Memory Sluice MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Conspire,Mill |
| Released | 2008-05-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shadowmoor |
| Set code | SHM |
| Number | 170 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Wayne England |
Text of card
Target player puts the top four cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Conspire (As you play this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it and you may choose a new target for the copy.)
Cards like Memory Sluice
The strategic depths of Magic: The Gathering often lead players to seek analogues to new additions like Memory Sluice. This card weaves together the elements of graveyard manipulation and card draw, reminiscent of other spells in the game. Glimpse the Unthinkable is one such card that stands out, offering a significant mill effect but without the card draw benefit that Memory Sluice provides.
Exploring further, we come across targeted mill spells such as Thought Scour, which mills a modest two cards but has the added value of drawing a card. Its low casting cost makes it a highly efficient choice for players looking to cycle through their deck quickly. Moreover, Breakthrough is a potent force, combining mass card draw with a selective milling strategy, although it comes with a higher mana investment compared to Memory Sluice.
Memory Sluice’s uncanny blend of mill and card draw at an instant speed constitutes a niche that’s not oversaturated in Magic: The Gathering. It serves as a testament to the game’s ever-evolving nature, inviting both seasoned and new players to explore diverse strategies within the art of deck construction and gameplay.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Memory Sluice possesses a rare trait that offers you the potential to delve into your opponent’s strategy by milling four cards. This subtle yet powerful move can tilt the game in your favor as it disrupts their plans, while you glean insights into their deck composition.
Resource Acceleration: Featuring the ability to cast for a single blue mana, Memory Sluice can be seamlessly woven into your play strategy. It can set the stage for larger plays or be a simple yet efficacious move in your early game to keep the pressure on your adversary.
Instant Speed: The swiftness of Memory Sluice is where it shines—castable at instant speed, it integrates flexibility into your gameplay. It empowers you to adapt to on-the-fly situations during your opponent’s turn, all while keeping your strategic options wide open and responsive.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Memory Sluice obligates you to discard a card, potentially depleting your hand and putting you at a disadvantage, especially when your card count is critical for sustaining your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both blue and black mana, Memory Sluice demands a strict color commitment, making it less flexible for decks that can’t consistently provide the necessary colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s higher than some alternative draw or mill effects, Memory Sluice can be seen as less efficient, potentially slowing your tempo in fast-paced matchups where every mana point counts.
Reasons to Include Memory Sluice in Your Collection
Versatility: Memory Sluice offers a viable option for decks that are focused on graveyard strategies or for those that simply want efficient spell effects. Its ability to disrupt the opponent’s library while filling your graveyard has uses across multiple deck archetypes, from control to reanimator decks.
Combo Potential: This card is a cog in the machine for combos that capitalize on the number of cards in a graveyard. With the right setup, Memory Sluice can feed into powerful threshold or delve spells, potentially turning the tide of the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players rely heavily on certain key cards, Memory Sluice serves as a subtle form of disruption. It tactically thins out an opponent’s options while setting up your own graveyard for potent follow-up plays. As metas evolve, the card’s utility only grows, ensuring it’s a clever pick for forward-thinking players.
How to beat
Memory Sluice is a strategic card in Magic: The Gathering that can influence the game by disrupting an opponent’s graveyard. It’s often compared to other graveyard manipulation spells, but it has its unique niche through its conspire ability, allowing a player to copy the spell if they tap two creatures that share a color with it. This duplicative effect has the potential to significantly thin out an opponent’s graveyard, hampering strategies reliant on graveyard recursion.
To effectively counter Memory Sluice, consider the timing of your own spells. For instance, adding graveyard reshuffling cards like Elixir of Immortality to your deck can strengthen your resilience against such graveyard-depleting tactics. Similarly, including instant-speed responses that exile or shuffle your graveyard into your library, such as Feldon’s Cane, gives you a strategic edge. It’s essential to be proactive and hold these cards in reserve, deploying them in direct response to Memory Sluice’s trigger.
Taking these measures will help ensure your strategy remains intact and resilient against the disruptive capabilities of Memory Sluice, securing your position on the battlefield and sustaining your game plan even when faced with such targeted disruption tactics.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Memory Sluice MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Memory Sluice 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Memory Sluice has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |