Send to Sleep MTG Card
2015-07-17 - Number 71
2019-11-07 - Number 483
2020-09-26 - Number ORI-71
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Spell mastery |
Text of card
Tap up to two target creatures. Spell mastery — If there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard, those creatures don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps.
Cards like Send to Sleep
Send to Sleep is a nuanced control spell within the arsenal of blue Magic: The Gathering decks. Its closest relative is Frost Breath, which also taps two target creatures. Send to Sleep, however, wields the might of the Spell Mastery mechanic, potentially freezing the targets and not allowing them to untap during their controller’s next untap step if there are two or more instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. This subtle advantage can turn the tides of a game by keeping threats at bay for an extra turn.
Another card mirroring its effect is Sleep, which takes the concept further by tapping all creatures an opponent controls and preventing them from untapping on the next turn. While Send to Sleep is more cost-efficient, Sleep offers a wider impact, potentially locking out an entire board. Grip of the Roil also bears similarities, providing the tap-down effect with the additional benefit of card draw, although at a higher mana cost.
Ultimately, Send to Sleep holds its own in the realm of temporary control spells, with its ability to hinder select opponents’ creatures and offering strategic timing plays, especially when Spell Mastery is achieved.
Cards similar to Send to Sleep by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Send to Sleep can target two creatures, potentially neutralizing a pair of threats and setting your opponent back while you’re maintaining control.
Resource Acceleration: This card fits into strategies that seek to delay the opponent and can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by keeping opponents’ resources tapped down, allowing you to swing the game in your favor over subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: Its instant speed grants flexibility, letting you react swiftly to your opponent’s creatures, disrupting their combat strategies at a critical moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Send to Sleep asks for strategic hand management, primarily when triggering its spell mastery effect. Without sufficient hand resources, players may find it challenging to capitalize on the full potential of the card, as it could lead to an unwanted depletion of their strategic options.
Specific Mana Cost: This card mandates a precise mana combination to cast it efficiently—two blue mana—which can be restrictive especially for multicolor decks that may have a more versatile mana base. Therefore, Send to Sleep might not always seamlessly fit into decks that aren’t heavily focused on blue mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Send to Sleep carries a mana cost that could be perceived as high for temporary removal. Players might opt for other options that offer more permanent solutions to threats on the board or ones that affect the game state more substantially for the same or less mana investment.
Reasons to Include Send to Sleep in Your Collection
Versatility: Send to Sleep is a flexible card that can fit into various blue decks, functioning as an essential tempo play by stalling opponents. It’s effective for slowing down aggressive decks or buying time to set up your winning combo.
Combo Potential: With a spell mastery feature that allows you to tap two target creatures without them untapping during the next untap step, Send to Sleep can be a linchpin in decks that capitalize on controlling the board and setting up for a decisive turn.
Meta-Relevance: As creature-based strategies often dominate the MTG meta, having a card like Send to Sleep can be instrumental in tipping the scales to your advantage. Its ability to disrupt the opponent’s tempo can make it a relevant sideboard card, if not a main deck option, depending on the prevalence of creature-heavy decks in the game’s current environment.
How to beat
Send to Sleep is a card that can surprise and disrupt many strategies in Magic: The Gathering. This spell can instantly neutralize threats by tapping two creatures that can’t untap during the next untap step, which is especially powerful if an opponent is about to unleash a lethal attack or relies on creature abilities to further their game plan.
Countering Send to Sleep involves maintaining a diverse set of creatures, some with untap abilities or with hexproof to ensure that they’re not all susceptible to a single card. Activated abilities like those from cards such as Merfolk Trickster can render creatures temporarily inert, bypassing Send to Sleep’s effect. Always keep instant-speed removal or countermagic ready to deal with unexpected plays. Versatile cards like Swiftfoot Boots can also provide protection against it by granting hexproof and haste, which helps keep your key creatures safe and responsive on the battlefield.
Ultimately, flexibility and preparedness are your best assets against Send to Sleep. Diversify your deck’s capabilities, and you’ll be able to mitigate its impact and maintain the upper hand in your matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Send to Sleep MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Mystery Booster, 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 Send to Sleep and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Send to Sleep Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Cynthia Sheppard.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-07-17 | Magic Origins | ORI | 71 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 483 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | ORI-71 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Send to Sleep has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Send to Sleep card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-06-22 | Check to see if there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard as the spell resolves to determine whether the spell mastery ability applies. The spell itself won’t count because it’s still on the stack as you make this check. |
| 2015-06-22 | If the spell mastery ability applies and a creature affected by Send to Sleep changes controllers before its old controller’s next untap step, Send to Sleep will prevent it from becoming untapped during its new controller’s next untap step. |
| 2015-06-22 | If you chose two targets and one is an illegal target when Send to Sleep resolves, that creature won’t become tapped and it won’t be stopped from untapping during its controller’s next untap step (if the spell mastery ability applies). It won’t be affected by Send to Sleep in any way. |
| 2015-06-22 | Send to Sleep can target tapped creatures. If a targeted creature is already tapped when the spell resolves (and the spell mastery ability applies), that creature remains tapped and doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step. |