Thought Lash MTG Card
1996-06-10 - Number 39
2008-09-22 - Number 70
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Abilities | Cumulative upkeep |
Text of card
Cumulative Upkeep: Remove the top card of your library from the game. If you do not, remove your library from the game and bury Thought Lash. : Remove the top card of your library from the game to prevent 1 damage to you.
Cards like Thought Lash
Thought Lash stands out as an intriguing enchantment within Magic: The Gathering’s vast library of cards. It is often compared to other cumulative upkeep cards, such as Glacial Chasm, which similarly offers a high reward for an escalating cost. Thought Lash uniquely enables a player to exile the top card of their library to prevent all damage, similar to Glacial Chasm’s prevention of damage at the expense of not attacking. However, Thought Lash doesn’t have the downside of acquiring land sacrifice that Glacial Chasm requires.
Another close relative would be Phyrexian Unlife. While Thought Lash focuses on proactively exiling cards to prevent life loss, Phyrexian Unlife allows players to live on at zero life, effectively increasing the life total threshold. Yet, it exposes players to infect damage which can quickly end the game. Conversely, Thought Lash’s ability to exile the entire library potentially interacts with cards such as Laboratory Maniac to snatch a game win, distinguishing it with a unique win condition.
Meticulously comparing these enchantments shows that Thought Lash has peculiar advantages, particularly in disrupting traditional life-based game plans and presenting alternative win strategies, thereby cementing its unique place in the game.
Cards similar to Thought Lash by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Thought Lash. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Jeskai Oracle Combo | Legacy | Blue Oracle Combo | Legacy Preliminary 2024-01-24 |
 | Tainted Pact | Legacy | Doomsday | Berlin Double Up Legacy IV im Brettspielplatz 04.04.24 |
| Mono-Blue Oracle Combo | Legacy | Blue Oracle Combo | Legacy Challenge 64 2024-02-11 |
| Simic Combo | Legacy | Blue Oracle Combo | Charlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 11 |
| Mono-Blue Combo | Legacy | Blue Oracle Combo | Berlin Double Up Legacy II im Brettspielplatz 01.02.24 |
| Izzet Oracle Combo | Legacy | Blue Oracle Combo | Legacy Preliminary 2024-01-24 (1) |
 | Sultai Combo | Legacy | Bazaar of Boxes Series 10 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thought Lash is a unique enchantment that lets you exile the top card of your library to avoid losing the game. This offers the potential to filter through your library quickly without sacrificing hand cards, thus maintaining a pivotal advantage over your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of mana, Thought Lash allows you to consistently access your library, accelerating the ability to find essential resources or combo pieces crucial for your strategy. It acts as a form of virtual resource acceleration by ensuring the delivery of key elements to your game plan.
Instant Speed: While Thought Lash itself isn’t cast at instant speed, its ability to exile cards as a means to prevent life loss can be activated at any time. This offers a versatile defensive mechanism which can adapt to threats immediately, making it a powerful tool to wield with astute timing and strategy during a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Thought Lash demands the removal of cards from your deck—a clear downside if your strategy relies on a full arsenal of options or if you’re against mill-deck opponents.
Specific Mana Cost: This card has a blue mana-specific cost, potentially restricting its integration in decks that don’t have a heavy blue mana base or are not mono-blue.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana investment to get Thought Lash in play, players may find themselves at a tempo disadvantage, especially if they are aiming to establish a board presence in the early stages of the game.
Reasons to Include Thought Lash in Your Collection
Versatility: Thought Lash is a card that brings an adaptable edge to blue decks. Its ability to exile the top card of your library instead of drawing can dodge negative effects from drawing cards and can be manipulated to your advantage in the right setup.
Combo Potential: With the right combination of cards, Thought Lash can turn into a game-winning engine. Paired with effects that benefit from card exile or library manipulation, it opens up a multitude of strategic avenues to explore.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where milling and self-exile strategies are prominent, Thought Lash fits right in. Its capacity to synergize with current blue-centric strategies makes it an insightful pick for decks that want to stay one step ahead of opponents.
How to beat
Thought Lash is a unique card that can pose a significant challenge to MTG players. This enchantment, with its cumulative upkeep that exiles the top card of your library, allows you to avoid losing for not drawing a card. Overcoming this obstacle requires a clear strategy and the right deck components.
To dismantle Thought Lash’s influence, aim to disrupt your opponent’s deck mechanics. Utilize cards that can force them to draw, such as Forced Fruition or Jace’s Archivist, which can undermine their strategy and accelerate their library’s depletion. Additionally, incorporating artifact removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can directly target and eliminate Thought Lash from play. Employing instant speed spells will give you the advantage of timing, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s actions and maintain control.
Another effective tactic is running counterspells or cards like Sadistic Sacrament to extract Thought Lash from your opponent’s deck before they have the chance to play it. By preparing your deck with these strategies in mind, you can transform the challenge of Thought Lash into a winnable matchup with the right moves and timing.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thought Lash MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Masters Edition II, 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 Thought Lash and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Thought Lash Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Mark Tedin.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996-06-10 | Alliances | ALL | 39 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin | |
| 2 | 2008-09-22 | Masters Edition II | ME2 | 70 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thought Lash has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thought Lash card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If you don’t pay Thought Lash’s cumulative upkeep, you’ll sacrifice Thought Lash as normal, then, when its triggered ability resolves, you’ll exile all cards in your library. |
| 2008-10-01 | If your library has no cards in it, you can’t activate the last ability. |