Sweep the Skies MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Converge
Released	2021-06-18
Set symbol
Set name	Modern Horizons 2
Set code	MH2
Number	70
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alayna Danner

Key Takeaways

Efficiently expands board presence with repeatable Bird token generation, strengthening aerial combat capabilities.
Instant speed allows surprise defense or offense, maximizing strategic adaptability in matches.
Enhances decks centered around flying creatures or token synergy, offering deck-building versatility.

Text of card

Converge — Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying for each color of mana spent to cast this spell.

A gleam of refracted light is often the only warning.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sweep the Skies comes in handy when you’re looking to widen your board presence. By allowing you to create multiple Bird tokens, you effectively multiply your flying threats, which can be pivotal for overwhelming opponents and gaining the upperhand.

Resource Acceleration: By increasing the number of creatures you control with a single card, you’re not only expanding your defense but also creating opportunities for aggressive moves. This can translate into leveraging those creatures for various abilities or as a currency for other game mechanics.

Instant Speed: The capability to cast Sweep the Skies at instant speed grants you the flexibility to adapt to the game’s flow. You can end your opponent’s turn by bolstering your aerial forces, catching them off guard and potentially disrupting their strategy in the process.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sweep the Skies necessitates forfeiting another card from your hand, potentially stripping away an important piece at a critical juncture in play.

Specific Mana Cost: It demands a precise combination of mana types. This can be a hurdle in decks that tap into a broader spectrum of mana sources, restricting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering its mana value, some players may find other cards that bring creatures to the battlefield or control the skies in a more cost-effective manner.

Reasons to Include Sweep the Skies in Your Collection

Versatility: Sweep the Skies is an adaptive card that slots smoothly into various decks, particularly those capitalizing on flying creatures or needing token generation for various in-game mechanics.

Combo Potential: This card has the potential to synergize with strategies that amplify benefits from making multiple tokens, such as leveraging buffs from anthem effects or using tokens to fuel sacrifice mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG meta shifts, a card like Sweep the Skies remains relevant, especially in formats where creating a wide board presence quickly can apply pressure or block dominant flying threats in the skies.

How to beat

Sweep the Skies is a card that showcases Magic: The Gathering’s dynamic approach to controlling the battlefield from above. As a conjuring that fills the skies with a flock of Bird tokens, it can quickly transform an empty board into an aerial threat. However, like all strategies in the game, there are ways to counter this card’s effectiveness.

When facing an opponent utilizing Sweep the Skies, one of the most direct counters is to employ board wipes that clear out multiple creatures at once, such as Wrath of God or Damnation. Cards with the keyword “reach” or any form of flying creature blockers can also level the playing field, preventing the bird tokens from overwhelming you. Artifact disruption, such as Stony Silence, can also hinder the opponent’s ability to leverage the tokens created by Sweep the Skies, especially if they’re relying on artifacts to augment their token strategy.

Anticipating and disrupting the opponent’s token strategies, while maintaining aerial defenses, can effectively neutralize the advantage granted by Sweep the Skies, thereby maintaining control of the game’s tempo. Cleverly adapting to this conjuring requires strategic planning and resource management, a testament to the complex layers of gameplay that Magic: The Gathering offers.

Cards like Sweep the Skies

Sweep the Skies carves its niche among flying creature strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It invites comparisons with other cards like Lingering Souls, known for creating multiple flying tokens. Unlike Lingering Souls, which can be cast from the graveyard, Sweep the Skies offers repeatable token generation through its conduit ability. This means that as long as you have the mana, you can flood the skies with Bird tokens.

Another card that echoes a similar sentiment is Battle Screech, also enabling you to amass a flock of flying creatures. However, Sweep the Skies has the potential to generate a greater number of tokens over time, although Battle Screech can put more creatures into play immediately. Then there’s Migratory Route, which not only provides airborne tokens but also includes a cycling option to further enhance hand flexibility, a feature that Sweep the Skies lacks.

Ultimately, while there are a few other cards that share the theme of creating flying tokens, Sweep the Skies stands out by offering a scalable and continuous threat. For players who enjoy strategies that allow for a steady and unending stream of flying creatures, this card might very well be a superior choice in the deck-building process.

Cards similar to Sweep the Skies by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sweep the Skies MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2, 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 Sweep the Skies and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sweep the Skies has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-06-18	If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied.
2021-06-18	If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the colors of mana spent to pay those costs will count.
2021-06-18	If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero.
2021-06-18	The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend.
2021-06-18	Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can't choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can't ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana.
2021-06-18	You can choose any value for X. Choosing a higher value for X lets you pay more mana and thus spend more colors of mana to cast it. For example, if you choose 0 for the value of X and pay to cast Sweep the Skies, you'll create one Thopter. If you choose 4 for the value of X and pay , you'll create five Thopters.