Sirocco MTG Card

Disrupts opponents by revealing hands, and hinders their resource acceleration during gameplay. Demands discipline in hand management, posing challenges for maintaining card advantage. Excellent against blue-dominated formats, adding versatility and control to your MTG collection.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Number	192
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alan Rabinowitz

Text of card

Target player reveals his or her hand to all players. For each blue interrupt card that player holds, he or she pays 4 life or discards that card.

"Blow, fiery wind, / strip illusion from the eye. / Blow, fiery wind of truth." —Femeref chant

Cards like Sirocco

Sirocco is a unique entry in the world of combat trick cards for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts. This card echoes abilities seen in cards like Fog, which also prevents damage from creatures for a turn. Sirocco, however, specifically targets only red creatures which make it situationally advantageous when facing a mono-red deck. Unlike Fog, Sirocco’s niche application can be a deft sideboard choice in a meta dominated by red aggro decks.

Comparing it further, we can look at Darkness, which acts like Fog but is black and also blocks all combat damage for a turn. While Darkness can be more versatile in different matchups, Sirocco’s charm lies in its ability to be a silver bullet against red-orientated strategies, potentially offering a surprise factor in games. Moreover, Sirocco distinguishes itself with its unique ‘can’t be countered’ clause, ensuring its effect against red creatures even in the face of countermagic—a boon not shared by its counterparts.

The assessment of Sirocco versus its peers shows that while it may not have the broad applicability of some other fog effects, its targeted nature and uncounterable feature make it a formidable option for specific situational play in Magic: The Gathering, particularly against certain deck archetypes.

Cards similar to Sirocco by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sirocco offers a powerful mechanism for disrupting the opponents’ hand, potentially stripping away key cards and gaining information about their upcoming plays.

Resource Acceleration: While Sirocco itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, effectively using it can hinder your opponent’s resource acceleration, allowing you to maintain a lead in the mana curve.

Instant Speed: This card operates at instant speed, meaning you can wait for the perfect moment during your opponent’s turn to play it, keeping the element of surprise on your side and disrupting their strategy at a critical moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sirocco demands players to discard another card to utilize its effect. This can be particularly detrimental when you are already struggling with card economy or trying to maintain hand advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Sirocco’s activation is strict, requiring a singular red mana. For multicolored decks that might struggle with specific mana, this could pose a problem, potentially causing the card to sit idle in a player’s hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three generic and one red mana, Sirocco’s cost is substantial when considering the scope of its impact. Players often evaluate the efficiency of a spell in relation to its mana cost, and in many scenarios, Sirocco competes with other spells that might yield a more substantial influence on the game state for an equivalent, if not lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sirocco has the capability to slot into various deck builds that favor disruption tactics, making it a suitable sideboard candidate for formats where blue spells dominate.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies aimed at denying an opponent’s key plays, seamlessly integrating with lock-down combos or counter-based decks to maintain control.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the prevalence of blue strategies in several competitive scenes, Sirocco’s intrinsic ability to specifically thwart these decks can be crucial, potentially tilting the match in your favor.

How to beat

Sirocco is a card of great interest within the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering. Players often stumble upon the challenge it poses, obstructing blue spells for that crucial turn. The key to overcoming Sirocco lies in timing and strategic planning. For those looking to beat this card, it is essential to bait the Sirocco cast, ensuring that your most valuable blue spells are protected. Holding back critical spells until your opponent has exhausted their Sirocco can be a winning strategy.

Similarly, you can exploit Sirocco’s restrictions by creating a diverse deck. Incorporate a range of colors and card types to dilute the effectiveness of a single-color hate card like Sirocco. Control decks with a mix of counterspells, removal, and multi-colored threats stand a better chance at blunting Sirocco’s impact. Additionally, considering alternative plays or having a strong non-blue creature game can circumvent Sirocco’s disruption.

Ultimately, understanding and anticipating the meta, as well as your opponent’s tendencies, will guide you in crafting a strategy to nullify the obstructive nature of Sirocco. Flexibility in game play and deck construction are paramount in securing victory against such targeted disruption within Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sirocco MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Sirocco and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sirocco has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-02-01	If you target yourself with this spell, you must reveal your entire hand to the other players just as any other player would.