Tasha's Hideous Laughter MTG Card


Excels in milling, often providing a substantial card advantage against decks with low mana costs. Challenges include restrictive mana requirements and a high cost for an uncertain immediate benefit. Adaptable in various strategies, but its efficacy depends on the metagame and opponent’s deck build.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Each opponent exiles cards from the top of their library until that player has exiled cards with total mana value 20 or more.

The raging behir reared back, opened its terrible maw . . . and collapsed in a fit of horrifying giggles.


Cards like Tasha's Hideous Laughter

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter distinguished itself in the realm of mill strategies for Magic: The Gathering players, offering a unique approach to depleting an opponent’s library. When compared to other mill cards like Maddening Cacophony, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter delves deeper into the opponent’s deck by potentially eliminating a significant quantity of cards based on their mana value rather than a fixed number.

Another parallel can be drawn to Mind Sculpt, a card that relentlessly targets an opponent’s library, milling seven cards outright. While Mind Sculpt provides a guaranteed result, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter’s effect is variable and can lead to more strategic gameplay. Glimpse the Unthinkable also shares this category, with the power to mill ten cards at a go. However, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter’s ability to bypass large swaths of an opponent’s deck can be much more devastating in the right circumstances.

Evaluating these options, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter stands out within Magic: The Gathering’s vast gallery of mill cards, as its potential for high-impact play encapsulates the strategic depth and unpredictability that keeps players engaged and opponents on their toes.

Maddening Cacophony - MTG Card versions
Mind Sculpt - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Maddening Cacophony - MTG Card versions
Mind Sculpt - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tasha's Hideous Laughter by color, type and mana cost

Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Tinker - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Wistful Thinking - MTG Card versions
Savor the Moment - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Tinker - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Wistful Thinking - MTG Card versions
Savor the Moment - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Tasha's Hideous Laughter. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir MillDimir Mill ModernMillModern Challenge 64 2024-04-29
Azorius MillAzorius Mill ModernMillModern Challenge 64 2024-05-12
Mono-Blue MillMono-Blue Mill ModernMillModern Challenge 32 2024-05-11

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter excels in milling your opponent’s library, potentially removing a substantial chunk of their resources in one go. This can equate to a massive card advantage, particularly against decks with lower average mana costs.

Resource Acceleration: While Tasha’s Hideous Laughter itself doesn’t directly accelerate your own resources, by depleting your opponent’s deck, it indirectly accelerates you towards your win condition. Efficiently executing such a strategy can be akin to speeding up your own game plan.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter is cast during your main phase, allowing you to set the pace of the game. This can be a strategic advantage, as you can evaluate and decide the right moment to potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy for your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter mandates that you mill until a total mana value of cards to 20 is reached, which might not always work in your favor. This card could inadvertently help opponents with graveyard strategies by providing them with more resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a dual blue mana cost, making it somewhat restrictive when it comes to deck-building. Decks that don’t run heavily on blue mana might find it challenging to reliably cast Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter comes at three mana, which is quite a commitment for an effect that does not guarantee an immediate advantage. In a fast-paced game, spending three mana on a non-creature spell that may not affect the board could put you at a tactical drawback.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter excels in versatile applications, fitting seamlessly into a variety of blue control and mill strategies. This card can disrupt opponents by potentially removing a significant portion of their library, irrespective of the deck type they are playing.

Combo Potential: This card can be strategically combined with other mill cards to rapidly deplete an opponent’s library, demonstrating remarkable synergy with cards like Ruin Crab or Maddening Cacophony. Additionally, the potential for mill in combination with graveyard manipulation for added control creates diverse tactical opportunities.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right metagame, characterized by decks with a lower average mana value, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter could become a critical tool. It’s especially powerful against opponents reliant on efficient plays with lower-cost spells, making it a card worth considering for its ability to shift the balance in matches where the card quality of the milled cards is less important than the quantity.


How to beat

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter is a potent spell in Magic: The Gathering that can mill an opponent quite effectively. This card works by having a player exile cards from the top of their library until they’ve exiled cards with a total mana value of 20 or more. A common strategy to combat this spell is to play with a deck that has a higher average mana cost. By doing so, it minimizes the number of cards exiled by Tasha’s Hideous Laughter. Another tactic is to incorporate cards that shuffle your graveyard back into your library, such as Gaea’s Blessing or Elixir of Immortality, reducing the impact of being milled out.

Control decks that have counterspells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can also be an excellent countermeasure, preventing Tasha’s Hideous Laughter from resolving in the first place. Lastly, decks that operate on an aggressive curve aiming to win quickly may race past the window where Tasha’s Hideous Laughter could affect the game’s outcome significantly. In summary, while Tasha’s Hideous Laughter can be a formidable card, there are multiple approaches to effectively mitigate its influence and maintain a competitive edge.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the ebb and flow of MTG matches is an art, and Tasha’s Hideous Laughter plays a tactful role in a player’s arsenal. Its capacity to mill can tilt the scales of a game, making it a potent asset or challenge, depending on one’s strategy. Whether you’re a seasoned mage or a novice summoner, this card is worth exploring for its strategic depth and potential to disrupt conventional gameplay. If you’re intrigued by the intricacies of mill strategies or keen on refining your approach to control decks, dive deeper into the strategic applications of Tasha’s Hideous Laughter with us. Enhance your deck, counter your foes, and navigate your way to triumph in the vast universe of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tasha's Hideous Laughter MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Tasha's Hideous Laughter and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Tasha's Hideous Laughter Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-12-02 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 926802015NormalBlackIlse Gort
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 13952015NormalBorderlessLaurel Austin
32021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 78a2015NormalBlackIlse Gort
42021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 3682015NormalBlackIlse Gort
52021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 78p2015NormalBlackIlse Gort
62021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 782015NormalBlackIlse Gort
72021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 78s2015NormalBlackIlse Gort

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tasha's Hideous Laughter has restrictions

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