Show of Confidence MTG Card


Show of Confidence - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number28
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byPaul Scott Canavan

Key Takeaways

  1. Offering card advantage, Show of Confidence copies itself for each prior spell, yielding a cascade of value.
  2. Its instant-speed casts provide real-time flexibility and bolster magecraft mechanics, enhancing your battlefield command.
  3. Mandatory discard and specific mana needs can limit your strategic options, demanding careful deck integration.

Text of card

When you cast this spell, copy it for each other instant and sorcery spell you've cast this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies. Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. It gains vigilance until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When playing Show of Confidence, the magic lies in its potential to copy itself. Each copy represents an additional card’s worth of value, catapulting you ahead in the tug-of-war for card dominance on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: This spell eagerly bolsters your magecraft strategies by cascading into further spells and effects. Through strategic play, it accelerates your resource deployment by amplifying the value of each spell you cast thereafter.

Instant Speed: Agility is key in the art of spellcasting, and Show of Confidence operates at the speed of thought. Its instant nature means you can adapt with precision, casting it when the time is just right to maximize impact without compromising your defenses.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Show of Confidence demands that you discard a card as part of its casting cost, which can deplete your hand and reduce your options in upcoming turns.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires white mana, which might constrain its inclusion strictly to white or multicolor decks, potentially excluding it from many other strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the card can heavily influence the board state, its relatively high mana cost means it takes up a significant part of your turn, which could be a drawback when trying to maintain tempo against faster decks.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Show of Confidence easily slides into various deck builds with its instant-speed capability to buff creatures and the scalability that proliferates with the number of spells cast earlier in the turn.

Combo Potential: This card shines in spell-heavy decks, empowering combos that magnify with each additional spell you cast, leading to potentially game-ending turns.

Meta-Relevance: With many players focusing on creature-based strategies, Show of Confidence can tip the scales in pivotal moments, providing valuable protection and a significant power boost.


How to Beat Show of Confidence

Show of Confidence is an intriguing spell that boosts your creatures’ power in Magic: The Gathering, creating a stronger battlefield presence. It shines in decks that focus on casting multiple spells in one turn, as each spell cast previously amplifies its effect, placing additional counters on your creatures. It’s a card that can turn a quiet game state into one of overwhelming advantage.

To counter this card effectively, timing is everything. Interaction on the stack with instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt the chain of spells before Show of Confidence resolves is key. Consider using spells that negate an opponent’s spell or abilities, such as Counterspell or Disallow, which can halt Show of Confidence in its tracks. Additionally, prevent the buildup of a threatening board by managing the number of creatures your opponent controls. Sweepers like Wrath of God can reset the battlefield, nullifying the advantage gained from successful resolution of Show of Confidence.

Taking these proactive approaches in properly timing your spells and managing the game state can significantly diminish the impact of Show of Confidence, ensuring the tide of battle remains in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the strategic nuances of Show of Confidence and expand your MTG repertoire. This card’s ability to amplify magecraft and creature powers at instant speed can be a game changer, potentially tipping the scales in your favor during critical turns. Understanding its strengths and weaknesses is crucial for integrating it effectively into your decks. Whether it’s creating synergies with spell-heavy decks or leveraging its instant nature to surprise opponents, Show of Confidence is a versatile addition to consider. Explore more in-depth tactics, discover counterplays, and refine your deck-building skills with us. Embrace the challenge and sharpen your MTG strategies today.


Cards like Show of Confidence

Show of Confidence stands as an intriguing spell within the Magic: The Gathering landscape, especially when eyeballing its kin within the same family of cards. One can draw a parallel with Defiant Strike, as they both cost a single white mana. However, Show of Confidence incorporates the ability to copy itself for each instant or sorcery spell cast prior in the turn, potentially amping up its impact, while Defiant Strike only draws a card.

Exploring further, we find Make a Stand, another spell in the same color pie. It serves a broader purpose, granting indestructibility and a power boost to a wider range of creatures until the end of the turn. Yet, it pales in versatility as Show of Confidence can scale with the flow of the game. Twinflame, though red, echoes with similarity; it copies creatures but misses the mark on the instant buff that Show of Confidence delivers to creatures and Magecraft triggers it can amass in a single turn.

Ultimately, Show of Confidence proves to be a contender carrying unique momentum for players looking to orchestrate a symphony of spells in a single, pivotal turn, which amplifies both its tactical value and allure in the Magic: The Gathering arena.

Defiant Strike - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions
Twinflame - MTG Card versions
Defiant Strike - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions
Twinflame - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Show of Confidence MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Show of Confidence and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Show of Confidence has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-04-16 If the target of the original Show of Confidence has become an illegal target when that spell is copied, the copies will initially still target the same creature. If you don’t choose new targets for the copies, they each will fail to resolve. Notably, you don’t have to change targets, especially not to opposing creatures, just because the current target of Show of Confidence is illegal.
2021-04-16 Magecraft abilities trigger once for each copy created as Show of Confidence’s triggered ability resolves.
2021-04-16 The triggered ability counts all instants and sorceries that were cast before it resolves. If you cast instant spells in response to the ability, those spells will count.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.