Cunning MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Accessing more cards offers richer strategic options and can overpower opponents unprepared for such depth.
  2. Resource acceleration from cunning cards can hasten threat deployment, tipping the scales early in the game.
  3. Instant speed reactions disrupt opponents’ strategies, making cunning cards invaluable in competitive play.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gets +3/+3. If enchanted creature attacks or blocks, sacrifice Cunning at end of turn.

". . . Dry-walkers die We feed on sweet flesh . . . ." —*Rootwater Saga*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: A truly cunning MTG card can tip the scales by giving you access to more cards than your opponent, empowering you with a richer variety of options and a deeper arsenal to draw from at any stage of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration is like adding a turbo boost to your mana pool, allowing you to cast more spells or deploy larger threats ahead of schedule. This can be a key factor in overwhelming your opponents before they have a chance to establish their own game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to operate at instant speed is crucial, offering the flexibility to react swiftly to your opponent’s actions or make decisive moves at the end of their turn, thus keeping them perpetually on their toes and disrupting their strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A cunning Magic card that necessitates a card discard can put you at a disadvantage. This stands especially true during late game scenarios where each card in hand is vital for executing your strategy to clinch victory.

Specific Mana Cost: A card like this with a distinct mana requirement can be a deck-building conundrum. If it requires an atypical mana combination, it could potentially disrupt the flow of a deck that is not aligned with those colors, hindering its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a high mana cost, a cunning card may fall behind in the early game tempo race. It’s paramount to assess whether the card’s abilities justify its cost when there may be more cost-effective alternatives available for a similar effect.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cunning card designs allow them to adapt across various deck archetypes, offering flexibility in play styles and strategies. Similar to a Swiss army knife in a player’s arsenal, a cunning MTG card can provide answers and options in multiple situations, making it an asset in nearly any collection.

Combo Potential: With their inherent trickery, cunning cards open the door to surprising combinations that can turn the tide of a game. They often synergize well with other cards, enhancing win conditions or disrupting opponents at pivotal moments. Integrating these cards may very well be the key to unlocking powerful and unexpected combos in your deck.

Meta-Relevance: As the competitive scene evolves, so do the decks that dominate it. Cunning cards frequently establish their worth by fitting into various meta environments. Their chameleonic nature ensures that they stay relevant and can counter or complement the prevailing trends and strategies in the MTG landscape.


How to beat

When you’re up against Cunning MTG Card, the key to victory lies in proactive play. This card, renowned for its ability to disrupt your strategies, requires you to adapt and plan ahead. A strategic approach involves maintaining a hand with diverse options, allowing you to counteract the restrictive effects Cunning MTG Card brings to the table. It’s also vital to maximize the use of your mana each turn, so Cunning MTG Card’s impact on your resources is minimized. Utilize instant-speed spells that can be played on your opponent’s turn to sidestep the disruptions caused by Cunning MTG Card.

Another effective tactic is to deploy threats that can operate independently of the spell cards in your hand. Creatures with potent on-board abilities or those that generate value when they enter the battlefield can be excellent choices. This way you’re not solely reliant on the spells in your hand to progress your game. Additionally, consider incorporating cards designed to recover removed resources or protect your hand from targeted disruption emanating from Cunning MTG Card.

Ultimately, preserving your cards’ potency while mitigating the disruptive potential of Cunning MTG Card ensures a strong position on the battlefield. Your flexibility and foresight are your greatest tools in overcoming this crafty obstacle in MTG play.


Cards like Cunning

The Cunning Plan card enriches the arsenal of MTG players with a unique twist to card advantage. It shares the common soil with cards like Preordain, a staple that permits a player to look at the top two cards of their library and manipulate future draws. But Cunning Plan advances further, allowing for a different strategy. While Preordain lets the player shape their upcoming turns with foresight, Cunning Plan introduces an element of surprise and flexibility by usually mixing card draw with an additional benefit.

Another closely related card is Serum Visions, which, like Preordain, grants the user the ability to draw a card followed by scrying, thereby curating the order of the upcoming draws. The difference lies in the sequence with Serum Visions, as the scry happens post-draw. Cunning Plan deviates from this pattern, often delivering a more immersive experience by providing its controller with not just card draw but auxiliary effects, like disrupting opponents or bolstering one’s own playing field.

Evaluating Cunning Plan in comparison to its counterparts highlights its versatility within the context of MTG. Its hybrid nature affords a blend of immediate reward and strategic depth, distinguishing it notably in the landscape of spell casting options.

Preordain - MTG Card versions
Serum Visions - MTG Card versions
Preordain - Magic 2011 (M11)
Serum Visions - Arena League 2004 (PAL04)

Cards similar to Cunning by color, type and mana cost

Copy Artifact - MTG Card versions
Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Power Leak - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Terrain - MTG Card versions
Creature Bond - MTG Card versions
Stasis - MTG Card versions
Lifetap - MTG Card versions
Power Artifact - MTG Card versions
Psychic Venom - MTG Card versions
Venarian Gold - MTG Card versions
Soar - MTG Card versions
Flooded Shoreline - MTG Card versions
Dance of Many - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Veil - MTG Card versions
Legacy's Allure - MTG Card versions
Chill - MTG Card versions
Buoyancy - MTG Card versions
Mana Maze - MTG Card versions
Psionic Gift - MTG Card versions
Immobilizing Ink - MTG Card versions
Copy Artifact - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Invisibility - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Power Leak - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Phantasmal Terrain - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Creature Bond - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Stasis - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Lifetap - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Power Artifact - Antiquities (ATQ)
Psychic Venom - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Venarian Gold - Legends (LEG)
Soar - Mirage (MIR)
Flooded Shoreline - Visions (VIS)
Dance of Many - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Teferi's Veil - Weatherlight (WTH)
Legacy's Allure - Tempest (TMP)
Chill - Tempest (TMP)
Buoyancy - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Mana Maze - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Psionic Gift - Odyssey (ODY)
Immobilizing Ink - Odyssey (ODY)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cunning MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and Tales of Middle-earth Front Cards, 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 Cunning and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Cunning Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-15ExodusEXO 281997normalblackKev Walker
22023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth Front CardsFLTR 72015tokenblackWei Guan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cunning has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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