the ability to return to the top of your library from exile under certain conditions, this sphinx can become fairly challenging to permanently remove from play. However, there are reliable strategies to combat this cryptic creature.

To effectively counter Enigma Sphinx, consider cards that deny your opponent’s graveyard and exile manipulations. Graveyard hate cards that remove cards from graveyards or exile them can interrupt the sphinx’s cascade ability. Additionally, running exile spells that don’t allow the card to return, such as Path to Exile, ensures the sphinx is dealt with definitively without a chance of making a comeback.

Having a well-structured deck that can handle the sphinx’s recurrence is key. Cards providing continuous exile effects, like Rest in Peace, can prevent Enigma Sphinx from returning to the library. Strategic planning and timely card play are your best tactics when facing off against this enigmatic creature. Control the field with these methods, and you will dismantle the riddle of Enigma Sphinx without breaking a sweat.

BurnMana Recommendations

As enthusiasts of the intricate and captivating game of MTG, we understand the excitement of integrating a complex card like Enigma Sphinx into your collection. With the ability to disrupt your opponent’s plans and establish your presence, Enigma Sphinx showcases the dynamic play that MTG is known for. If you’re intrigued by its potential and seek to harness the power of cascade for surprising turns and resiliency on the battlefield, we encourage you to delve deeper. Explore the best strategies, deck builds, and synergies for this compelling creature. Visit us for wise insights and take your gameplay to new heights as you unravel the enigma that is Enigma Sphinx.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Enigma Sphinx MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Planechase 2012, 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 Enigma Sphinx and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Enigma Sphinx Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2018-08-09. Illustrated by Chris Rahn.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 1062003NormalBlackChris Rahn
22012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 892003NormalBlackChris Rahn
32016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 892015NormalBlackChris Rahn
42018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1782015NormalBlackChris Rahn

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Enigma Sphinx has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-05-01 After Enigma Sphinx's middle ability triggers, if Enigma Sphinx is removed from your graveyard in response, it won't be put into your library.
2009-05-01 If you control an Enigma Sphinx that's owned by another player, it's put into that player's graveyard from the battlefield, so Enigma Sphinx's middle ability won't trigger.
2009-05-01 If you have zero or one card left in your library when Enigma Sphinx's middle ability resolves, Enigma Sphinx is put on the bottom of your library.
2021-06-18 A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
2021-06-18 Cascade triggers when you cast the spell, meaning that it resolves before that spell. If you end up casting the exiled card, it will go on the stack above the spell with cascade.
2021-06-18 Due to a recent rules change to cascade, not only do you stop exiling cards if you exile a nonland card with lesser mana value than the spell with cascade, but the resulting spell you cast must also have lesser mana value. Previously, in cases where a card's mana value differed from the resulting spell, such as with some modal double-faced cards or cards with an Adventure, you could cast a spell with a higher mana value than the exiled card.
2021-06-18 If a spell with cascade is countered, the cascade ability will still resolve normally.
2021-06-18 If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2021-06-18 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
2021-06-18 The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If cascade allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half but not both halves.
2021-06-18 When the cascade ability resolves, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether or not you cast the last card exiled.
2021-06-18 You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.