Subtle Strike MTG Card

Kaladesh (KLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 100

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 785

Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
2020-09-25 - Number 128

Subtle Strike - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)

Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
2020-11-12 - Number 107

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number KLD-100

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Offers a two-for-one effect, potentially swinging the board in your favor without losing card advantage.
Instant speed flexibility adds surprise and strategy, countering opponents’ moves effectively.
Mana cost specificity can limit inclusion in multicolored decks but excels in black-centric builds.

Text of card

Choose one or both — • Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. • Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

Renegades do some of their best work right under the Consulate's nose.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Subtle Strike doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it offers a tactical advantage by potentially removing an opponent’s creature and strengthening your own – essentially handling two threats with one card.

Resource Acceleration: Subtle Strike doesn’t produce mana or tokens, but by potentially eliminating a blocker or attacker, it can clear the way for damage to your opponent or preserve your resources on the board.

Instant Speed: Subtle Strike’s instant speed gives you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn or in response to an action, effectively using your mana on an as-needed basis, which can be a game-changer.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Subtle Strike does not directly require discarding cards, it can indirectly lead to card disadvantage. If you are forced to use it to merely keep up with your opponent’s threats, you may end up losing out on card efficiency in the exchange.

Specific Mana Cost: Subtle Strike’s mana cost necessitates one black mana, which could be restrictive for multicolored decks that might struggle with mana fixing or prefer to keep their mana open for more versatile spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though its cost is not exceedingly high, when examining Subtle Strike in the broader context of options available, there are alternative cards that might provide a stronger immediate impact on the game board or are more cost-efficient for the effects provided.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Subtle Strike is a multifaceted card that can improve various decks, primarily those focusing on counter mechanics or needing instant-speed interaction.

Combo Potential: This instant offers excellent synergy with strategies that evolve around +1/+1 counters, enabling you to enhance your creatures while diminishing your opponent’s.

Meta-Relevance: Subtle Strike shines in an environment full of creature-based decks, allowing you to subtly shift combat outcomes in your favor, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategies.

How to Beat Subtle Strike

Subtle Strike is a versatile instant from the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering the ability to give one creature a -1/-1 until end of turn while also placing a +1/+1 counter on another creature you control. This dual functionality makes it a potentially powerful combat trick and a pesky card to face on the battlefield. Yet, despite its flexibility, there are effective strategies to overcome it.

One approach is to maintain a robust creature presence with plenty of counters or indestructibility to negate the -1/-1 effect. Ensuring your creatures have sufficient toughness or have hexproof can also circumvent Subtle Strike’s weakening blow. Another tactic is to hold onto instant-speed removal spells that can respond to Subtle Strike by removing the targeted creature from the board before the counter is placed, therefore foiling your opponent’s plans.

Timing is crucial when facing Subtle Strike. By playing around your opponent’s mana and being cautious about when to commit valuable creatures to the board, you can often sideline Subtle Strike’s impact and keep your creatures safe from its subtle machinations.

Cards like Subtle Strike

Subtle Strike is a versatile spell in Magic: The Gathering that can turn the tides of combat quickly. When compared to other combat tricks, its closest counterparts often provide either a power boost or a debuff, but Subtle Strike offers both simultaneously. For instance, Grasp of Darkness delivers a significant -4/-4 to a single target, delivering a greater punch in terms of debuffing but without Subtle Strike’s ability to also bolster one of your own creatures.

Another counterpart, Moment of Craving, provides a more immediate life swing with its -2/-2 and 2 life gain, yet it doesn’t offer the +1/+1 counter that could have long-term advantages on the battlefield. Thriving Grubs, in contrast, presents a way to distribute +1/+1 counters, but without the immediate opponent creature weakening that you get from Subtle Strike. Thus, Subtle Strike presents a unique blend of immediate board impact and lasting benefits through its dual function that is less commonly found in other black cards.

Subtle Strike fits subtly within MTG’s pantheon of combat tricks, providing a unique mix of offensive and defensive capabilities that strategically position it as an effective tool for player arsenals, particularly in Limited formats where creature interactions are key.

Cards similar to Subtle Strike by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Subtle Strike MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Mystery Booster, 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 Subtle Strike and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Subtle Strike Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-09-30	Kaladesh	KLD	100	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	785	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
3	2020-09-25	Zendikar Rising	ZNR	128	2015	Normal	Black	Brian Valeza
4	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	KLD-100	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
5	2020-11-12	Kaladesh Remastered	KLR	107	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Subtle Strike has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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