Sudden Spoiling MTG Card

Indirect card advantage is achieved as Sudden Spoiling disrupts opponents, preserving your board and hand assets. Instant speed allows strategic play, making Sudden Spoiling a versatile control card in pivotal game moments. Despite its cost, the card’s ability to neutralize multiple threats makes it a valuable inclusion in varied decks.

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 135

Commander 2013 (C13)
2013-11-01 - Number 94

Commander 2014 (C14)
2014-11-07 - Number 164

Sudden Spoiling - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 144

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Abilities	Split second

Text of card

Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.) Creatures target player controls become 0/2 and lose all abilities until end of turn.

Cards like Sudden Spoiling

In the realm of versatile instant spells, Sudden Spoiling stands out as a unique card in Magic: The Gathering. It draws comparisons to other instant-speed tricks, such as the well-known Turn to Frog. Both cards temporarily modify creature abilities and stats, yet Sudden Spoiling edges ahead with its ability to impact all creatures your opponents control, rendering them 0/2 and removing all abilities. This can drastically alter the course of a game, especially during combat.

Then there’s Polymorphist’s Jest, which also resembles Sudden Spoiling in its surprise factor, by transforming opponents’ creatures into harmless 1/1 frogs. However, Sudden Spoiling is superior in scenarios where opponents’ creatures have amassed counters or equipment, as it sets their stats regardless of enhancements. Mass Diminish follows a similar theme by shrinking opponents’ creatures, but Sudden Spoiling ensures creatures lose problematic abilities as well.

A comparative analysis reveals that while there are several cards with abilities to neutralize opponent creatures, Sudden Spoiling excels in its sweeping effect and versatility. Its potential to disrupt combos and combat makes it an exceptional card for players seeking control and protection.

Cards similar to Sudden Spoiling by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Sudden Spoiling does not directly allow a player to draw cards, it can cripple an opponent’s strategy by turning their creatures into 0/2 with no abilities. This disruption often leads to significant indirect card advantage, as it can render an opponent’s combat tricks or creature abilities useless, preserving your board presence and cards in hand.

Resource Acceleration: Although Sudden Spoiling doesn’t provide direct mana or resource acceleration, its low casting cost and the potential to save mana by not having to cast other spells for defense or removal can effectively speed up your gameplay. The saved resources can then be allocated to more proactive strategies or advanced plays in the following turns.

Instant Speed: The fact that Sudden Spoiling can be cast at instant speed is a pivotal aspect of the card. It allows players to wait until the most opportune moment during an opponent’s turn, such as during the combat phase, to disrupt their plans. This flexibility makes Sudden Spoiling a powerful tool for controlling the pace of the game and protecting one’s life total and board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Sudden Spoiling doesn’t force you to discard, it requires precise timing to maximize its disruptive effect. Casting it too early or late can lead to wasted potential, especially if you’re already facing resource constraints.

Specific Mana Cost: Sudden Spoiling calls for two black mana and one of any type. This may hinder players who run multi-colored decks and can struggle to have the necessary black mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a converted mana cost of three, Sudden Spoiling is no small investment, especially considering it’s an instant that doesn’t affect the board state permanently. In fast-paced games or against decks that require quick answers, its cost might be too steep for the temporary edge it provides.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sudden Spoiling slides effortlessly into various deck archetypes, particularly those that rely on strategic timing and instant-speed interaction. Its ability to instantly turn formidable threats into harmless creatures without abilities offers a unique and universal solution to many of the game’s most challenging board states.

Combo Potential: This card excels in combinations with board wipes, allowing you to neutralize indestructible and other protective abilities before clearing the field. It’s also great for turning off enemy creatures’ abilities during complex combat math or in response to combo triggers.

Meta-Relevance: Given its utility in disrupting opponents’ strategies, Sudden Spoiling is a gem in metas populated by creature-heavy and ability-reliant decks. Its surprise factor can tip the scales in your favor, regardless of the power level of your adversaries’ creatures at the time of casting.

How to beat

Sudden Spoiling is a unique spell in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal due to its split second ability, allowing it to be cast at almost uncounterable speed. This dimir-hued instant can be a game-changer, especially when your opponent counts on their creatures’ abilities during combat. It not only neutralizes those abilities but also reduces their strength, turning potential powerhouses into mere 0/2 creatures. This can seriously disrupt combat strategies and leave creatures vulnerable.

To effectively counter Sudden Spoiling, players should look towards utilizing abilities or spells that do not rely on the combat phase. This includes leveraging instant-speed removals or exile effects that can be activated outside of combat or on your own turn. Additionally, emphasizing on counterspells that can target spells that cannot be countered by conventional means can offer some protection. It’s vital to keep mana open if you suspect your opponent is holding a Sudden Spoiling or to apply pressure in ways that aren’t disrupted by its effect—like burn spells or direct player abilities.

Mitigating the disruption Sudden Spoiling poses can be challenging, however, by expanding your strategic horizon and keeping a versatile approach towards how you manage creatures and spells, this surprise card’s effect can be substantially weakened.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sudden Spoiling MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Commander 2013, 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 Sudden Spoiling and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sudden Spoiling Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Alan Pollack.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-10-06	Time Spiral	TSP	135	2003	Normal	Black	Alan Pollack
2	2013-11-01	Commander 2013	C13	94	2003	Normal	Black	Alan Pollack
3	2014-11-07	Commander 2014	C14	164	2015	Normal	Black	Alan Pollack
4	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR	144	2015	Normal	Black	Alan Pollack

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sudden Spoiling has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-03-19	After a spell with split second resolves (or otherwise leaves the stack), players may again cast spells and activate abilities before the next object on the stack resolves.
2021-03-19	Casting a spell with split second won’t affect spells and abilities that are already on the stack.
2021-03-19	If the resolution of a triggered ability involves casting a spell, that spell can’t be cast if a spell with split second is on the stack.
2021-03-19	Players may turn face-down creatures face up while a spell with split second is on the stack.
2021-03-19	Players still get priority while a card with split second is on the stack; their options are just limited to mana abilities and certain special actions.
2021-03-19	Split second doesn’t stop triggered abilities from triggering, such as that of Chalice of the Void. If one does, its controller puts it on the stack and chooses targets for it, if any. Those abilities will resolve as normal.
2021-03-19	Sudden Spoiling affects only creatures the target player controls at the time it resolves. Creatures they begin to control later in the turn won’t change power and toughness or lose abilities.
2021-03-19	Sudden Spoiling overwrites any effects that set a creature’s power and toughness. Any existing effects or counters that raise, lower, or switch a creature’s power and/or toughness continue to apply to the creature’s newly-set power and toughness.