Swirling Torrent MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Number	56
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ben Wootten

Key Takeaways

Disrupts opponents by rearranging their next draws or removing creatures, influencing the game’s momentum.
Requires careful planning due to its sorcery speed, but when timed right, it alters the game significantly.
High blue mana cost and six mana total demand consideration for deck inclusion, especially in fast-paced games.

Text of card

Choose one or both — • Put target creature on top of its owner's library. • Return target creature to its owner's hand.

"Oops!" —Grupgrup, sluiceway technician

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Swirling Torrent presents an opportunity to gain a subtle upper hand by rearranging the top cards of a player’s library or bouncing a creature back to an opponent’s hand. This potentially disrupts their draw and battlefield presence, angling the momentum in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Swirling Torrent can set you up for future plays by removing blockers or threats temporarily. This allows you to make more informed decisions with your mana and spells in subsequent turns, maximizing the impact of the cards you already have in play.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Swirling Torrent requires strategic planning to maximize its potential. Although it doesn’t have the reactive flexibility of an instant, the potent effects it delivers can be timed to significantly alter the state of the game, like interrupting synergies or setting an opponent back right before your turn begins.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Swirling Torrent does not entail a discard, but it does come with a drawback due to its specific and challenging mana requirements, which could be considered a limitation in fast-paced games where efficiency is key.

Specific Mana Cost: One of the hurdles for including Swirling Torrent in your deck is its blue-heavy mana cost. Comprising one generic and five blue mana, this card demands a substantial blue mana base, potentially restraining its use to mono-blue or heavy blue-focused decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Six mana for its effects may seem steep, especially when other options in the game can offer similar control for less investment. When considering this card for your strategy, it’s crucial to weigh its benefits against the demands of its mana cost, which could be a hindrance in highly competitive environments where speed and efficiency often dictate the outcome of the game.

Reasons to Include Swirling Torrent in Your Collection

Versatility: Swirling Torrent proves its worth in any blue-centered deck that thrives on controlling the pace of the game. Its ability to bounce creatures or place them on top of the library adds a level of versatility that can disrupt opponents’ plans.

Combo Potential: This card can synchronize well with strategies that manipulate deck order or benefit from casting spells with effects on multiple targets. It’s an asset for decks aiming to capitalize on casting spells with relevant enter-the-battlefield triggers.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that is creature-heavy or depends on critical combo pieces, Swirling Torrent can serve as a timely answer. It removes key creatures from combat and disrupts the opponent’s following draw, a subtle yet powerful tool against the right decks.

How to Beat Swirling Torrent

Swirling Torrent presents itself as a force to be reckoned with in your Magic: The Gathering arsenal. The flexibility of choosing whether to put creatures on top of their owner’s libraries or to proliferate offers a tactical edge. Despite this adaptability, there are strategies that can effectively counteract its potential impact on the game.

When it comes to mitigating the setback Swirling Torrent could cause, consider cards that grant your creatures hexproof or protection from blue to circumnavigate the ability altogether. Furthermore, playing at an aggressive pace and maintaining a diversified board presence can dilute its efficiency significantly. Cards like Lazotep Plating not only protect your creatures but also leave behind a token, essentially nullifying the tempo loss.

Additionally, instant-speed reactivity is crucial. Keeping up mana for counterspells or abilities that can sacrifice your own creatures in response allows you to avoid the loss of board presence. Ultimately, by deploying a proactive, diverse strategy and maintaining the capability to react swiftly, you can ensure Swirling Torrent doesn’t wash away your chances of victory.

Cards like Swirling Torrent

Swirling Torrent proves to be a versatile sorcery within Magic: The Gathering’s vast repertoire of blue spells. When observed alongside something like River’s Rebuke, both cards showcase the potential to disrupt opponents by returning permanents to their owner’s hand. Swirling Torrent allows for pinpoint precision, enabling the player to choose two targets and either put a creature on top of the owner’s library or return it to their hand. Additionally, the option to place a permanent on top of the owner’s library can temporary stall an opponent’s strategy, similar to how Griptide functions.

Furthermore, there’s Engulf the Shore, echoing the bounce mechanic of Swirling Torrent but with a dependency on the number of Islands you control, potentially impacting multiple creatures. On the other hand, Aether Gale stands out by permitting the selection of up to six target nonland permanents to return to their owner’s hand, offering a broader scope of control.

In essence, while Swirling Torrent may not have the sweeping impact of River’s Rebuke or match Aether Gale in terms of volume, its dual functionality and selective nature present players with a strategic tool to navigate complex board states, solidifying its place in blue’s control arsenal.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Swirling Torrent MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Swirling Torrent and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Swirling Torrent has restrictions

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