Sphinx Ambassador MTG Card


Sphinx Ambassador - Magic 2010
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Sphinx
Abilities Flying
Released2009-07-17
Set symbol
Set nameMagic 2010
Set codeM10
Power 5
Toughness 5
Number73
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJim Murray

Key Takeaways

  1. It offers resource gain by placing an opponent’s creature into play without revealing or casting it.
  2. The card’s activation during the blocking step provides a tactical advantage in combat scenarios.
  3. It demands careful deck construction, needing significant mana and a strategy aligning with blue mana.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Sphinx Ambassador deals combat damage to a player, search that player's library for a card, then that player names a card. If you searched for a creature card that isn't the named card, you may put it onto the battlefield under your control. Then that player shuffles his or her library.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sphinx Ambassador elevates your deck’s strategy by potentially placing an opponent’s creature directly onto the battlefield under your control, without revealing it or spending mana on casting it, thereby positioning you ahead in terms of resources and game options.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing traditional mana acceleration, the Ambassador compels opponents to play more cautiously, which can delay their development and indirectly speed up yours as they try to avoid giving you their best creatures.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Sphinx Ambassador’s ability to snatch a creature from an opponent’s deck activates during the declare blockers step, a phase where instant speed maneuvers are key, giving you a strategic edge during combat and the benefits of surprise and adaptability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Sphinx Ambassador doesn’t force you to discard directly, its ability may inadvertently cause you to discard if you guess an opponent’s creature card incorrectly. This could potentially diminish your hand and put you at a disadvantage if you’re playing with a strategy that relies on maintaining a substantial hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: The Sphinx Ambassador has a specific mana cost that requires not just a significant amount of mana but also that it includes two blue mana symbols. This cost can be a limiting factor, as it necessitates a mana base heavily skewed towards blue, which might not fit seamlessly into all deck types or multicolored decks that cannot reliably provide the necessary blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of seven, including two blue mana, the Sphinx Ambassador is on the higher end of the mana curve. In a fast-paced game, this can be a significant drawback, as there may be other cards with similar or more immediate impacts at a lower mana cost, which could be played sooner, contributing to your board presence and strategy with greater efficiency.


Reasons to Include Sphinx Ambassador in Your Collection

Versatility: Sphinx Ambassador is a powerful addition to blue-heavy or control-oriented decks. Its ability to adapt to different play styles makes it a formidable card in a variety of situations, whether it’s in multiplayer Commander games or in a one-on-one matchup.

Combo Potential: The unique guessing game triggered by its ability can lead to game-changing combos, particularly if you’re familiar with your opponent’s deck. By selecting a creature that’s difficult to guess, you can potentially put a powerful creature onto the battlefield under your control, disrupting your opponent’s plans and tipping the scales in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: The current meta often values high-impact creatures with utility. Sphinx Ambassador’s ability to potentially cheat out big creatures without paying their mana cost can be a critical move, especially in games where card advantage and strategic creature play are vital to outmaneuvering opponents.


How to beat

Sphinx Ambassador brings an interesting dynamic to any MTG game with its ability to potentially steal an opponent’s creature straight from their library. Deciphering a winning strategy against such a powerhouse involves understanding the card’s strengths and limitations. To mitigate the Ambassador’s effect, players should focus on keeping their creature count low, especially those with game-altering abilities or high mana costs that could turn the tide when used against them.

Counterplay also includes keeping instant-speed removal or counterspells in hand to respond to the Ambassador’s attack trigger or to deal with the creature that might be put onto the battlefield under your control. In addition, maintaining a diverse library where no single creature can decisively alter the game’s outcome in your opponent’s favor limits the Ambassador’s potential impact. Lastly, direct player-target removal can eliminate the Ambassador before it has a chance to engage its intimidating effect, preserving the integrity of your library and your control over the game.

Ultimately, outmaneuvering a Sphinx Ambassador is about tactical foresight and deck construction—an approach that carefully negates the advantage it provides to an opponent while maintaining your own pathway to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the strategic world of MTG with Sphinx Ambassador. This enigmatic creature challenges players to optimize their deck construction and elevate gameplay to new heights. Its potential to steal crucial creatures can revolutionize matches, serving as both a psychological and tactical tool. Whether you’re fine-tuning a control deck or looking to add a surprise element to your arsenal, Sphinx Ambassador merits consideration. And while it may demand skillful play, the reward of turning the tide in your favor is matchless. Explore more about Sphinx Ambassador, enhance your deck and outwit opponents in every duel.


Cards like Sphinx Ambassador

Sphinx Ambassador is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offering an intriguing mix of mana investment and potential board impact. Its nearest kin are other high-cost Sphinxes such as Consecrated Sphinx, which also revolves around card advantage, providing a less conditional but ongoing draw effect with its ability to draw cards whenever an opponent does. While the Consecrated Sphinx is more predictable in its card-gain strategy, Sphinx Ambassador excels in unpredictability and stealing your opponent’s creatures.

Another card worth noting is Sphinx Summoner, which boasts a lower mana cost and a more targeted approach, allowing for the direct search of an artifact creature from the deck upon entering the battlefield. Although it doesn’t provide the potential for a free creature like Sphinx Ambassador, it offers consistency in retrieving a specific piece to complement your game plan. Gaining board presence through Sphinx Sovereign is another option, offering a straightforward end-of-turn life gain or life loss effect that aligns with the Sphinx thematic of control and influence over the game’s flow.

Evaluating the broader spectrum of Sphinx cards, Sphinx Ambassador stands out for its ability to surprise opponents and pivot the direction of a game with a single interaction, marking its spot as an engaging choice for players who enjoy diplomatic subterfuge and tactical diversity.

Consecrated Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Sphinx Summoner - MTG Card versions
Sphinx Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Consecrated Sphinx - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Sphinx Summoner - Conflux (CON)
Sphinx Sovereign - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Cards similar to Sphinx Ambassador by color, type and mana cost

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Island Fish Jasconius - Fourth Edition (4ED)
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Amugaba - Odyssey (ODY)
Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Tromokratis - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Hullbreaker Horror - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Colossal Whale - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Mistform Skyreaver - Onslaught (ONS)
Slipstream Eel - The List (PLST)
Weaver of Lies - Legions (LGN)
Quicksilver Behemoth - Darksteel (DST)
Vizzerdrix - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Rimefeather Owl - Coldsnap (CSP)
Cyclone Summoner - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Isleback Spawn - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Marjhan - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Goliath Sphinx - Worldwake (WWK)
Scrapdiver Serpent - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Chancellor of the Spires - New Phyrexia (NPH)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sphinx Ambassador MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2010, 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 Ambassador and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sphinx Ambassador has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2009-10-01 A “creature card” is any card with the type creature, even if it has other types such as artifact, enchantment, or land. Older cards of type summon are also creature cards.
2009-10-01 After the player names a card, check if the card you chose has that name. If it doesn’t, but it’s a creature card, you may put it onto the battlefield. If you don’t want to put that card onto the battlefield, it’s not a creature card, or it does have the name the player said, it simply stays in that player’s library without ever being revealed. The player then shuffles their library, including that card.
2009-10-01 Once you’ve chosen a card during your search, you must clearly indicate which card you’ve chosen (preferably without showing the front of that card to the player!). Then the player names a card.
2009-10-01 You may search for any card, not just a creature card. Of course, if you choose a noncreature card, you won’t be able to put it onto the battlefield no matter what card the player names.

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