Flip the Switch MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Flip the Switch can counter spells and create a Zombie token, increasing board presence.
  2. The card’s discard requirement and specific mana cost may hinder its flexibility.
  3. Despite a high mana cost, its instant speed and versatility make it a meta-relevant choice.

Text of card

Counter target spell unless its controller pays . Create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed. (It can't block. When it attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.)

"Works every time! Well, every time they don't explode, anyway." —Barton, stitcher


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Flip the Switch, you effectively interrupt your opponent’s play while possibly transforming one of your own cards into a potent threat. This dual capacity ensures that you’re not just stifling your opponent but also potentially fueling your own strategic advances.

Resource Acceleration: Although Flip the Switch doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense, it does act as a tempo play. By countering an opponent’s spell, you are essentially gaining a resource advantage by setting them back, while you continue to build up your board and mana availability.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Flip the Switch at instant speed cannot be overstated. This timing allows you to react in the most opportune moments, whether that’s countering a key spell during your opponent’s turn or simply after they’ve committed most of their mana, limiting their options to respond effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Flip the Switch can put you in a tight spot since it demands a card to discard. This can be especially problematic when your hand is running light on options, forcing you to lose potentially vital resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell requires not just any mana, but one blue, which may not always be readily available in a multi-colored deck, thus limiting its compatibility and potentially disrupting your mana curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana to play, Flip the Switch could be considered a bit on the pricey side, especially when there are more economical choices that might yield greater benefits or interact more symbiotically within your deck structure.


Reasons to Include Flip the Switch in Your Collection

Versatility: Flip the Switch adds strategic depth to decks that require a quick response to opponents’ spells. It serves as both a countermeasure and a creature generator, adapting to various game states whether you’re protecting your board or stalling for time.

Combo Potential: This instant not only disrupts your opponent’s plans, but it can also synergize with decks that capitalize on having creatures. The created Zombie token can be a pivotal piece in decks that utilize creature-based synergies and sacrifice mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where instant-speed interaction is key, Flip the Switch provides an affordable way to keep tempo decks in check. This card could be a valuable asset, particularly if the current meta favors spell-heavy strategies or if creature-light decks are predominant.


How to Beat

Flip the Switch is a unique spell in the MTG world, offering players a dual strategy of interrupting an opponent’s play and generating a creature token. This card provides more than just a simple counterspell effect; the creation of a 2/2 Zombie token can be a boon for decks that interact with the graveyard or thrive on token strategies. To successfully navigate around Flip the Switch, you must be mindful of your resources and the timing of your plays. Be wary of casting your most valuable spells when your opponent has untapped mana, as they could be holding this disruptive card at the ready.

Furthermore, assessing the battlefield and your opponent’s potential to profit from a new token can influence whether you play into their counterspell or not. One effective technique is to bait out their Flip the Switch with a less critical spell, ensuring that your more significant plays land safely. Playing around counterspells requires patience, and by forcing your opponent to use their mana prematurely, you can gain an advantage over them and their spell-slinging tricks.


Cards like Flip the Switch

Flip the Switch is an intriguing card with a twist on the classic counter spell mechanic in Magic: The Gathering. It reminds players of staples such as Cancel, which also provides a solid counter for three mana. What makes Flip the Switch stand out is the additional benefit of creating a Zombie creature token with decayed. This additional board presence can be pivotal in matches, offering not just a disruption of your opponent’s plans but also advancing your board state.

A close relative in functionality is Sinister Sabotage. While this card doesn’t provide a token, it compensates by allowing a surveil 1, enabling you to filter your next draw. In direct comparison, Essence Scatter is leaner, with a cost of only two mana focused entirely on countering creature spells which makes it more restrictive than Flip the Switch which can counter any type of spell.

Each of these counter spells offers strategic pros and cons, but Flip the Switch uniquely balances disruption with the advantage of adding a creature to the field. This balance is appealing for players who want to maintain momentum while hindering their opponents, placing it as a notable choice in MTG’s rich array of interactive spells.

Cancel - MTG Card versions
Sinister Sabotage - MTG Card versions
Essence Scatter - MTG Card versions
Cancel - Time Spiral (TSP)
Sinister Sabotage - Guilds of Ravnica Promos (PGRN)
Essence Scatter - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Flip the Switch by color, type and mana cost

Mana Short - MTG Card versions
Psionic Blast - MTG Card versions
Capsize - MTG Card versions
Forbid - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Exclude - MTG Card versions
Crystal Spray - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Ixidor's Will - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Venser's Diffusion - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Oona's Grace - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Mana Short - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Psionic Blast - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Capsize - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Forbid - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Frantic Search - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Exclude - Invasion (INV)
Crystal Spray - Invasion (INV)
Hibernation - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Circular Logic - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Keep Watch - Judgment (JUD)
Archmage's Charm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Commander's Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ixidor's Will - Onslaught (ONS)
Catalog - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Thirst for Knowledge - World Championship Decks 2004 (WC04)
Murmurs from Beyond - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Venser's Diffusion - Future Sight (FUT)
Dream Fracture - Eventide (EVE)
Oona's Grace - Eventide (EVE)
Cancel - Ixalan (XLN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flip the Switch MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Flip the Switch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Flip the Switch Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Campbell White.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 542015normalblackCampbell White
22022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 542015normalblackCampbell White

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flip the Switch has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-09-24 Decayed does not create any attacking requirements. You may choose not to attack with a creature that has decayed.
2021-09-24 Decayed does not grant haste. Creatures with decayed that enter the battlefield during your turn may not attack until your next turn.
2021-09-24 Decayed represents a static ability and a triggered ability. "Decayed" means "This creature can't block" and "When this creature attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat."
2021-09-24 Once a creature with decayed attacks, it will be sacrificed at end of combat, even if it no longer has decayed at that time.
2021-09-24 You will create a Zombie creature token even if the spell's controller pays .

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