Sapphire Leech MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Leech
Abilities	Flying
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	71
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Spencer

Key Takeaways

Sapphire Leech can indirectly create card advantage by deterring opponents from playing blue spells.
Static ability of Leech offers persistent pressure against blue spells, akin to having instant speed interaction.
Meta relevance is high with Sapphire Leech in environments dominated by blue spell-based decks.

Text of card

Flying Blue spells you play cost o U more to play.

"The subject's wings are clearly vestigial. We suspect the gems somehow keep it aloft." —Tolarian research notes

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sapphire Leech doesn’t directly generate card advantage, but its presence can disincentivize opponents from casting blue spells, potentially causing them to hold back resources and indirectly providing you with a strategic upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not providing resource acceleration itself, the Leech can slow down opponents using blue mana. This relative deceleration of an opposing player’s resources can allow you to play your threats and answers more effectively by comparison.

Instant Speed: Although Sapphire Leech is a creature card rather than an instant, its static ability is always “on,” meaning it impacts blue spells at all times, not just during your turn. This persistent effect can serve a similar function to instant speed interaction by affecting the pace at which an opponent can safely play their blue spells.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sapphire Leech necessitates discarding additional cards, a considerable drawback when your hand is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring exclusively blue mana to cast, this card may not be a flexible choice for multi-colored or colorless decks that struggle to generate the necessary mana type.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be steep for its effects, there are alternative spells within the blue spectrum that could potentially offer more value at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Sapphire Leech in Your Collection

Versatility: Sapphire Leech offers a unique dynamic in blue-heavy decks, challenging the norm of unrestricted spellcasting. This can often shift the tempo in your favor against opponents who rely heavily on blue spells.

Combo Potential: In decks utilizing cost-increasing effects or benefiting from opponent’s disruptions, Sapphire Leech can serve as an essential piece. Its ability to tax blue spells can be combined with other cards to create crippling effects on an adversary’s strategy.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-evolving metagame, Sapphire Leech shines in meta environments filled with blue spell-slinging decks. Its presence on the battlefield can significantly hinder opposing strategies reliant on casting multiple blue spells each turn, thereby giving you a tactical advantage.

How to beat

Sapphire Leech presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As a card that increases the cost of blue spells for its controller, it demands a strategic approach. The key to overcoming this creature lies in being resourceful, as those extra mana costs can quickly accumulate, potentially crippling a player’s pace.

To successfully navigate against Sapphire Leech, one should consider the use of removal spells that are not blue, thereby bypassing the increased cost. Targeted removal like Doom Blade or Abrupt Decay can efficiently handle the Leech without additional expense. Alternately, exploiting cards that change a creature’s color or utilizing spells that can bounce creatures back to the owner’s hand are just as effective without the associated cost hike.

Moreover, playing around Sapphire Leech’s ability by incorporating non-blue spells in your strategy or waiting until you have ample lands to cover the extra costs can mitigate the impact of its ability. Choosing the right moment and tool to deal with Sapphire Leech is crucial for maintaining control of the game and securing victory.

Cards like Sapphire Leech

Delving into the world of Magic: The Gathering, Sapphire Leech stands out in its niche, akin to cards such as Emerald Leech in the color-pie siblings. Sapphire Leech pressures blue spell casts by demanding an additional mana, which proves to be a strategic obstacle. Emerald Leech presents a parallel challenge but for green spells instead. While both bear the leech lineage, their influence is color-specific, shaping the decks they interact with.

Another related card is Spelltithe Enforcer, which also taxes the opponent’s spells, but with a twist – it requires an additional tax unless the opponent sacrifices a permanent. This presents a more flexible hurdle, affecting all colors yet allowing a different type of cost for the opponent. Additionally, the infamous Rhystic Study asks for just one extra mana for each spell or rewards the controller with valuable card draw, thus being an auto-include in decks looking to punish opponents’ plays and gain advantage over time.

Comparatively, Sapphire Leech is a creature that directly imposes a tax on a specific color, providing a targeted and consistent form of control. This fine-tuned finesse makes it a unique piece in blue-denial strategies within MTG’s extensive arsenal of taxing effects.

Cards similar to Sapphire Leech by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sapphire Leech MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Sapphire Leech and other MTG cards: