Diffusion Sliver MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Sliver
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants slivers an extra layer of protection, forcing opponents to rethink targeted removal strategies.
  2. Supports resource acceleration by preserving slivers which are integral to mana generation and board development.
  3. Works in concert with fellow slivers, enhancing tribal synergies and deterring opponent interference effectively.

Text of card

Whenever a Sliver creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays .

"The hive shimmered, and its walls seemed a living mirror." —Hastric, Thunian scout


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The presence of Diffusion Sliver on the battlefield can be a critical asset, especially in a deck designed to capitalize on every sliver played. This card effectively complicates your opponent’s ability to remove your slivers, often forcing them to allocate more resources to deal with a single threat. This indirect layer of protection can lead to a significant advantage as you deploy more of your sliver arsenal with less fear of disruption.

Resource Acceleration: Although Diffusion Sliver does not directly generate mana or tokens, it plays a pivotal role in maintaining resource acceleration by shielding your slivers. Preserving your board state ensures that mana dorks, such as Gemhide Sliver or Manaweft Sliver, remain in play, thus allowing you to further expand your plays per turn and outpace your opponent’s development.

Instant Speed: While Diffusion Sliver itself is not played at instant speed, its effect is continuous and provides a persistent defensive buffer that requires no additional mana investment. This attribute allows players to expend their mana for other spells and actions without worrying about protecting Diffusion Sliver every turn, simulating similar benefits to instant-speed interaction by dictating opponents’ choices and their expenditure of removal capacities.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Discard Requirement isn’t part of Diffusion Sliver’s mechanics, this factor is crucial in deck-building considerations. Running Slivers that do require discarding can tax your hand, making the timing of playing Diffusion Sliver critical for maintaining card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Diffusion Sliver demands a precise mana configuration—both blue and colorless. This can sometimes restrict seamless inclusion, especially in multi-colored Sliver decks that may face mana bottlenecks, hampering the card’s effectiveness and timeliness during gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the higher side for the protective ability it provides, Diffusion Sliver can be a tempo setback in fast-paced games. Considering other MTG cards might deliver more immediate or diverse benefits for the same cost, evaluating its worth in your deck composition becomes essential.


Reasons to Include Diffusion Sliver in Your Collection

Versatility: Diffusion Sliver offers flexibility in deck building, particularly for those who run Sliver tribal decks. Its ability to protect Slivers makes it a worthwhile consideration in any meta-game where targeting removal is prevalent.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly within Sliver synergies, amplifying the tribe’s resilience. Its presence can deter opponents from using targeted removal, thus safeguarding key combo pieces within your Sliver strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with spot removal spells, Diffusion Sliver becomes an asset by making it cost-prohibitive for opponents to single out your threats, keeping the board in your favor.


How to beat

Overcoming a Diffusion Sliver on the battlefield can be quite the strategic conundrum. This particular Magic: The Gathering card is known for enhancing the survivability of fellow Slivers by imposing an additional tax on any target spells your opponent may cast. The key to turning the tide lies in overwhelming the Sliver synergies quickly, or utilizing spells and abilities that bypass the targeting mechanic, such as board wipes or effects that don’t specify ‘target’ creature or player.

Adept use of removal spells that can clear multiple creatures at once, like Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict, can nullify the protection Diffusion Sliver offers. Another strategy is to leverage spells that penalize or limit the opponent’s ability to pay additional costs, making it harder for the tax on targeting spells to be shouldered. Additionally, employing non-targeting removal options such as sacrifice effects forces your opponent to decide the fate of their creatures, thereby skirting around the Diffusion Sliver’s defense.

Facing a Diffusion Sliver is about finding the crack in its armor. With thoughtful deck construction and smart play, this formidable Sliver’s influence can be mitigated, maintaining the pace and pressure of your strategy in MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and challenges of Diffusion Sliver is key to mastering your MTG games. With its potential to safeguard your Sliver legion, this card proves invaluable in decks that thrive on synergy and resilience. However, smart players will also consider its mana demands and strategically decide its place within their deck’s curve. Embracing innovative strategies to protect and advance your board state is crucial in MTG’s dynamic battles. Eager to enhance your gameplay and integrate effective tactics with cards like Diffusion Sliver? Dive deeper into our wealth of insights and strategies tailored to elevate your MTG expertise and outmaneuver your opponents every turn.


Cards like Diffusion Sliver

Diffusion Sliver offers a unique layer of defense for Sliver creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It finds company with cards like Crystalline Sliver, which also gives Slivers protection by making them untargetable. This makes Crystalline a robust shield against targeted removal. However, Diffusion Sliver provides a different approach; it doesn’t make Slivers untargetable but penalizes opponents by requiring them to pay an additional two mana for each spell targeting a Sliver, effectively deterring such actions.

Galactic Protector is another related card that guards your celestial permanents, allowing you to fortify your defenses across the board, though it doesn’t protect against all types of targeting like Diffusion Sliver does. Then there’s Hibernation Sliver, granting you an escape mechanism by returning your Slivers to your hand when targeted. Yet, Hibernation doesn’t pose a mana tax on opponents as Diffusion Sliver does, which can be a strategic advantage by taxing your opponent’s resources.

In summary, while there are several cards that offer similar protective features for Slivers, Diffusion Sliver adds a subtle, resource-draining hurdle for opponents, which can be crucial in preserving your board presence and prolonging the potency of your Sliver strategy in gameplay.

Crystalline Sliver - MTG Card versions
Hibernation Sliver - MTG Card versions
Crystalline Sliver - MTG Card versions
Hibernation Sliver - MTG Card versions

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Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
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Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Diffusion Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Diffusion Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Diffusion Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-07-18Magic 2015M15 502015NormalBlackTrevor Claxton
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6182015NormalBlackTrevor Claxton
32021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 1812015NormalBlackTrevor Claxton
42023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8452015NormalBlackCampbell White

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Diffusion Sliver has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2014-07-18 Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like indestructible and the ability granted by Belligerent Sliver, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2014-07-18 If you change the creature type of a Sliver you control so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures you control.
2014-07-18 Slivers in this set affect only Sliver creatures you control. They don’t grant bonuses to your opponents’ Slivers. This is the same way Slivers from the Magic 2014 core set worked, while Slivers in earlier sets granted bonuses to all Slivers.
2014-07-18 The granted ability applies to any spell (including Aura spells), activated ability, or triggered ability that’s controlled by an opponent that targets a Sliver you control.

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