Spy Kit MTG Card

Enables significant card advantage by making creatures embody all nonlegendary card names. Activates resource acceleration and instant-speed tricks for strategic gameplay flexibility. Demands careful mana management and may lead to higher cost and lost tempo.

Spy Kit - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)

Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
2016-08-26 - Number 79

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 1635

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number CN2-79

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has all names of nonlegendary creature cards in addition to its name. Equip

Imitation is the sincerest form of treachery.

Cards like Spy Kit

The Spy Kit gadget offers a unique function within the realm of MTG card mechanics that interacts with names of nonlegendary cards. Its closest relative may be the likes of Mask of Avacyn. While Mask of Avacyn provides a toughness and hexproof bonus, Spy Kit equips a creature with all nonlegendary names, opening a diverse arsenal of combos and interactions, such as with cards like Verdant Succession or Tragic Slip. However, unlike the hexproof safety from Mask of Avacyn, Spy Kit does not offer direct protection. Then there’s Neurok Stealthsuit, another equipment that grants shroud but lacks the naming versatility of Spy Kit.

Additionally, when comparing with Cranial Plating, which significantly boosts power based on artifacts in play, it’s evident that Spy Kit doesn’t compete in straight combat prowess. Instead, the kit shines in niche strategies that no other piece of equipment can claim. By understanding the distinctive position Spy Kit occupies, players can see its potential beyond conventional equipment, pinpointing its strength in creative and synergistic deck building within the MTG universe.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spy Kit is exceptional in setting up situations where you can efficiently utilize cards that rely on having a diversity of names among cards you own. This can pave the way for significant card advantage as you turn a single creature into a repository of every nonlegendary card name in your deck.

Resource Acceleration: By equipping creatures with Spy Kit, you enable various resource acceleration strategies. Synergies with cards that care about equipment or cards with specific keywords can propel your mana ramp or provide indirect resource gains.

Instant Speed: While Spy Kit itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it enables numerous tricks involving cards that can be cast at instant speed. This flexibility is crucial for creating surprise interactions or taking advantage of cards that benefit from the vast array of names Spy Kit offers to your equipped creature.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One drawback of the Spy Kit is that in some situations, it necessitates discarding cards to maximize its utility. If your hand is already dwindling, enacting its full potential could be challenging, leading to a loss in card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation demands two mana of specific color, which can be awkward for multicolor decks that might struggle to produce the right types of mana consistently. This requirement can restrict the card’s inclusion in a variety of decks, confining it to more specific strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of two generic mana and one white mana to cast, plus the initial investment to equip, it can be seen as a steep price for the effect provided. This potentially slows down tempo, especially in decks that need to establish a board presence quickly or that excel with lower mana curves.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spy Kit is a unique equipment card that can be added to a variety of decks. Its ability to give the equipped creature all names of non-legendary creature cards makes it an enabler for certain strategies and synergies.

Combo Potential: This card can combo with cards like Erase (Not the Urza’s Legacy One) and Verdant Succession for unlimited removal or creature plays. The possibilities for creative and potentially game-winning interactions are vast, providing a wide scope for deckbuilders to explore.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where naming cards can disrupt opponents’ strategies or where certain creatures become targets for widespread removal, Spy Kit can equip key creatures to dodge those situations. Its relevance might fluctuate with the meta, but it remains a uniquely nimble card for tech choices.

How to beat Spy Kit

Interactive strategies in Magic: The Gathering can prove invaluable when countering unique cards like Spy Kit. This card, known for equipping creatures with the names of all nonlegendary creature cards, creates an intriguing dynamic on the battlefield. Its uniqueness lies in potentially enabling certain combo kills or politic plays with cards that reference names.

To effectively combat Spy Kit, consider employing instant speed removal or countering enchantments that may exploit the Spy Kit’s ability. Pinpoint removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can dismantle this combo piece before your opponent can capitalize on its effects. Card types that allow you to select and exile Spy Kit directly from your opponent’s hand or library can also be particularly useful, ensuring that the card never becomes a threat in the first place.

In essence, maintaining a versatile deck with a variety of answers is key. Prepare to disrupt your opponent’s game plan by keeping your hand ready to interact with their strategy, thereby neutralizing the Spy Kit’s potential before it can impact the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spy Kit MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy: Take the Crown 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 Spy Kit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Spy Kit Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-08-26 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Aaron Miller.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-08-26	Conspiracy: Take the Crown	CN2	79	2015	Normal	Black	Aaron Miller
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	1635	2015	Normal	Black	Aaron Miller
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	CN2-79	2015	Normal	Black	Aaron Miller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spy Kit has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-08-23	If you named any nonlegendary creature card for hidden agenda or draft abilities that refer to a creature on the battlefield, the equipped creature will have that name and will qualify for any relevant bonuses. For example, equipping Spy Kit to Noble Banneret will enable Noble Banneret’s last ability (as long as you noted a nonlegendary card name for it).
2016-08-23	Some creature cards have abilities that function during the draft and additional abilities that refer to cards you exiled or information you noted with “cards named -his card’s name].” These abilities are linked, so equipping Spy Kit to such a creature won’t affect the set of cards it exiled or the information you noted.
2016-08-23	The set of names the equipped creature has includes the names of all nonlegendary creature cards in the Oracle card reference, including the back faces of double-faced cards. Notably, the equipped creature won’t gain the names of tokens, such as Zombie, Goblin, and similar. It also won’t gain the names of noncreature cards that have become creatures, such as a Wandering Fumarole that has become a creature.