Inspired Sphinx MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 7 |
Rarity | Mythic |
Type | Creature — Sphinx |
Abilities | Flying |
Power | 5 |
Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Flying When Inspired Sphinx enters the battlefield, draw cards equal to the number of opponents you have. : Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying.
Cards like Inspired Sphinx
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Inspired Sphinx takes its place among a niche of artifact creatures with a focus on card advantage. Such ilk includes the likes of Consecrated Sphinx, which also thrives on card draw but operates differently. While Consecrated Sphinx can potentially draw you many more cards, being triggered during any player’s draw step, Inspired Sphinx grants immediate card draw based on the number of artifacts you control upon its resolution. Additionally, the Inspired Sphinx provides a token-creating ability, offering more board presence in comparison.
Another card worth comparing is The Antiquities War, an enchantment saga that sifts through the top five cards of your library to reveal artifacts. While not a creature, it too hinges on the synergy with artifacts, and has an ultimate effect that can turn those artifacts into formidable threats. Both cards play into an artifact-heavy strategy but accomplish it through different means: Inspired Sphinx creates an onboard advantage, while The Antiquities War prepares for a climactic finish.
To summarize, Inspired Sphinx holds its own as an artifact-centric card, capable of enhancing both your hand and your battlefield presence, proving to be a versatile option for artifact-laden MTG decks.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Inspired Sphinx provides card advantage by allowing you to draw a card whenever you cast a historic spell, potentially refilling your hand and giving you more options during play.
Resource Acceleration: This creature contributes to resource acceleration by giving you a smoother mana curve, as its ability helps you to cast more historic spells, including those with higher mana costs, more efficiently.
Instant Speed: Although the Inspired Sphinx itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with cards that can be played at instant speed. Its presence amplifies the value of instant speed interaction by potentially drawing you a card for each historic instant spell cast, thus keeping your hand full while dealing with threats or advancing your board position.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Inspired Sphinx prompts players to part ways with a card in exchange for its effect. In situations where your hand is already scant, this can put you in a tricky position, possibly forcing you to throw away a pivotal piece of your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost for Inspired Sphinx’s ability is stringent, demanding a mix of generic and blue mana. This makes the card a less flexible option for decks that cannot reliably produce the necessary blue mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a rather lofty mana cost to get Inspired Sphinx onto the battlefield, it may lag behind in terms of efficiency compared to other options. Certain decks might opt for creatures or spells with a lower mana cost, providing similar benefits without the significant mana investment.
Reasons to Include Inspired Sphinx in Your Collection
Versatility: Inspired Sphinx stands out with its ability to adapt across various deck builds. As a flyer, it can serve as both a formidable attacker and an excellent blocker. Its ability to create Thopter tokens also offers a strategic edge, enhancing board presence.
Combo Potential: The true power of Inspired Sphinx lies in its synergy with artifact-centric themes. The generated Thopter tokens not only increase your artifact count for improvise and affinity but also could be pivotal for combos with cards that capitalize on artifact sacrifices for gains.
Meta-Relevance: With a shifting meta that frequently oscillates between aggro and control decks, Inspired Sphinx provides a balanced option. Its presence can pressure opponents and divert resources, potentially shifting the game in your favor against various popular archetypes.
How to beat
The Inspired Sphinx from MTG is a powerful card that can become the focal point of an opponent’s strategy with its ability to generate card advantage. To outplay someone wielding this artifact creature, it is crucial to disrupt their flow. Artifact removal spells like Disenchant or Abrade can effectively remove Inspired Sphinx from the battlefield before its controller can capitalize on its potent card-drawing ability. Alternatively, countering it upon casting with counterspells such as Counterspell or Negate can ensure it never even touches the field.
However, should the Inspired Sphinx land on the board and start to generate card advantage, focussing on card-quality improvement spells and strategies like scry or surveil can help keep pace. Cards that allow for adaptive gameplay, such as adaptive creatures or flexible removal spells, can also help maintain control despite the card advantage the sphinx provides. Remember that efficient resource management and anticipating your opponent’s moves play significant roles in overcoming the challenge that Inspired Sphinx presents.
In essence, an adaptive deck with the right removal and countering tools, coupled with strategic foresight, stands a good chance against the card-drawing prowess of Inspired Sphinx in MTG. It’s all about timing and the proper execution of defense.
BurnMana Recommendations
Deepening your understanding of MTG’s subtleties can set you apart from the competition. The Inspired Sphinx is a prime example of a card that boosts both board and hand power—key assets for any serious player. Analyzing its strengths and vulnerabilities gives you a comprehensive view of where it can fit into your game plan. Whether you aim to use this creature’s abilities to full effect or want to ensure it never tips the scales against you, knowledge is power. Ready to dive deeper and harness the full potential of the Inspired Sphinx? Explore with us and discover strategies to optimize your deck and gameplay for victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Inspired Sphinx MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Game Night, 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 Inspired Sphinx and other MTG cards:
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- 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
Printings
The Inspired Sphinx Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2016-11-16 | Treasure Chest | PZ2 | 70779 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Ejsing | |
2 | 2018-11-16 | Game Night | GNT | 2 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Ejsing | |
3 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim Commander | KHC | 40 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Ejsing |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Inspired Sphinx has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |