Ghostflame Sliver MTG Card

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 239

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number TSP-239

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Sliver
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Ghostflame Sliver provides a powerful tribal synergy making Slivers immune to color-targeting removals.
It demands specific mana and has a higher cost, making deck inclusion a careful decision.
Versatile and meta-relevant, it aids in weakening opponent defenses through its wither ability.

Text of card

All Slivers are colorless.

"This breed is on the cusp of evolution. It burns away the markings that connect it to a queen that no longer heeds its call. It seeks a new master. Perhaps I can give it one." —Freyalise

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ghostflame Sliver offers a unique type of card advantage in tribal synergies, allowing all Slivers to be immune to “color-specific” removal that could otherwise decimate your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By granting all Slivers the ability to avoid color restrictions, this card can effectively accelerate your resources, ensuring that your Sliver cards remain active and threatening despite potential color-based mana constraints on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While the Ghostflame Sliver itself is not an instant, its persistent effect on the game state allows Sliver players to engage with instant speed spells more confidently, safe in the knowledge that their Sliver creatures are less likely to be disrupted before they can react.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ghostflame Sliver doesn’t necessitate discarding directly, but it’s part of a tribe that can prompt cards into your graveyard faster than you may replenish, thus potentially leaving you at a disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The requirement of one colorless and two black mana can be restrictive, making it less ideal for multi-colored Sliver decks not heavily invested in black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Ghostflame Sliver’s ability to make Slivers colorless may not always justify the investment, especially when there are other Slivers with lower mana costs and more immediately impactful abilities.

Reasons to Include Ghostflame Sliver in Your Collection

Versatility: Ghostflame Sliver grants all Sliver creatures you control wither, which can be a powerful tool in a variety of deck builds. This ability makes it fit seamlessly into Sliver tribal decks or those looking to capitalize on weakening opponents’ creatures over time.

Combo Potential: The wither ability this card provides sets up potential combos with cards that benefit from -1/-1 counters. Additionally, it can be combined with damage amplifiers or proliferate mechanics to intensify the impact across the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta populated with indestructible or high-toughness creatures, Ghostflame Sliver’s wither ability allows your Slivers to erode those defenses, making it a strategic choice to combat current resilience-based strategies.

How to beat

Ghostflame Sliver presents a unique challenge when faced across the table in a game of Magic: The Gathering. As a card known for granting all Slivers immunity to “color,” it nullifies your usual color-dependent removal spells. However, there are effective strategies to combat this elusive creature. Board wipes that don’t specify color, such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation,” clear the field without discrimination. It’s also beneficial to utilize colorless spells, for instance, “Ugin, the Spirit Dragon,” whose -X ability can devastate a Sliver-infested board.

Artifact-based removal options offer another avenue. Cards like “Ratchet Bomb” and “Engineered Explosives” can be set to the appropriate cost and eliminated all Slivers when they detonate. Of course, engaging in combat can sometimes be a solution, although Slivers tend to grow in strength collectively, so be wary. The key is to adapt your tactics and sideboard appropriately when playing against a Sliver deck to ensure you have the right tools at your disposal.

Understanding the mechanics and preparing suitable counters in your deck can turn the tide of battle against a Ghostflame Sliver. Respect its power, plan accordingly, and you’ll find the upper hand in this matchup.

Cards like Ghostflame Sliver

Ghostflame Sliver steps into the battlefield offering a unique edge in MTG Sliver decks. Echoing the tribal synergies of the Sliver species, this card resembles Plated Sliver by enhancing your Sliver creatures, albeit in a distinct way. While Plated Sliver gives a straightforward boost to toughness, Ghostflame Sliver opens up strategic plays by making your Slivers colorless, thereby dodging numerous color-based removal spells.

Comparatively, Crystalline Sliver also provides protection against targeted spells. Unlike Ghostflame Sliver, Crystalline doesn’t render Slivers colorless but instead gives them shroud to protect them from being targeted. On the flip side, whilst offering protection, Crystalline Sliver doesn’t allow you to target your own Slivers either, which can be a tactical disadvantage. Then there’s Pulmonic Sliver, focusing on creature longevity by letting you put any Sliver on top of your library upon death rather than in the graveyard. Unlike Ghostflame’s preventative measures, Pulmonic Sliver provides a reactive solution.

In essence, Ghostflame Sliver is a tactical card that brilliantly complements other Slivers by providing resilience against certain removals. Its value is in its ability to alter board dynamics, which can be crucial depending on the matchup in the ever-evolving MTG landscape.

Cards similar to Ghostflame Sliver by color, type and mana cost

Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - MTG Card versions

Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions

Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ghostflame Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and The List, 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 Ghostflame Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ghostflame Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Luca Zontini.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-10-06	Time Spiral	TSP		239	2003	Normal	Black	Luca Zontini
2	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST		TSP-239	2003	Normal	Black	Luca Zontini

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ghostflame Sliver has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2013-07-01	If the creature type of a Sliver changes so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures.