Sunken Hope MTG Card

Planeshift (PLS)
2001-02-05 - Number 37

Tenth Edition (10E)
2007-07-13 - Number 112

Planechase 2012 (PC2)
2012-06-01 - Number 26

Sunken Hope - Planechase Anthology (PCA)

Planechase Anthology (PCA)
2016-11-25 - Number 26

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment

Key Takeaways

Offers card advantage by enabling repeated use of creatures with beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects.
Can disrupt opponent’s board while aiding your resource acceleration through strategic plays.
Its upkeep-triggered effect allows for foresight in planning strategies each turn.

Text of card

At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player returns a creature he or she controls to its owner's hand.

While Dominarians fought for their world, Rath stole it from under their feet.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sunken Hope offers a unique way to maintain card advantage by returning a creature to its owner’s hand each turn. This repetitive action can create ongoing value, especially when using creatures with beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly related to producing mana or treasure, Sunken Hope can indirectly accelerate resource allocation by allowing repeated use of creatures with mana-generating abilities. This can potentially lead to an increased pace of play and more powerful turns.

Instant Speed: Sunken Hope operates at the speed of the game, meaning its effect occurs at the beginning of each player’s upkeep, allowing you to plan your turns knowing that creatures are returned. This consistent trigger can work to your advantage, as you can adapt your strategy knowing how Sunken Hope will affect the board state every cycle.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sunken Hope requires players to return a creature they control to their hand each turn. This continuous bounce effect could be a setback, causing a loss of momentum and potentially disrupting your own board state, particularly if you rely on creatures with potent enter-the-battlefield effects.

Specific Mana Cost: Sunken Hope has a dedicated blue color cost, requiring two blue mana alongside its three generic mana cost. This specificity can pose a challenge for multicolor decks, constraining mana flexibility and potentially affecting consistency in casting other spells within a turn.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its five mana total cost, some players might find Sunken Hope a bit too pricey for the effect it provides. As the game typically offers numerous spells that can directly remove or counter creatures for a lower mana investment, the card’s comparative cost-effectiveness is an aspect to carefully consider.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sunken Hope offers a unique dynamic to any blue-centered control or bounce deck. Its ability to return creatures to their owner’s hand each turn can be used as a form of control or to re-trigger enter the battlefield effects for advantage.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this card is a combo enabler. It pairs well with creatures that have beneficial enter the battlefield abilities or with cards that can capitalize on opponents having to replay creatures, thereby exhausting their resources.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Sunken Hope can significantly disrupt opponents’ game plans. Its persistent bouncing effect can be a deterrent against heavy aggro and can prove to be an effective way to maintain board control.

How to beat

Sunken Hope is a unique enchantment in MTG that can put your strategic skills to the test. This blue card mechanically requires each player to return a creature they control to their hand at the beginning of their upkeep, a powerful effect that can seriously disrupt creature-based strategies. But like any Magic card, there are ways to mitigate its impact and even use it to your advantage.

To effectively counter Sunken Hope, consider employing non-creature-based strategies like control decks that rely on instants, sorceries, and planeswalkers. Utilizing creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects can also turn the tide to your benefit, as you can re-trigger these abilities each time you’re forced to return the creature to your hand. It’s also critical to manage your own board, minimizing the number of creatures affected by Sunken Hope. Lastly, straightforward enchantment removal spells or abilities, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, can permanently remove Sunken Hope from the battlefield and nullify its control over the game.

While Sunken Hope can create a challenging dynamic, strategic deck building and choice of spells can ensure that you maintain control and secure your path to victory against this persistent enchantment.

Cards like Sunken Hope

In the realm of blue control strategies within Magic: The Gathering, Sunken Hope commands a unique presence. Sharing some similarities with cards like Evacuation, Sunken Hope follows the theme of returning creatures to their owners’ hands. Evacuation clears the battlefield with a single sweep, a reset button during your opponent’s turn, but lacks the repeatability offered by Sunken Hope which can create an ongoing tactical advantage.

Capsize is another intriguing parallel, featuring a buyback ability that can repeatedly bounce individual targets. Although more targeted and flexible in its use, Capsize doesn’t provide the relentless, symmetrical effect that shapes the game around Sunken Hope’s presence each turn. Conversely, Sunken Hope ensures an enduring loop but requires strategic deck construction to turn its symmetrical effect into a one-sided advantage.

To sum up, while there are several bounce spells in the game, Sunken Hope stands out due to its unique combination of impact and enduring board control. It threads the needle between single-event spells and more expensive, repeatable options, offering a compelling tool for builders of persistent, creature-light blue decks in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Sunken Hope by color, type and mana cost

Heightened Awareness - MTG Card versions

Reflections of Littjara - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sunken Hope MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift and Tenth Edition, 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 Sunken Hope and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sunken Hope Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2001-02-05 and 2016-11-25. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2001-02-05	Planeshift	PLS	37	1997	Normal	Black	Greg Staples
2	2007-07-13	Tenth Edition	10E	112	2003	Normal	Black	Volkan Baǵa
3	2012-06-01	Planechase 2012	PC2	26	2003	Normal	Black	Volkan Baǵa
4	2016-11-25	Planechase Anthology	PCA	26	2015	Normal	Black	Volkan Baǵa