Sphinx of the Final Word MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Sphinx
Abilities Flying,Hexproof
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Ensures spell resolution by protecting against counters, bolstering late-game card potency.
  2. Supports control tactics, enhancing instant spell effectiveness for a decisive advantage.
  3. Requires strategic mana management and deck construction given its specific cost.

Text of card

Sphinx of the Final Word can't be countered. Flying, hexproof Instant and sorcery spells you control can't be countered by spells or abilities.

He answers questions as readily as he asks them, but his answer is always "no."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sphinx of the Final Word bolsters your strategy through its ability to secure card advantage in late-game scenarios. While it doesn’t draw cards directly, its innate protection against counterspells ensures that your key spells resolve, effectively leaving your hand more potent and unchallenged.

Resource Acceleration: This card isn’t directly linked to resource acceleration in the traditional sense of producing mana or ramping. However, by safeguarding your spells, it indirectly accelerates your resources by guaranteeing that your plays, which may include ramp spells, are not negated.

Instant Speed: Sphinx of the Final Word shines in control decks that favor playing at instant speed. As a creature, it can’t be cast at instant speed itself but it enhances the effectiveness of your instant spells, making it a formidable finisher in matchups where timing and cunning dictate the pace of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Sphinx of the Final Word doesn’t directly ask you to discard cards, having it in your hand without the means to play could pressure you into unfavorable discards, especially in situations where you need to optimize your hand for earlier game threats.

Specific Mana Cost: As a creature that costs a significant amount of blue mana, it firmly anchors itself in the blue mana spectrum, thereby requiring a commitment to blue-based or compatible dual-color decks, potentially limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a total of seven mana with a heavy emphasis on blue might delay its introduction to the battlefield, leaving you potentially vulnerable as you accumulate the necessary resources, while other lower-cost creatures might provide more immediate board presence and influence.


Reasons to Include Sphinx of the Final Word in Your Collection

Versatility: Sphinx of the Final Word is a formidable inclusion for blue-based control decks. Its hexproof ability ensures it remains a persistent threat against removal-heavy strategies, making it ideal for various formats.

Combo Potential: As a card that secures the last word in any spellslinging showdown, this Sphinx enhances combos by making your instant and sorcery spells uncounterable. This ability is a game-changer in matchups where timing and the element of surprise are key.

Meta-Relevance: With countermagic being a staple in many competitive formats, the Sphinx serves as an excellent countermeasure. In environments where control decks are prevalent, having an ace like Sphinx of the Final Word can often tilt the game in your favor.


How to beat

Sphinx of the Final Word is a formidable card in the realms of MTG, known for its hexproof ability and granting your instants and sorceries invulnerability to counter spells. This particular creature card sets the stage for a challenging battle, as it constructs an almost impenetrable fortress for spell-based strategies. To overcome this majestic creature, one must look beyond conventional spellcasting.

Employing board wipes that do not target, such as Supreme Verdict or Damnation, can clear the field effectively, bypassing Sphinx’s hexproof shield. Additionally, utilizing combat tricks to outmatch it in battle or engaging in effects that change the base power and toughness of creatures can help tilt the odds in your favor. A creative strategy entails setting up an insurmountable defense that dulls the Sphinx’s offensive edge or enlisting creatures with protection from blue to nullify its impact during combat.

In essence, adapting your tactics and incorporating universal solutions rather than relying solely on counter spells is crucial when facing off against Sphinx of the Final Word. This approach ensures you remain one step ahead in the intricate dance of MTG gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves recognizing the value of cards like Sphinx of the Final Word in your collection. As you weigh the pros and cons, consider the control and uncounterable edge it offers. Tapping into this creature’s potential could dramatically enhance your late-game tactics. If you’re intrigued by the idea of a deck that deftly circumvents your opponent’s counterspells and aims to dominate the endgame, we encourage you to dive deeper. Journey with us as we explore strategies that complement Sphinx of the Final Word and other cards that can synergize to secure your victory. Delve into the depths of MTG strategy and perfect your gameplay starting with this card.


Cards like Sphinx of the Final Word

Sphinx of the Final Word is a potent creature in Magic: The Gathering, carving its niche among other formidable finishers in the blue archetype. It shares similarities with cards like Nezahal, Primal Tide which also offers substantial card advantage and cannot be countered. Sphinx of the Final Word ensures your instants and sorceries gain that same uncounterable edge, setting it apart. Nezahal, however, requires no discard to keep it on the field and has an in-built mechanism for protection and card draw.

Another peer is Pearl Lake Ancient, which showcases flash and cannot be countered like Sphinx of the Final Word. Both provide that late-game stability but Pearl Lake Ancient leans on its prowess of returning lands to hand rather than securing spell casting. The Final Word enhances your magic-casting arsenal directly and comes with hexproof, whereas Pearl Lake Ancient offers a more defensive strategy with its return to hand ability.

Understanding the dynamics and defenses that Sphinx of the Final Word brings to a player’s deck is crucial. While other creatures boast similar uncanny abilities to dodge counterspells or flash abilities, the distinctive combination of being a finishing threat while reinforcing the uncounterability of a player’s spells makes it uniquely valuable in player strategies.

Nezahal, Primal Tide - MTG Card versions
Pearl Lake Ancient - MTG Card versions
Nezahal, Primal Tide - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Pearl Lake Ancient - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sphinx of the Final Word MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Oath of the Gatewatch Promos, 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 Sphinx of the Final Word and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sphinx of the Final Word Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2016-01-22. Illustrated by Lius Lasahido.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-01-22Oath of the GatewatchOGW 632015normalblackLius Lasahido
22016-01-22Oath of the Gatewatch PromosPOGW 63s2015normalblackLius Lasahido

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sphinx of the Final Word has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-01-22 A spell that can’t be countered can still be targeted by spells or abilities that would counter it. The part of their effect that would counter the spell won’t do anything, but any other effects those spells or abilities may have will still happen, if applicable.

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