Sluggishness MTG Card

Card advantage through opponent creature control enhances board position while depleting rival resources. Instant speed flexibility allows for strategic responses, keeping adversaries off-balance. The requirement to discard and specific mana costs limit use, demanding thoughtful deck integration.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	1999-02-15
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Legacy
Set code	ULG
Number	92
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Pete Venters

Text of card

Enchanted creature cannot block. When Sluggishness is put into a graveyard from play, return Sluggishness to owner's hand.

Vark decided to lie down and think of a good excuse to quit working.

Cards like Sluggishness

Sluggishness stands out in Magic: The Gathering as it provides players with a distinctive approach to tempo control by slowing down creature assaults. This card functions like a temporary pacifier, by limiting an opponents’ creature’s ability to attack or block until they pay the cost to return Sluggishness to its owner’s hand. We can look at cards like Cessation and Temporal Isolation for a comparable effect. While Cessation also returns to its owner’s hand if the enchanted creature is put into a graveyard, it does not provide the opportunity for the opponent to directly control its fate by paying a cost. Temporal Isolation offers a similar dynamic by rendering the creature effectively harmless by preventing all damage it would deal, yet it lacks the interactive aspect and additional control Sluggishness introduces.

Another card to consider is Gossamer Chains, which returns to the owner’s hand as a reaction to a creature’s attack, emphasizing defense over Sluggishness’s proactive approach to creature management. Each of these cards contributes uniquely to the control archetype, but Sluggishness affords players a strategic edge by blending creature mitigation with the potential for recurring its effect, making it a tactical option in the right deck build.

Weighing these different cards, Sluggishness is a utility player, blending hindrance with flexibility that can adapt to various in-game scenarios. Its ability to disrupt and potentially recur offers a distinctive advantage in Magic: The Gathering’s complex battlefield.

Cards similar to Sluggishness by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sluggishness offers a unique twist on card advantage by granting you the ability to temporarily steal your opponent’s creatures. This disruption not only enhances your battlefield but also diminishes your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: By utilizing Sluggishness, you effectively accelerate your available resources without the need for additional mana investment. This can result in an unexpected swing in board presence and potential for overwhelming your adversary.

Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Sluggishness at instant speed affords you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy mid-combat or at the end of their turn, keeping them perpetually on the back foot and uncertain of your capabilities.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sluggishness demands that you discard a card to cast it. This trade-off can put you at a significant disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running low. Careful consideration is needed to ensure that the benefit outweighs the cost of losing an additional card from your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting requirement includes a specific combination of mana. This specificity means that it can only be slotted into decks that can reliably produce the necessary mana colors, potentially restricting its playability to only certain deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that might be deemed steep for its effects, Sluggishness competes with other cards that could provide more impact or versatility for the same, or less, investment. Players must weigh its cost against the overall speed and efficiency of their deck’s gameplay.

Reasons to Include Sluggishness in Your Collection

Versatility: Sluggishness offers utility across various deck types with its ability to slow down opponents’ creatures. This can be crucial in decks that need time to build up their board or strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in a control deck’s arsenal, providing an opportunity to establish locks on your opponent’s more potent creatures or synergizing with cards that capitalize on tapped creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where fast aggro decks dominate, introducing Sluggishness can tip the scales in your favor by disrupting your opponent’s tempo and enabling you to stabilize the battlefield to your advantage.

How to beat

Sluggishness is a unique aura that targets creatures in Magic: The Gathering, presenting a challenge with its ability to both slow down a creature and eventually return to the caster’s hand to be used again. However, like any other card in the game, it can be overcome with the right strategy. To beat Sluggishness, focus on using low-cost removal spells that can take out the enchanted creature or employ enchantment removal to directly address Sluggishness itself.

Consider options such as Naturalize or Disenchant that can target and destroy enchantments, negating the sluggish effect on your creature and preventing the recursive benefit to your opponent. In terms of creature removal, Fatal Push and Path to Exile offer efficient means to rid the battlefield of problematic creatures without getting slowed down by Sluggishness. It’s also worth noting that playing instant-speed spells allows you to wait until the last moment before your opponent’s end step to react, minimizing the tempo loss Sluggishness aims to impose.

By staying prepared with these types of cards in your deck, you can mitigate the impact of Sluggishness on your creatures and maintain the momentum of your own game plan.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sluggishness MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy, 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 Sluggishness and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sluggishness has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal