Sinew Sliver MTG Card
2007-02-02 - Number 30
2020-03-08 - Number 14
2021-03-19 - Number 44
2023-08-04 - Number 837
2020-09-26 - Number PLC-30
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Sliver |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Sinew Sliver offers a vital power boost to Sliver creatures, bolstering your on-field presence considerably.
- While beneficial, the card’s specific mana requirement may limit its versatility in diverse Sliver decks.
- Amid similar tribal boost cards, Sinew Sliver remains a preferred choice for its cost efficiency and combo potential.
Text of card
All Slivers get +1/+1.
As the muscle cords of the creature twitched, Hanna saw an unsettling unanimity in the others' rippling flesh. She didn't know what it meant, but she urged Sisay to keep the ship at a safe distance.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Sinew Sliver provides an advantageous boost to all Sliver creatures you control, potentially giving you a significant edge on the battlefield without losing card economy.
Resource Acceleration: This card efficiently accelerates your slivers’ power, as it offers a cost-effective way to enhance multiple creatures simultaneously, effectively saving mana that can be allocated to other strategic plays.
Instant Speed: Being a creature, Sinew Sliver doesn’t have instant speed itself but synergizes well with cards that can flash Slivers onto the battlefield, allowing you to surprise your opponent with sudden buffs during their turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Adding Sinew Sliver to your hand comes at a price, as it necessitates you to discard a card. This can be particularly taxing during late-game scenarios where your hand may already be depleted, potentially forcing a tough decision between retaining critical spells or playing this Sliver.
Specific Mana Cost: Sinew Sliver’s mana cost is quite specific, demanding one white and one generic mana. This requirement can pose a challenge in multicolored Sliver decks that might struggle to consistently generate the necessary white mana, thereby restricting its immediate playability in diverse mana base strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though Sinew Sliver’s mana cost is not exorbitant, it does stand on the higher end for a creature that provides a static boost to others. Considering the scope of other Slivers or similar creatures that offer buffs at a lower cost, players might find it less appealing cost-wise to include Sinew Sliver in their decks, especially in fast-paced game environments where efficiency is key.
Reasons to Include Sinew Sliver in Your Collection
Versatility: Sinew Sliver’s ability to give all Sliver creatures you control +1/+1 makes it a robust addition to any Sliver-centric strategy. Its low mana cost ensures it can be played early, effectively elevating your entire board’s strength from the get-go.
Combo Potential: Within a Sliver deck, this card’s inclusive buff works extraordinarily well with other Slivers’ synergistic abilities. The power increase can be the cornerstone of various combos, significantly boosting both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the enduring popularity of tribal decks in the MTG format, a Sinew Sliver can prove crucial in Sliver-based builds, which often make waves in the meta. It can turn an unassuming Sliver swarm into a formidable force capable of overpowering many common deck archetypes.
How to Beat
Sinew Sliver is a well-known card from Magic: The Gathering that buffs fellow Sliver creatures by granting them a power and toughness boost. This modest card can quickly create a daunting board presence when combined with multiple Slivers, each sharing and enhancing abilities collectively.
Overcoming a Sinew Sliver requires disrupting the synergy it creates. Removal spells are key; casting one before the battlefield is overwhelmed can stifle the Sliver tide. Board wipes like Wrath of God or spot removal like Doom Blade are effective in removing Sinew Sliver, especially before it can amplify other Slivers’ capabilities. Additionally, countering a Sinew Sliver when cast with spells like Cancel can prevent their tribal benefits from ever taking effect.
Another strategy is to limit the number of creatures your opponent controls with cards that restrict creatures from being cast or penalize summoning too many, such as Rule of Law or Propaganda. This can hamper their strategy and give you the advantage. With the right approach and timing, the impact of Sinew Sliver can be mitigated, allowing you to maintain control of the game.
Cards like Sinew Sliver
In the realm of tribal buffs that Magic: The Gathering offers, Sinew Sliver remains a popular choice for players building a Sliver deck. Not unlike Muscle Sliver, Sinew Sliver provides all Sliver creatures you control with a +1/+1 boost. Where Sinew Sliver takes the edge, is its mana cost. Precisely, it’s more color-flexible with one colorless and one white mana requirement, making it a better fit in multicolored decks compared to Muscle Sliver’s double green.
Moreover, Predatory Sliver serves a similar role in Sliver tribal decks. Though it shares the same mana cost as Muscle Sliver, the single green mana requirement instead of white can be pivotal depending on your deck’s mana base. Then there’s the aptly named Might Sliver which offers a larger +2/+2 increase, substantially empowering your creatures. However, its four mana cost can be a hindrance when looking to quickly populate the board with Slivers.
Each of these comparisons underline Sinew Sliver’s value in a Sliver deck strategy. Balancing cost, color, and boost effects is essential; and in this specific niche, Sinew Sliver confidently holds its position as a staple card for any Sliver enthusiast gearing up for battle in Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sinew Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Sinew Sliver and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See Magic products
Printings
The Sinew Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Steven Belledin.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-02-02 | Planar Chaos | PLC | 30 | 2003 | normal | black | Steven Belledin | |
| 2 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 14 | 2003 | normal | black | Steven Belledin | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | PLC-30 | 2003 | normal | black | Steven Belledin | ||
| 4 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 44 | 2015 | normal | black | Steven Belledin | |
| 5 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 837 | 2015 | normal | black | Steven Belledin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sinew Sliver has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sinew Sliver card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-07-01 | Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit. |
| 2013-07-01 | If the creature type of a Sliver changes 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. |
| 2021-03-19 | Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a Sliver may become lethal if Sinew Sliver leaves the battlefield during that turn. |
| 2021-03-19 | Sinew Sliver's ability does give itself +1/+1. |
