Prognostic Sphinx MTG Card

Scry 3 upon attacking with Prognostic Sphinx generates significant card advantage and strategic foresight. Instant speed hexproof ability via discard offers stellar protection, boosting in-game resilience. Despite benefits, Sphinx’s blue mana cost can limit deck versatility and requires commitment.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Sphinx
Abilities Flying,Scry
Power 3
Toughness 5

Text of card

Flying Discard a card: Prognostic Sphinx gains hexproof until end of turn. Tap it. Whenever Prognostic Sphinx attacks, scry 3. (Look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

Cards like Prognostic Sphinx

Prognostic Sphinx stands as a unique creature within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It has a kinship with other flying sphinxes such as Aven Windreader but with the added twist of hexproof that it gains when you discard a card. This feature gives Prognostic Sphinx an added layer of protection, distinguishing it from its counterparts. Aven Windreader, while it allows scrying of the top card for one blue mana, lacks this safeguarding aspect.

Another similar card is Conundrum Sphinx which encourages a different type of gameplay, centered around guessing cards to draw them. Both creatures share the flight ability, but Prognostic Sphinx offers players a powerful tactical advantage by foreseeing upcoming turns through its scry ability. Moreover, Conundrum Sphinx’s guessing game can be less reliable than the controlled, strategic scry that Prognostic Sphinx provides.

When comparing these cards and their roles in a deck, it’s clear that Prognostic Sphinx is valuable for players who prioritize board presence and future game insight. Its balance between defensive mechanisms and strategic advantage through scrying makes it a noteworthy choice among flying creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Aven Windreader - MTG Card versions
Conundrum Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Aven Windreader - MTG Card versions
Conundrum Sphinx - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Prognostic Sphinx provides a tactical edge by offering scry 3 upon attacking. This filters upcoming draws, significantly increasing the likelihood of obtaining useful cards, thereby maintaining card superiority on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly affecting mana resources, the Sphinx’s scry ability indirectly accelerates your resource quality. By curating your deck’s top cards, you ensure that future draws are more likely to be the resources you need to execute your strategy.

Instant Speed: The Prognostic Sphinx also boasts the flexibility of hexproof at instant speed. By discarding a card, you can protect it from targeted removals, which is a powerful tool for preserving your game state without losing momentum or critical resources.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Prognostic Sphinx requires you to discard a card to activate its ability. This can potentially lead to an unfavorable trade of valuable hand resources, which may not always work to your advantage, especially in tight situations where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Carrying a blue mana-specific cost, this particular sphinx can lead to a color-committed deck construction, reducing flexibility. Players not running a deck with enough blue mana may find it difficult to meet the casting requirements consistently, which limits the card’s universal appeal and integration in various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three blue mana, Prognostic Sphinx demands a substantial investment in the early to mid-game. Considering other creatures and spells available at or below this cost threshold, it might not offer the immediate impact on the game that players look for, potentially slowing down the tempo in fast-paced matches.

Reasons to Include Prognostic Sphinx in Your Collection

Versatility: Prognostic Sphinx is a flexible choice for any collection, capable of fitting seamlessly into control decks and those that value scrying as a means to filter draws. Its ability to dodge removal with hexproof also makes it a resilient threat on the board.

Combo Potential: This card’s scry 3 ability synergizes well with strategies that manipulate the deck order, setting up the right cards for future turns. It can work as an engine in decks that capitalize on knowledge of the upcoming draws.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that leans heavily towards control matchups, Prognostic Sphinx shines by providing consistent board presence and serve as a reliable finisher while helping you maintain card advantage.

How to Beat Prognostic Sphinx

The Prognostic Sphinx is a formidable card in the MTG arsenal, offering both offensive and defensive advantages. Its ability to provide card selection with scry 3 upon attacking and hexproof when discarding a card makes it a resilient threat on the battlefield. To effectively counter this Sphinx, one strategy is to avoid its hexproof ability by not targeting it directly. Instead, focus on strategies that affect the whole board, such as board wipes or global debuffs which don’t require individual targeting.

Ensnaring the Sphinx before it can become hexproof is another viable tactic. This could involve using counter spells when the Sphinx is cast or taking advantage of the window when its controller is tapped out and can’t afford to discard in response to a targeted removal. Furthermore, edict effects that force the opponent to sacrifice a creature sidestep the hexproof mechanism altogether, pushing the Sphinx off the board indirectly.

Understanding when to pressure the opponent’s resources is key because each discarded card to protect the Sphinx is a minus for your opponent’s hand. Thus, hand disruption methods and forcing your opponent to make tough choices can diminish the Sphinx’s value over the course of the game. Lastly, remember that without evasion like flying, the Sphinx can be blockaded by a superior board presence, so sometimes just setting up a strong defense can nullify its offensive potential.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prognostic Sphinx MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Theros, 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 Prognostic Sphinx and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Prognostic Sphinx Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 538422015NormalBlackJesper Ejsing
22013-09-27TherosTHS 602003NormalBlackSteve Prescott
32017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 262015NormalBlackSteve Prescott
42021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 902015NormalBlackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prognostic Sphinx has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-09-15 Scry appears on some spells and abilities with one or more targets. If all of the spell or ability's targets are illegal when it tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't scry.
2013-09-15 When you scry, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards on the bottom of your library, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them on the bottom.
2013-09-15 You can activate Prognostic Sphinx's ability even if it's already tapped.
2013-09-15 You choose how to order cards returned to your library after scrying no matter where you put them.
2013-09-15 You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, that means you'll scry last. For others, that means you'll scry and then perform other actions.