Thief of Hope MTG Card

Thief of Hope - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
2004-10-01 - Number 147

Thief of Hope - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)

Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
2015-05-22 - Number 100

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Abilities	Soulshift
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Soulshift grants card recovery, enabling strategic graveyard management for powerful synergies.
Its ability to drain life with Spirit or Arcane spells offers a sneaky resource advantage.
Flexibility is enhanced through indirect benefits from instant speed Spirit interactions.

Text of card

Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. Soulshift 2 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 2 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thief of Hope shines when it comes to card advantage, thanks to its soulshift ability. This mechanic not only recovers another creature from your graveyard when Thief of Hope leaves the battlefield but also strategically thins out the graveyard, allowing for more potent graveyard synergies and return mechanics.

Resource Acceleration: The card’s triggered ability to drain life from your opponent whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell is a subtle form of resource acceleration. It chips away at your opponent’s life total while potentially boosting your own, creating a life point differential that can accelerate your march to victory.

Instant Speed: While Thief of Hope operates at sorcery speed, its synergy with spirits and arcane spells can be capitalized upon at instant speed. Many spirits have flash or other abilities that can be activated at instant speed, which Thief of Hope can benefit from, thus indirectly taking advantage of the flexibility that instant speed play provides.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Activating its ability necessitates discarding other cards, which might deplete your hand and decrease your options in a game.

Specific Mana Cost: Thief of Hope requires both generic and black mana, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks heavily focused on black sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that can be considered steep for its 2/2 body, players may find other creatures or spells that earn a spot in a deck more efficiently.

Reasons to Include Thief of Hope in Your Collection

Versatility: Thief of Hope can be a staple in any Spirit or Arcane-focused deck. Its ability to drain life upon casting Spirit or Arcane spells offers a constant source of life loss for opponents, which can be beneficial in a variety of game scenarios.

Combo Potential: Partnered with other spirits, Thief of Hope’s capacity for recurring life drain grows exponentially. It also has synergies with various bounce and graveyard retrieval mechanics, allowing you to capitalize on its soulshift ability to bring back other spirits from the graveyard to your hand.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyards are a heavy focus of play, Thief of Hope can gain additional value by interacting with the frequent casting of spirits and Arcane spells. It has a significant impact in games where sustaining lifepoints and chipping away at the opponent’s health are critical strategies.

How to beat

Thief of Hope is a card that excels in decks built around the Spirits theme and can be particularly troublesome due to its ability to disrupt opponents’ plans while providing a sustainable advantage. To effectively neutralize this threat, it is advisable to focus on removing it from play as swiftly as possible. Direct removal spells such as Murder or Path to Exile can get the job done before the creature’s presence becomes overwhelming through its soulshift ability and the consistent life drain it provides.

Another strategy involves limiting the effectiveness of Thief of Hope’s enter the battlefield effect. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage can prevent the card advantage gained through its soulshift mechanic by restricting creatures from being cast from the graveyard. Additionally, increasing your life gain or employing strategies that disincentivize targeting by Thief of Hope can mitigate its impact; for instance, Leyline of Sanctity grants you hexproof, shielding you and your hand from adverse effects.

Ultimately, being proactive and having a plan in place to deal with this creature can make the difference between succumbing to its draining abilities or outpacing your opponent. Handling Thief of Hope efficiently is key to maintaining control of the game and preventing your opponent from capitalizing on its synergistic potential in Spirit-oriented decks.

Cards like Thief of Hope

Thief of Hope holds a unique place in the deck-building strategy for players invested in the Spirit archetype. Its ability to drain life from opponents whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell echoes the function of cards like Blood Artist, which also rewards players for certain actions with life depletion for the opponent. While Blood Artist focuses on creature death, Thief of Hope’s synergy with Spirits and Arcane spells provide a more specialized niche. It can be a keystone in a deck that capitalizes on these types.

Another card with a spirit-centric theme is Supreme Phantom. Instead of impacting life totals, the Phantom boosts other Spirits with a power and toughness increase. It’s not a direct substitute but serves as an alternative way to leverage a Spirit-dominated battlefield. Similarly, Long-Forgotten Gohei is a card that doesn’t affect life totals directly but offers cost reduction for Spirit spells and an anthem effect, making it a complement to Thief of Hope in a dedicated Spirit deck.

Ultimately, Thief of Hope stands out not just for its Spirit synergy but also for the sustained advantage of chipping away at an opponent’s life, round by round. With the right mix of Spirits and Arcane spells, it becomes more than just a creature; it’s a consistent source of pressure that can sway the game in your favor.

Long-Forgotten Gohei - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Thief of Hope by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thief of Hope MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Thief of Hope and other MTG cards: