Lidless Gaze MTG Card


Lidless Gaze reveals opponents’ hands and pushes for advantageous discards, altering their game plan. It’s limited by specific mana needs and the loss of your own cards, which can backfire. The card excels in hand disruption and could enhance control decks by removing key threats.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Text of card

Exile the top card of each player's library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play those cards, and mana of any type can be spent to cast them. Flashback


Cards like Lidless Gaze

Lidless Gaze is a unique entry in the realm of hand disruption spells within Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to classic disruptors like Duress, which allows peering into an opponent’s hand to potentially discard a noncreature, nonland card. What sets Lidless Gaze apart is its specificity on discarding creature cards. This narrowed focus can offer players an upper hand in dismantling creature-heavy decks.

Another comparable spell is Inquisition of Kozilek, widely valued for its ability to pluck out cards with cost three or less, providing an early game advantage. Lidless Gaze, while it doesn’t restrict based on mana cost, exclusively targets creatures, showcasing its role in a strategist’s arsenal against creature-based strategies. We must also consider Thoughtseize, with its broader range, allowing the discard of any nonland card at the cost of 2 life. Although more versatile, Thoughtseize trades off health for power, a decision not required with Lidless Gaze

Ultimately, Lidless Gaze fortifies its position in hand disruption tactics through its creature-centric disruption. It is a thoughtful choice for players tailoring their deck to control the board and maintain tempo against creature-dependent opponents.

Duress - MTG Card versions
Inquisition of Kozilek - MTG Card versions
Thoughtseize - MTG Card versions
Duress - MTG Card versions
Inquisition of Kozilek - MTG Card versions
Thoughtseize - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Lidless Gaze by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Purge - MTG Card versions
Rare-B-Gone - MTG Card versions
Poison the Well - MTG Card versions
Thought Hemorrhage - MTG Card versions
Slaughter Games - MTG Card versions
Cut // Ribbons - MTG Card versions
Widespread Brutality - MTG Card versions
Terminal Agony - MTG Card versions
In Thrall to the Pit - MTG Card versions
The Nipton Lottery - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Purge - MTG Card versions
Rare-B-Gone - MTG Card versions
Poison the Well - MTG Card versions
Thought Hemorrhage - MTG Card versions
Slaughter Games - MTG Card versions
Cut // Ribbons - MTG Card versions
Widespread Brutality - MTG Card versions
Terminal Agony - MTG Card versions
In Thrall to the Pit - MTG Card versions
The Nipton Lottery - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lidless Gaze enables players to peer into their opponent’s hand, potentially disrupting their strategy by forcing the discard of a nonland card while simultaneously providing insight into the opponent’s game plan.

Resource Acceleration: By removing key cards from the opponent’s hand, this card effectively accelerates your advantage as your adversary loses access to their resources, which can lead to a quicker path to victory.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Lidless Gaze at instant speed offers flexibility, allowing players to respond to threats or actions during the opponent’s turn, keeping options open for counterplay or end-of-turn surprises.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lidless Gaze comes with a conditional discard component. In order to harness its power, you have to let go of a card, which could leave you at a disadvantage, particularly if your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost requires a precise combination of colors, demanding both blue and black mana. This specificity can hamper deck-building flexibility, making it challenging to fit into a diverse range of strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana to cast, Lidless Gaze’s effectiveness is a point of contention. When you consider the curve of your deck, there might be alternative disruption options that offer similar or better effects with a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lidless Gaze offers a unique approach to disrupting your opponent’s hand. This card can slot into various strategies that aim to control the game by meticulously removing key pieces from the opponent’s hand. Whether you are running a mono-black control or a dimir rogue deck, its inclusion can elevate your ability to dictate the flow of the game.

Combo Potential: Lidless Gaze shines in decks that capitalize on the opponents having fewer cards in hand. It can be a cog in a well-oiled machine that leverages discard synergies. When used in tandem with cards that punish players for empty hands, such as “Shrieking Affliction,” it becomes a persistent threat that can quickly erode your opponent’s resources.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with hand-sculpting strategies, Lidless Gaze proves its weight in gold. With the rise of decks that rely on precise combinations of cards to execute their win conditions, stripping key pieces can tilt the scales in your favor, making it a formidable inclusion to gain an edge against the prevailing meta.


How to Beat Lidless Gaze

Lidless Gaze has quickly garnered attention among MTG players for its ability to disrupt opponents’ strategies by peering into their hands and forcing discards. Beating this card demands a proactive approach. One tactic is to maintain a lower hand size to minimize its impact. This might seem counterintuitive, but cards like Bone Shards thrive under such conditions, offering removal abilities while also adhering to the strategy of keeping your hand slim.

Alternatively, leveraging cards that benefit from being in the graveyard can turn the disadvantage of discarding to your benefit. Embrace the use of cards with flashback or other abilities that activate from the graveyard, turning potential losses into strategic assets. Cards such as Unearth or Lingering Souls become valuable tools in this scenario.

For those preferring to keep a fuller hand, consider cards that can replace themselves upon being discarded or spells that can be cast from the graveyard. This provides a buffer against Lidless Gaze’s intrusiveness, ensuring your game-plan remains intact even as you carefully maneuver around this prying enchantment.


BurnMana Recommendations

Every MTG enthusiast knows that a well-constructed deck can turn the tides of any match. With Lidless Gaze’s ability to unsettle your opponent’s plans and its combo potential in disruption-centric strategies, it’s a notable card to consider for your collection. It’s vital to assess how it fits within your deck’s curve and color scheme to maximize its benefits. Armed with the insights from our analysis, you’re primed to make informed decisions about including Lidless Gaze in your game plan. Ready to take your control game up a notch? Explore more strategic tips and card assessments with us and master the art of hand disruption.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lidless Gaze MTG card by a specific set like Tales of Middle-earth Commander and Tales of Middle-earth Commander, 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 Lidless Gaze and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lidless Gaze Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Yigit Koroglu.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 1412015NormalBlackYigit Koroglu
22023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 592015NormalBlackYigit Koroglu
32023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 4662015NormalBlackYigit Koroglu

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lidless Gaze has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-06-16 Lidless Gaze uses a new template indicating that you may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast the exiled cards. The six types of mana are white, blue, black, red, green, and colorless.
2023-06-16 Snow mana is not a type of mana. Lidless Gaze won't let you pay a snow cost using mana produced by a nonsnow source.