Swarm Intelligence MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Swarm Intelligence maximizes your spell output, doubling the impact of instants and sorceries.
  2. It boosts resource acceleration by copying mana-generating or ramp spells.
  3. Strategically used, it allows for instant-speed play disruption and game control.

Text of card

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.

The Locust God's children were numberless, relentlessly eating away every trace of the city's protection.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Swarm Intelligence is a powerhouse when it comes to generating card advantage. This enchantment enables you to copy any instant or sorcery spell you cast, effectively doubling your spell output without losing resources from your hand, leading to a potential overwhelming board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Swarm Intelligence itself doesn’t produce mana, it amplifies the effects of your spells that do. Copying spells that ramp or generate additional resources will propel your game forward, giving you access to more mana and hence the ability to play higher-cost spells sooner.

Instant Speed: The true beauty of this card lies in its synergy with instant speed spells. Not only can you set up formidable defenses by copying instant removals or counters, but you can also surprise your opponents with copied instant-speed card draw or combat tricks during their turn to disrupt their strategy and maintain control of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike typical enchantments that have a standalone effect, the Swarm Intelligence MTG card demands a high setup cost. This is not simply in its mana but in the necessity to continually cast spells which could limit your hand and deplete valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Swarm Intelligence requires both blue and generic mana, totaling seven mana to cast. This specificity caters mainly to blue-centric or blue-heavy decks, potentially restricting its inclusion in more diverse or color-balanced deck constructions.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The seven-mana investment to bring Swarm Intelligence into play is significant. When you’re up against decks that peak in the mid-game, the window to leverage Swarm Intelligence’s benefits might close before you can capitalize on its potential to duplicate your instants and sorceries.


Reasons to Include Swarm Intelligence in Your Collection

Versatility: Swarm Intelligence is a card that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of spell-heavy decks. By copying each instant and sorcery you cast, it significantly amplifies your deck’s capabilities no matter what strategy you employ.

Combo Potential: This enchantment works wonders with game-changing spells or can simply double the impact of your smaller cantrips and removals. Its ability to copy each of your spells opens the door to creative and potentially game-ending combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where spell-slinging decks are prevalent, Swarm Intelligence stands out. It allows you to keep pace with or outmaneuver opponents by doubling your spells, thus making it a relevant piece in the constantly shifting dynamics of the game.


How to beat

Overcoming Swarm Intelligence in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategy that stifles its ability to copy spells. Since the card thrives in a setup where numerous instants and sorceries are cast, your goal is to limit these opportunities. A sound tactic is to disrupt the mana base necessary to activate it. By using land destruction cards or countering Swarm Intelligence itself, you prevent your opponent from gaining the advantage of duplicating their spells. It’s essential to apply pressure early on, deploying threats that must be answered before Swarm Intelligence can turn the tide. Hand disruption spells can extract it from your opponent’s grip before they have a chance to cast it. Alternatively, incorporating instant speed answers or enchantment removal gives you the means to react swiftly once the card hits the battlefield, ensuring it doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. By prioritizing these methods, your deck will stand a better chance at disarming Swarm Intelligence’s formidable capabilities.


BurnMana Recommendations

Swarm Intelligence stands out as a formidable addition to spell-heavy decks, enabling you to double down on your instants and sorceries. After outlining its strengths and weaknesses, it’s clear that the card is essential for players looking to achieve card advantage and play high-impact spells. However, if you face it across the battlefield, remember to act swiftly. Disrupt the mana base, employ hand disruption, or have removal ready. Are you ready to harness the power of Swarm Intelligence or effectively counteract it in your matchups? Explore our comprehensive strategies and tips to optimize your deck’s performance and outplay your opponents with cunning precision. Dive deeper into the art of MTG deck building with us.


Cards like Swarm Intelligence

Swarm Intelligence is an enchantment that resonates with players who savor the opportunity to amplify their sorceries and instants. Within the vast repertoire of Magic: The Gathering, it’s not alone in its category. Take Mirari, an artifact that possesses the ability to copy instant or sorcery spells, potentially changing the course of a game. Mirari, however, asks for an additional cost at each activation, whereas Swarm Intelligence grants this effect without further investment after its initial casting.

On a parallel track, there’s Doublecast, a sorcery that offers a similar one-time replication effect for the next instant or sorcery spell you cast. The primary difference being Doublecast’s transient nature, providing just a single duplication as opposed to the ongoing effect of Swarm Intelligence. Additionally, we might consider Thousand-Year Storm, an enchantment that exponentially increases the number of copies it produces as you cast more instants and sorceries, rewarding successive play more substantially than the consistent doubling Swarm Intelligence offers.

In essence, while Swarm Intelligence might come with a higher mana cost, its persistent ability to copy spells without extra charges solidifies its unique position in MTG. For enthusiasts looking to create a storm of spells, this card can be a formidable cornerstone in their arsenal.

Mirari - MTG Card versions
Doublecast - MTG Card versions
Thousand-Year Storm - MTG Card versions
Mirari - Odyssey (ODY)
Doublecast - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Thousand-Year Storm - Guilds of Ravnica Promos (PGRN)

Cards similar to Swarm Intelligence by color, type and mana cost

Day of the Dragons - MTG Card versions
Meishin, the Mind Cage - MTG Card versions
Eye of the Storm - MTG Card versions
Take Possession - MTG Card versions
Thought Reflection - MTG Card versions
Cast Through Time - MTG Card versions
Spirit Away - MTG Card versions
Dismiss into Dream - MTG Card versions
Mind's Dilation - MTG Card versions
Lay Claim - MTG Card versions
Kiora Bests the Sea God - MTG Card versions
Curse of Unbinding - MTG Card versions
Day of the Dragons - Kaldheim Commander (KHC)
Meishin, the Mind Cage - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Eye of the Storm - The List (PLST)
Take Possession - Modern Masters (MMA)
Thought Reflection - Double Masters (2XM)
Cast Through Time - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Spirit Away - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Dismiss into Dream - Magic 2014 (M14)
Mind's Dilation - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Lay Claim - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Kiora Bests the Sea God - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Curse of Unbinding - Midnight Hunt Commander (MIC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Swarm Intelligence MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Hour of Devastation Promos, 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 Swarm Intelligence and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Swarm Intelligence Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Daniel Ljunggren.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-07-14Hour of DevastationHOU 502015normalblackDaniel Ljunggren
22017-07-15Hour of Devastation PromosPHOU 50s2015normalblackDaniel Ljunggren
32020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1242015normalblackDaniel Ljunggren
42021-04-23Commander 2021C21 1302015normalblackDaniel Ljunggren

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Swarm Intelligence has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-07-14 If the spell has damage divided as it was cast (like Chandra’s Pyrohelix), the division can’t be changed (although the targets receiving that damage still can).
2017-07-14 If the spell that’s copied has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Torment of Hailfire does), the copy will have the same value of X.
2017-07-14 If the spell that’s copied is modal (that is, it says “Choose one —” or the like), the copy will have the same mode. A different mode can’t be chosen.
2017-07-14 Swarm Intelligence can copy any instant or sorcery spell, not just one with targets.
2017-07-14 Swarm Intelligence can copy the spell even if it’s countered before Swarm Intelligence’s triggered ability resolves.
2017-07-14 The controller of a copy can’t choose to pay any alternative or additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any alternative or additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy.
2017-07-14 The copy is created on the stack, so it’s not “cast.” Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell (such as Swarm Intelligence’s own ability) won’t trigger.
2017-07-14 The copy will have the same targets as the spell it’s copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can’t choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks