Eye Spy MTG Card

Enhances resource flow by previewing and influencing future draws to maintain game momentum. Boosts game tempo through strategic instant-speed play and seamless turn integration. Can pose a mana base challenge and requires consideration of resource management.

Portal Second Age (P02)
1998-06-24 - Number 39

Starter 1999 (S99)
1999-07-01 - Number 38

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Look at the top card of any player's library. You may choose to put that card back on top of that library or into that player's graveyard.

Cards like Eye Spy

Eye Spy occupies a unique place in Magic: The Gathering, primarily among cards centered on selective information gathering and card advantage. It draws parallels with Peek, a card known for letting players see the opponent’s hand while also drawing a card. Eye Spy differentiates itself by allowing you to look at the top card of your library any time you want, offering a form of card quality control, though it falls short of providing the card draw of Peek.

Anticipate is another card that shares similarities with Eye Spy. Both facilitate seeing what’s coming in your deck, enabling strategic planning. However, Anticipate allows you to look at the top three cards of your library and put one of them into your hand, but it lacks the ongoing effect of Eye Spy that can repeatedly check the top card of your library.

Implementing Eye Spy into your strategy means you’re valuing persistent deck knowledge rather than single-instance card advantage. It’s a testament to the diverse strategic components offered by cards in MTG, where ongoing information can be as crucial as immediate card acquisition.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Eye Spy provides a unique approach to card selection and draw mechanics. By looking at the top card of your library, it enables you to predict and potentially manipulate your upcoming draws, ensuring that you maintain a steady flow of resources throughout the duel.

Resource Acceleration: This spell can boost your game tempo by giving you the opportunity to play additional lands or cast spells sooner, depending on the cards you scry with it. It effectively accelerates your resource availability, allowing you to outpace your opponent.

Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Eye Spy at instant speed offers the strategic advantage of flexibility. It integrates seamlessly with your turn structure, keeping your opponents guessing and allowing you to make decisions with the most current information available, all while concealing your intentions until the moment of execution.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Eye Spy, you must discard a card, which could potentially deplete valuable resources and affect your game strategy, especially if your hand is already running low.

Specific Mana Cost: Its mana cost is quite specific, necessitating both blue and colorless mana. This can make Eye Spy less flexible, as it requires a dedicated mana base, thereby limiting its inclusion in decks that aren’t built around blue mana availability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Eye Spy’s mana cost may be considered steep when measured against its potential return on investment. In competitive play, mana efficiency is key, and there are alternative cards that may provide similar or better effects for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Eye Spy in Your Collection

Versatility: Eye Spy offers unique advantages across various deck builds. Its ability to set up your next draws can be critical for maintaining momentum in the game.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with scry mechanics or top-deck control strategies, tapping into a potent combo that ensures you always draw the most beneficial cards.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to manipulate the top of your library, Eye Spy is relevant in metas where information and draw consistency give you the upper hand against your opponents.

How to Beat Eye Spy

Pivoting around Eye Spy can be tricky in Magic: The Gathering. This blue sorcery offers players a sneak peek at their opponent’s top card with every attack. The benefit of knowing what your adversary is planning next and the potential to steal creatures that you scry puts you in a favorable position. However, this sneaky card has its Achilles’ heel.

To counteract Eye Spy’s cunning surveillance, hand disruption is key. Cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek allow you to pluck crucial cards right from your opponent’s grip, disrupting their strategic setup. You can also employ counter spells such as Dovin’s Veto or Negate to stop Eye Spy before it hits the table. Additionally, instant-speed removals like Fatal Push or Path to Exile are efficient in handling the creatures revealed by Eye Spy, preventing opponents from utilizing the information gathered by the card.

Strategically, focus on maintaining card advantage to ensure that even if opponents get a glimpse of your deck’s plans, they’re still a step behind. Game elements like graveyard manipulation with Silent Gravestone or spell recursion will provide leverage, regardless of the opponent’s knowledge. In essence, when facing Eye Spy, disrupting your opponent’s hand and countering strategic plays while bolstering your own are the pathways to victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Eye Spy MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Starter 1999, 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 Eye Spy and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Eye Spy Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 1999-07-01. Illustrated by DiTerlizzi.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-06-24	Portal Second Age	P02		39	1997	Normal	Black	DiTerlizzi
2	1999-07-01	Starter 1999	S99		38	1997	Normal	White	DiTerlizzi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Eye Spy has restrictions

Format	Legality
Predh	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal