Sauron, the Lidless Eye MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Avatar Horror
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Gain card advantage and disrupt opponents with Sauron the Lidless Eye’s unique abilities.
  2. Consider mana constraints and high casting cost before including in your decks.
  3. Amplify strategic depth and combat prevalent metagame trends effectively.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sauron, the Lidless Eye MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Sauron, the Lidless Eye and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

When Sauron, the Lidless Eye enters the battlefield, gain control of target creature an opponent controls until end of turn. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn. : Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. Each opponent loses 2 life.

There is an Eye in the Dark Tower that does not sleep.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sauron the Lidless Eye ensures that you remain ahead in the game by potentially stripping valuable resources from your opponent’s hand while refilling your own. This kind of exchange can tip the scales in your favor, adding pressure and providing you an advantage through disruption and hand size.

Resource Acceleration: This powerful card may offer indirect acceleration by disrupting the opponent’s strategy, making them waste resources or slowing down their development. Every setback you can enforce accelerates your position relative to theirs, keeping you one step ahead in the race for the win.

Instant Speed: The flexibility to cast spells at instant speed often translates to a strategic upper hand. Imagine outmaneuvering opponents by waiting for their turn to unfold, preserving mana for surprises, or simply responding to threats as they arise. With the Lidless Eye ready, you become a formidable adversary with an answer lurking in the shadows.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Sauron the Lidless Eye demands that you part with another card from your hand, which could put you at a disadvantage, especially when your hand size is dwindling or the cards you hold are crucial for your strategy’s continuity.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a specific arrangement of mana, including black, which may not always seamlessly integrate with your deck’s mana base or could constrain its inclusion to black-centric or compatible decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Demanding a sizeable amount of mana to cast, Sauron the Lidless Eye might fall behind in efficiency when matched against other cards at a similar mana tier, possibly leading to less optimal plays as you strive for board presence.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sauron the Lidless Eye offers a unique adaptability on the battlefield, capable of fitting into various deck archetypes. It can serve as a formidable threat in a control deck or act as an enabler in more aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card comes with an intriguing combo potential, seamlessly integrating with abilities that benefit from its eye-conic presence. It can act as a lynchpin in decks aiming to assemble powerful synergies around black mana and powerful spells.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-evolving nature of the MTG metagame, Sauron the Lidless Eye finds relevance in its ability to disrupt popular strategies. Its application can be particularly impactful in metas where control or creature-based strategies dominate, allowing players to gain leverage through its unique set of abilities.


How to beat

Sauron the Lidless Eye poses a significant challenge in the Magic: The Gathering landscape, setting itself apart with its control-oriented abilities and temptation mechanic. Facing this formidable foe requires a keen understanding of its functions and strategic counterplay. Similarly, to how Distortion Strike grants creatures unblockable for a turn, Sauron deflects traditional attacks, urging players to find alternate paths to victory.

One effective strategy is utilizing removal spells that don’t target, like board wipes or exile effects, circumventing Sauron’s protection from colored spells. Spells like Supreme Verdict or Merciless Eviction can clear the way without having to directly target the Dark Lord. Another tactic includes leveraging the potency of fast, aggressive decks to apply pressure and defeat the opponent before Sauron can establish control of the board or utilizing hand disruption like Thoughtseize to prevent it from being cast altogether.

Victory against Sauron the Lidless Eye in MTG demands adaptability, advance planning, and a mindful assessment of available resources. Understanding the tempo and knowing when to hold back or push through are paramount, just as choosing the right spells to weave through your opponent’s defenses.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the shadows of MTG with Sauron the Lidless Eye, as it casts a long, ominous shadow across the battlefield. Whether you’re wielding this card to gain control or as a cornerstone in a meticulously crafted strategy, its power cannot be underestimated. If you appreciate the art of control and disruption or seek to leverage the raw potential of black mana-based synergies, Sauron is a compelling addition to your arsenal. Enhance your game knowledge and expand your collection’s versatility. Join us at BurnMana for advanced strategies, card analysis, and expert insights to conquer your opponents and reign supreme in the world of MTG.


Cards like Sauron, the Lidless Eye

Sauron the Lidless Eye adds a formidable presence to the universe of powerful characters in Magic: The Gathering. With a mystical edge akin to characters like Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, Sauron the Lidless Eye can also swing the momentum of the game. Both legendary creatures exert control over the course of play, but Sauron’s menace is unique with his unsettling ability to meddle with opponents’ strategies.

Working in a similar domain is Ob Nixilis, the Fallen. While Ob Nixilis focuses on land-related strategy to hurt the opponent, Sauron extends his influence by potentially altering opponents’ entire game plans. Where Ob Nixilis and Sauron diverge is their method of disrupting players. Sauron may not have a direct impact on life totals, but his overarching threat can be more confining. Additionally, among similar cards worth noticing is Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord, another potent force. Sorin bolsters vampire strategies and has immediate board impact, however, he offers a different toolkit compared to the broader manipulation of Sauron the Lidless Eye.

When players weigh the pros and cons between these menacing characters, Sauron the Lidless Eye stands out due to his unparalleled ability to manipulate and control the game, revealing why this particular card has become a worthy subject of discussion and strategy among players of Magic: The Gathering.

Ob Nixilis, the Fallen - MTG Card versions
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis, the Fallen - MTG Card versions
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord - MTG Card versions

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Printings

The Sauron, the Lidless Eye Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Yigit Koroglu.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 3962015NormalBlackYigit Koroglu
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 2882015NormalBlackYigit Koroglu

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sauron, the Lidless Eye has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
TimelessLegal