Hideous Laughter MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant — Arcane |
| Abilities | Splice |
| Released | 2004-10-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Champions of Kamigawa |
| Set code | CHK |
| Number | 115 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Greg Staples |
Text of card
All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Splice onto Arcane (As you play an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)
Cards like Hideous Laughter
The card Hideous Laughter in Magic: The Gathering is a unique form of crowd control, changing the battlefield dynamics in a single swoop. When seeking parallels, we find that Maddening Cacophony is a fellow card that evokes a similar mill strategy, forcing the opponent to exile cards from their library. However, Hideous Laughter operates based on the converted mana costs of the cards, potentially milling more for less if your opponent’s deck runs on low-cost spells.
Another related spell is Glimpse the Unthinkable, famed for its efficiency in the mill player’s arsenal. This spell indiscriminately sends cards to the graveyard, assuredly ten at a time. Although Glimpse the Unthinkable is straightforward with its predictable results, Hideous Laughter could potentially outpace it depending on the opponent’s deck composition.
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter stands out among these for its possible exponential effect against decks with a lower curve or those packed with numerous low-cost cards. Delving into the strategy of deck matchup, the efficiency of Hideous Laughter can be felt immensely, emphasizing the need for tactical deck building in MTG.
Cards similar to Hideous Laughter by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hideous Laughter enables a significant potential shift in card advantage as it exiles cards from your opponent’s library until they hit a total converted mana cost of 20 or more. This could eliminate a large chunk of their resources, giving you an edge as the game progresses.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing resource acceleration, the card disrupts your opponent’s future draws. By thinning out an opponent’s deck, you indirectly accelerate toward your win conditions by making it more likely they draw into less useful cards.
Instant Speed: This spell’s capability to be cast at instant speed lets you respond to your opponent’s actions with precision. Act on their end step or in response to a strategy they are committing to, Hideous Laughter can be a disruptive play that takes them by surprise and shifts the game momentum in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The effectiveness of Hideous Laughter hinges on having a full hand, as it could compel you to discard valuable cards, potentially weakening your late-game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: This card calls for both blue mana and a generic mana in its cost, which may not be immediately accessible in multi-colored decks not focused on blue mana generation.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that includes three mana, including two blue, some players might find it a bit steep compared to other disruption or control options available for earlier turns in the game.
Reasons to Include Hideous Laughter in Your Collection
Versatility: Hideous Laughter can serve multiple roles within your deck, adapting to both aggressive and controlling strategies. It’s able to handle a swarm of smaller creatures or simply thin the opponent’s resources, making it a flexible pick for diverse game plans.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize with mill strategies, enhancing the effectiveness of other mill cards. It can also be a cornerstone in decks that capitalize on the opponent’s graveyard, enabling potent combinations that can turn the tide of a match.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta-game that’s heavy on creature-based aggro strategies, Hideous Laughter can be a game-changer. It’s capable of disrupting the tempo of your opponent’s deck, removing multiple threats with a single spell, which can be a decisive factor in winning games.
How to beat
Hideous Laughter plays a disruptive role within MTG, posing a challenge for opponents as it potentially removes a large portion of their library from the game. To counteract this effect, one strategic response is to utilize a deck with a higher average mana value for its cards. Since Hideous Laughter affects cards based on their mana values, decks with a higher curve are less susceptible to losing an extensive number of cards.
Another tactic is implementing graveyard retrieval spells or abilities. Having cards like Elixir of Immortality or utilizing graveyard-to-hand or -to-battlefield mechanics can help recover from the potential damage caused by Hideous Laughter. Additionally, decks with strong shuffle effects can put cards back into the library, mitigating the depletion caused by this potent sorcery.
Lastly, countering Hideous Laughter directly with counterspell cards is an efficient solution. Timing these counterspells correctly can preserve crucial deck components and maintain your game plan. Knowing when to hold back and play conservatively against decks that feature Hideous Laughter can make the difference between victory and being outlasted by this formidable card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hideous Laughter MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Hideous Laughter and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Hideous Laughter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hideous Laughter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-06-07 | A card with a splice ability can’t be spliced onto itself because the spell is on the stack (and not in your hand) when you reveal the cards you want to splice onto it. |
| 2013-06-07 | If all of the spell’s targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. |
| 2013-06-07 | You choose all targets for the spell after revealing cards you want to splice, including any targets required by the text of any of those cards. You may choose a different target for each instance of the word “target” on the resulting spell. |
| 2013-06-07 | You reveal all cards you intend to splice at the same time. Each individual card can be spliced only once onto any one spell. |