Notion Thief MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Abilities Flash
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Notion Thief excels at converting opponents’ card draws into personal gains, offering a significant card advantage.
  2. Its flash ability provides surprise tactics, but the 4-mana cost competes with other game-altering cards.
  3. Effective in blue or black decks focused on information control, with high combo potential in the right meta.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash If an opponent would draw a card except the first one he or she draws in each of his or her draw steps, instead that player skips that draw and you draw a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Notion Thief excels at disrupting opponents’ card draw plans while potentially racking up cards for yourself. This effectively turns any of your opponents’ draw strategies into a personal advantage for you.

Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its unique ability to hijack extra card draws, Notion Thief has the potential to accelerate your resources indirectly. Every card your opponent should have drawn becomes a resource in your hand, provided Notion Thief is on the field.

Instant Speed: With the ability to flash Notion Thief onto the battlefield, you gain the element of surprise. This can be a game-changer, particularly when your opponent least expects their draw effect to turn into your gain. The timing can be crucial, transforming this card into a tactical pivot in many games.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Notion Thief comes with a unique setback. Although it doesn’t make you discard cards directly, its ability is only valuable if your opponent is drawing extra cards. This dependent condition becomes a disadvantage against opponents who don’t heavily utilize card draw strategies or if you’re already dominating the card advantage game, leaving Notion Thief as a dormant asset on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Notion Thief has a very specific mana cost, requiring both blue and black mana. This means it’s inherently limited to decks that can produce both types of mana, which may not appeal to players who favor mono or different colored decks. Integrating it into multicolored decks also demands a well-tuned mana base to ensure it’s playable when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Notion Thief competes with many other impactful four-drop cards in the game. Some of these alternatives could either advance your own game plan more aggressively or disrupt your opponents more effectively. In the fast-paced dynamic of many MTG formats, having to wait until you have four mana could be a costly delay.


Reasons to Include Notion Thief in Your Collection

Versatility: Notion Thief can be a dynamic addition to any blue or black deck that values information advantage. Its ability to replace your opponents’ card draws with your own can pivot the momentum of the game, making it applicable in a diverse array of deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card pairs exceptionally well with effects that force your opponent to draw cards, turning what is often a benefit to them into a boon for you. Synergizing with popular cards like “Windfall” or “Wheel of Fortune” can yield devastating results, filling your hand while leaving opponents stifled.

Meta-Relevance: As long as card advantage is critical to winning matches, Notion Thief will hold relevance. In a meta heavy with control or combo decks, disrupting your opponent’s draw strategy can be a silver bullet against otherwise finely-tuned decks, providing an edge in competitive play.


How to beat Notion Thief

Notion Thief is a powerful card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to disrupt opponents’ plans by redirecting their card draw to you. To outplay someone using Notion Thief, it’s important to minimize the impact of its ability. Since Notion Thief’s strength lies in its synergy with cards that force your opponent to draw, avoid playing into this trap. Instead, consider using spot removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push to remove Notion Thief from the board before it can affect your strategy.

Another tactic is to limit the number of cards you draw while the Thief is in play. This mitigates the advantage the Notion Thief player gains. Alternatively, you can turn their tactics against them by using cards like Sudden Shock or Abrupt Decay that can’t be countered, ensuring that Notion Thief is dealt with swiftly and without the chance for your opponent to respond.

Bearing in mind Notion Thief’s flash ability allows for surprise plays, always be cautious about when and how you draw cards. Patience, strategic play, and the right removal tools are key to outmaneuvering the cunning Notion Thief and securing your game plan.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG deck takes more than just power; it’s about understanding how each card can turn the tide of the game. Notion Thief is a prime example of a card that can do just that. With its ability to shift card advantage from your opponent to you, it’s a strategic piece in any blue-black deck. However, its effectiveness is dependent on your opponents’ strategies and your precise timing of entry to the battlefield. If you’re eager to delve deeper and optimize your deck with Notion Thief, our platform is your gateway to insider tips and strategies. Embrace the art of the perfect play and make each match an opportunity to showcase your finesse and control. Discover more about making Notion Thief a cornerstone in your collection and outplay your opponents with confidence.


Cards like Notion Thief

Notion Thief is a unique card within Magic: The Gathering, specifically within the blue-black color pie that excels at disrupting opponents’ card draw strategies. Such abilities can be likened to Alms Collector, a card that similarly restricts opponents from benefiting from drawing multiple cards. However, Notion Thief takes it up a notch by not just limiting the extra draws, but also redirecting that card advantage to the player who controls it. While Alms Collector is in the white color pie and leans towards equality in card draw, Notion Thief is a master at creating a disparity in hand size.

Another card that performs a different kind of hand disruption is Narset, Parter of Veils. While this planeswalker doesn’t let you steal cards from an opponent’s draw like Notion Thief, it significantly hampers their ability to dig into their library, allowing only one card to be drawn each turn. This can be a punishing lock against decks that heavily rely on drawing many cards at once. Unlike Notion Thief, Narset doesn’t offer you the drawn cards, but simply stopgaps your opponent’s card flow.

When compared, Notion Thief stands out due to its dual-colored nature and the specific draw-denial niche it fills, making it a formidable and sometimes game-winning card in formats where drawing multiple cards is a common strategy.

Alms Collector - MTG Card versions
Narset, Parter of Veils - MTG Card versions
Alms Collector - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Narset, Parter of Veils - War of the Spark (WAR)

Cards similar to Notion Thief by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Fiend - MTG Card versions
Doomsday Specter - MTG Card versions
Possessed Aven - MTG Card versions
Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist - MTG Card versions
Marsh Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Moroii - MTG Card versions
Circu, Dimir Lobotomist - MTG Card versions
Blizzard Specter - MTG Card versions
Wydwen, the Biting Gale - MTG Card versions
Evil Twin - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Liege - MTG Card versions
Kathari Remnant - MTG Card versions
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind - MTG Card versions
Ulamog's Nullifier - MTG Card versions
Drunau Corpse Trawler - MTG Card versions
Gisa and Geralf - MTG Card versions
Duskmantle Seer - MTG Card versions
Hostage Taker - MTG Card versions
Deadeye Brawler - MTG Card versions
Nightveil Predator - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Fiend - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Doomsday Specter - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Possessed Aven - Torment (TOR)
Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Marsh Crocodile - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Moroii - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Circu, Dimir Lobotomist - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Blizzard Specter - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Wydwen, the Biting Gale - Commander 2020 (C20)
Evil Twin - Innistrad (ISD)
Glen Elendra Liege - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Kathari Remnant - Planechase Anthology (PCA)
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Ulamog's Nullifier - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Drunau Corpse Trawler - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Gisa and Geralf - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Duskmantle Seer - Commander 2018 (C18)
Hostage Taker - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Deadeye Brawler - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Nightveil Predator - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Notion Thief MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze and Masters 25, 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 Notion Thief and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Notion Thief Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-05-03 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-05-03Dragon's MazeDGM 882003normalblackClint Cearley
22018-03-16Masters 25A25 2112015normalblackClint Cearley
32020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 962015normalblackClint Cearley
42023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 2702015normalblackVeli Nyström

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Notion Thief has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-03-16 If an opponent is instructed to draw a card then discard a card, and Notion Thief causes you to draw a card instead, that opponent still discards a card. The same is true of any other actions that opponent is instructed to do.
2018-03-16 If two or more players each control a Notion Thief and a player would draw a card other than the first one in their draw step, that player chooses one of the applicable Notion Thief effects to apply. Then the player whose Notion Thief's effect was chosen repeats this process among the remaining Notion Thief effects, and so on, until there are no more possible such effects to apply. Each effect can be applied to the card draw only once this way.
2018-03-16 The above procedure means that if each player in a two-player game controls a Notion Thief and one would draw a card, it really will be that player who draws a card.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks