Silverquill Silencer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Silverquill Silencer can grant card advantage by forcing opponents to play around its ability.
  2. Its restrictive casting cost makes it less flexible for non-black and white mana decks.
  3. While strong, other two-drops might offer more immediate or versatile board impact.

Text of card

As Silverquill Silencer enters the battlefield, choose a nonland card name. Whenever an opponent casts a spell with the chosen name, they lose 3 life and you draw a card.

"I am very much in the mood to start handing out expulsions."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Silverquill Silencer encourages strategic play that can lead to substantial card advantage. Whenever an opponent casts a spell that’s been named, it not only silences that spell but rewards you with a draw, potentially replacing itself in your hand and disrupting the opponent’s strategy.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of mana, the Silencer can indirectly aid in resource acceleration. By pressuring your opponent to play around the Silencer’s ability, it could slow them down and effectively give you a lead in resource development as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: While Silverquill Silencer isn’t an instant itself, it synergizes well with instant-speed spells in your deck. It can set the stage for a controlled game where you can respond to threats at instant speed while maintaining pressure with the Silencer’s conditional card advantage ability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Silverquill Silencer requires you to accurately name a card upon casting it, which later must be discarded by your opponent to trigger its ability. If your guess is off, the card acts merely as a combatant without leveraging its full potential, potentially leading to a wasted opportunity or a card disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for a specific deck archetype, Silverquill Silencer demands both white and black mana for its casting cost. This prerequisite confines the card’s inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both colors of mana, thereby reducing its overall flexibility across the broader game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not exorbitant, the two specific mana cost for a 3/2 creature may not always align with the tempo of some decks. Given that there are other two-drops that can have an immediate impact on the game or possess other forms of utility, Silverquill Silencer might not always represent the optimal choice at that stage of the mana curve.


Reasons to Include Silverquill Silencer in Your Collection

Versatility: Silverquill Silencer is a card that can be easily integrated into multiple deck archetypes. It shines in decks that aim to control the opponent’s play style as well as in aggressive decks that benefit from efficient creatures.

Combo Potential: With its ability to name a card and silence your opponent’s strategy, this card can be pivotal in setting up combos. It disrupts opponents just long enough to turn the tide in your favor and align key pieces on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where specific spells dominate, Silverquill Silencer becomes a targeted answer to such threats. Its relevance increases with its capability to suppress popular strategies in the current MTG metagame.


How to Beat

The Silverquill Silencer is an intriguing card that can disrupt an opponent’s strategy in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to penalize opponents for casting a named spell, it demands a tactical approach to overcome its effects. To beat this card, consider utilizing spells or abilities that do not rely on specific names, such as generic removal spells or board wipes that can handle multiple threats at once.

Another strategy might be to bait out the Silencer’s ability with less critical spells, allowing you to clear the path for more important ones later in the game. Additionally, playing around the Silencer’s limitations, such as by utilizing flash creatures or instant-speed interactions can mitigate the card’s impact on your game plan.

Lastly, taking advantage of the fact that the Silencer requires a proactive declaration of the named card means that you can adjust your tactics mid-game, potentially rendering the Silencer’s ability useless if the named card is not a key component of your ongoing strategy. Remember, flexibility and unpredictability can be key in outmaneuvering the Silverquill Silencer.


Cards like Silverquill Silencer

Silverquill Silencer offers an intriguing set of abilities for player decks that focus on disruption in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to silence specific spells is akin to that of Meddling Mage, which also allows you to choose a card name and then prevents that card from being cast. Where Silverquill Silencer rises above is its potential to draw a card and inflict damage on your opponent should they cast the named spell.

Another card worth comparing is Tidehollow Sculler, featuring a similar control element by exiling an opponent’s card from their hand until it leaves the battlefield. While Silverquill Silencer cannot exile cards from the hand, it can affect the battlefield and card advantage simultaneously once the named spell is cast. Moreover, Kitesail Freebooter shares a comparable disruption tactic by targeting a noncreature, nonland card in an opponent’s hand. However, unlike Silverquill Silencer, it does not offer the same deterrent impact or card draw benefit.

These comparisons highlight how Silverquill Silencer is uniquely positioned within disruption mechanics in MTG. Its ability to couple disruption with card draw and damage provides a tactical advantage in the right deck, making it a noteworthy consideration for strategy-conscious players.

Meddling Mage - MTG Card versions
Tidehollow Sculler - MTG Card versions
Kitesail Freebooter - MTG Card versions
Meddling Mage - Planeshift (PLS)
Tidehollow Sculler - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Kitesail Freebooter - Ixalan (XLN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Silverquill Silencer MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and 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 Silverquill Silencer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Silverquill Silencer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-24. Illustrated by Zezhou Chen.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 901782015normalblackZezhou Chen
22021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 2342015normalblackZezhou Chen
32021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 3532015normalblackZezhou Chen
42021-04-24Strixhaven: School of Mages PromosPSTX 234p2015normalblackZezhou Chen
52021-04-24Strixhaven: School of Mages PromosPSTX 234s2015normalblackZezhou Chen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Silverquill Silencer has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-04-16 Silverquill Silencer’s second triggered ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger.

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