Cunning Lethemancer MTG Card


Cunning Lethemancer - Shards of Alara
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Released2008-10-03
Set symbol
Set nameShards of Alara
Set codeALA
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number69
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byPaul Bonner

Key Takeaways

  1. This card serves as a steady source of card advantage, disrupting opponents while you curate your hand.
  2. It aids graveyard-based strategies, fueling powerful reanimation combos and synergistic plays.
  3. The Lethemancer’s consistent discard setup enables strategic instant speed plays for the adept player.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, each player discards a card.

"Give me your memories, and you will have release from the suffering they bring you."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Cunning Lethemancer serves as a repeatable source of card advantage for players who can manage their own hand size effectively. By forcing each player to discard a card at the beginning of your upkeep, you can potentially cause your opponents to lose valuable resources while you can plan around the ability to maintain your own advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This card synergizes with strategies that benefit from cards entering the graveyard. By regularly filling your graveyard, you enable resource acceleration in decks that utilize reanimation tactics or cards with graveyard synergies, thereby unlocking rapid deployment of threats or the return of key creatures.

Instant Speed: While the Cunning Lethemancer itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the consistency of its ability can set up situations where you hold the advantage at instant speed. For instance, you can strategically plan the discard of cards with Flashback or other abilities that activate from the graveyard, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves even during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cunning Lethemancer’s ability triggers at the beginning of your upkeep, compelling each player to discard a card. While this disrupts opponents, it can also backfire if you’re unable to maintain a healthy hand size, potentially leading to a disadvantageous loss of key cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one black and two other mana to cast, Cunning Lethemancer is optimized for black-centric or two-color decks. Decks that run three or more colors may find the black mana requirement restrictive when it comes to mana base consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three, Cunning Lethemancer might be considered slow in fast-paced games where lower-cost creatures or spells can impact the board sooner. Players may opt for alternatives that offer similar disruption effects with lower mana requirements or immediate impact upon hitting the field.


Reasons to Include Cunning Lethemancer in Your Collection

Versatility: Cunning Lethemancer offers a flexible role in decks that are built around discard mechanics. Able to affect each player, this card ensures board parity and can disrupt opponents’ plans while fuelling your own strategies that capitalize on discard.

Combo Potential: With the ability to trigger at the beginning of your upkeep, Cunning Lethemancer synergizes with effects that benefit from discarding or graveyard interaction, such as reanimator themes or madness abilities, providing potential for powerful and game-winning combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where hand size is crucial and players hoard cards, Cunning Lethemancer serves as a reliable way to keep the playing field even. It’s particularly potent in formats where resource denial can give a significant edge.


How to beat

Overcoming Cunning Lethemancer in your Magic: The Gathering match requires a strategic approach. This shrewd creature forces each player to discard a card during your upkeep, which can significantly disrupt your game plan. To counter this effect, it’s essential to leverage cards that benefit from having a full graveyard. This way, you not only mitigate the Lethemancer’s ability but can turn it to your advantage.

Cards that allow you to draw more can help replenish your hand, reducing the discomfort of discarding. Moreover, instant-speed removal spells are incredibly useful for getting rid of Cunning Lethemancer before its ability can trigger. Playing creatures or spells with flash on your opponent’s turn also ensures you’re not going into your upkeep with a card disadvantage, helping maintain control over the game’s pace.

As you maneuver through your strategy, remember that efficient resource management and timing are critical. By adapting your playstyle and incorporating these tips, you’ll find the Cunning Lethemancer less of a threat and more of an opportunity to showcase your deck’s resilience and tactical depth.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves a deep understanding of each card’s strengths and weaknesses. With Cunning Lethemancer, you gain a strategic tool that can shift the tide of the game in your favor. As you refine your deck, consider the unique synergy this card brings to your arsenal. Whether it’s integrating discard-related strategies or utilizing graveyard mechanics, there’s a world of possibilities at your fingertips. Dive deeper into the strategic layers of MTG and discover how Cunning Lethemancer can become a pivotal piece in your game plan. Step up your MTG expertise with us and uncover the full potential of this formidable card.


Cards like Cunning Lethemancer

Cunning Lethemancer offers players a unique approach to card advantage in Magic: The Gathering through forced discard. It stands alongside cards like Necrogen Mists, another enchantment inducing each player to discard a card during their upkeep. While Necrogen Mists imposes a recurring discard, it lacks the presence of a body on the board unlike Cunning Lethemancer, which can also serve as a threat or a blocker.

Oppression is another comparable card, triggering a discard each time a player casts a spell. Though its effect is more immediate compared to the upkeep trigger of Cunning Lethemancer, it affects all spells, not just one per turn cycle. This makes Oppression potentially more disruptive in decks designed to exploit such an effect. Meanwhile, Liliana’s Specter has a one-time collective discard effect upon entering the battlefield, providing instant card disadvantage to the opponent but without the regularity of Cunning Lethemancer’s ability.

To sum up, Cunning Lethemancer holds its ground by offering a body that consistently strips opponents of resources each turn. It’s a commendable choice for decks focusing on attrition and incremental advantage, proving its efficacy in the right strategist’s hands within the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering.

Necrogen Mists - MTG Card versions
Oppression - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions
Necrogen Mists - Mirrodin (MRD)
Oppression - Urza's Saga (USG)
Liliana's Specter - Magic 2011 Promos (PM11)

Cards similar to Cunning Lethemancer by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
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Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cunning Lethemancer MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Cunning Lethemancer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cunning Lethemancer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-10-01 First you choose a card to discard, then each other player in turn order chooses a card to discard, then all those cards are discarded simultaneously. No one sees what the other players are discarding before deciding which cards to discard.

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