Sliver Hivelord MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Sliver
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Indestructibility makes Slivers on the board resilient against most threats and removals.
  2. Demands a multicolored mana base, which can be complex but rewarding for dedicated Sliver decks.
  3. Strategic card for late-game scenarios, turning Sliver armies into formidable opponents.

Text of card

Sliver creatures you control have indestructible. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy them.)

"This is the source, the line unbroken since the calamity that brought such monsters to our shores." —Hastric, Thunian scout


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sliver Hivelord provides a tremendous strategic upper hand by making your Slivers essentially indestructible, thus preserving your creatures on the board and ensuring a steady state of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Hivelord itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, its powerful ability lets you keep a strong board presence, indirectly allowing for more efficient use of your mana on further plays rather than on creature recovery.

Instant Speed: While the Sliver Hivelord does not operate at instant speed, its influence on the board can dramatically impact interactions at instant speed. Opponents must think twice before launching removal spells or engaging in combat, knowing that your imposing Slivers are unyielding.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable to Sliver Hivelord, since it does not require discarding as part of its casting or ability activation.

Specific Mana Cost: Sliver Hivelord demands a diverse mana pool, balancing all five colors, which can be challenging in decks not tailored to such a mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sliver Hivelord’s five mana cost can be steep, especially since it requires one of each color, which makes it a late-game play and potentially slow to hit the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Sliver Hivelord in Your Collection

Versatility: Sliver Hivelord offers an incredible layer of defense to any Sliver-based deck due to its ability to grant indestructible to all Sliver creatures you control. This adaptation turns your brood into a resilient force against board wipes and removal.

Combo Potential: With Sliver Hivelord on the battlefield, you can activate risky “all-in” strategies or combos with less fear of losing your key pieces. Its compatibility with various Sliver abilities amplifies the potential for game-changing synergy.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames often shift towards spells and abilities that destroy or deal damage to multiple creatures, Sliver Hivelord’s presence can ensure your army remains untouched, making it a formidable inclusion against many popular deck archetypes.


How to Beat

To tackle the formidable Sliver Hivelord in the world of Magic: The Gathering, players must strategize effectively. The challenge lies in its intimidating ability to grant indestructible to all Sliver creatures on the field. One approach is to utilize cards that change the creature’s fundamental characteristics, stripping away its indestructibility. This can be achieved through spells or abilities that specifically state creatures lose indestructible, or by turning the creature into another creature type.

Another strategy is to bypass its defense by using exile effects which can remove the Sliver Hivelord from the battlefield regardless of its indestructible property. Forcing the owner to sacrifice creatures, by using actions like edict effects, can work around indestructibility since sacrifice is an action that doesn’t destroy a creature. Players may also employ cards that counter creature spells, intercepting the Sliver Hivelord before it even hits the board.

Successful navigation against Sliver Hivelord requires precise control and use of removals. Although daunting, with the right mix of resilience and technique, players can find ways to outmaneuver the resilience of this powerful MTG card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deep into the world of MTG requires both cunning and versatility, traits exemplified by the Sliver Hivelord. Its ability to fortify your Sliver strategy can turn the tides of battle in your favor. Understanding its strengths and how to build around its weaknesses is key. Enhance your collection’s diversity and resilience by including the Sliver Hivelord. It’s an opportunity to infuse your deck with the power to withstand your opponents’ harshest tactics. Explore more strategies and add the Hivelord to your arsenal to become a more formidable player in the MTG arena.


Cards like Sliver Hivelord

In the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering, Sliver Hivelord stands out among legendary creatures for its formidable defense capabilities. This card is often compared to other sliver legends, such as Sliver Overlord and Sliver Legion. Sliver Overlord allows you to search your deck for slivers, while Sliver Legion amps up your army’s power based on the number of slivers you control. However, what sets Sliver Hivelord apart is its powerful ability to grant indestructibility to all sliver creatures you control.

Another notable comparison is with Avacyn, Angel of Hope, a creature that similarly bestows indestructibility upon your other permanents. Unlike Sliver Hivelord, Avacyn protects a wider range of cards beyond just the sliver tribe. Yet, the Hivelord’s lower casting cost and specific tribal synergy can be more advantageous in a dedicated sliver deck. Moreover, the Hivelord’s color identity allows for a multicolored deck, offering a vast array of strategies when combined with other slivers providing various abilities.

Evaluating Sliver Hivelord within the context of its counterparts and similar protective creatures, it’s clear that the card is a linchpin in any sliver-based deck, where its unique skill to make an entire creature type indestructible provides remarkable endurance in the game.

Sliver Overlord - MTG Card versions
Sliver Legion - MTG Card versions
Avacyn, Angel of Hope - MTG Card versions
Sliver Overlord - Scourge (SCG)
Sliver Legion - Future Sight (FUT)
Avacyn, Angel of Hope - Open the Helvault (PHEL)

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

Sliver Queen - MTG Card versions
Cromat - MTG Card versions
Atogatog - MTG Card versions
Tazri, Beacon of Unity - MTG Card versions
Jegantha, the Wellspring - MTG Card versions
The First Sliver - MTG Card versions
Sliver Overlord - MTG Card versions
Scion of the Ur-Dragon - MTG Card versions
Sliver Legion - MTG Card versions
Horde of Notions - MTG Card versions
Child of Alara - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Archangel - MTG Card versions
Fusion Elemental - MTG Card versions
General Tazri - MTG Card versions
Nira, Hellkite Duelist - MTG Card versions
Niv-Mizzet Reborn - MTG Card versions
Kenrith, the Returned King - MTG Card versions
Garth One-Eye - MTG Card versions
Jodah, the Unifier - MTG Card versions
Omnath, Locus of All - MTG Card versions
Sliver Queen - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Cromat - Apocalypse (APC)
Atogatog - Odyssey (ODY)
Tazri, Beacon of Unity - Zendikar Rising Promos (PZNR)
Jegantha, the Wellspring - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
The First Sliver - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Sliver Overlord - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Commander 2017 (C17)
Sliver Legion - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Horde of Notions - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Child of Alara - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Maelstrom Archangel - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Fusion Elemental - The List (PLST)
General Tazri - Oath of the Gatewatch Promos (POGW)
Nira, Hellkite Duelist - 2016 Heroes of the Realm (HTR16)
Niv-Mizzet Reborn - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Kenrith, the Returned King - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Garth One-Eye - Modern Horizons 2 Promos (PMH2)
Jodah, the Unifier - Dominaria United Promos (PDMU)
Omnath, Locus of All - March of the Machine (MOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sliver Hivelord MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 and Mystery Booster, 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 Sliver Hivelord and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Sliver Hivelord Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-07-18Magic 2015M15 2112015normalblackAleksi Briclot
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 14872015normalblackAleksi Briclot
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 2762015normalblackThomas M. Baxa
42020-09-26The ListPLST M15-2112015normalblackAleksi Briclot
52022-12-13Explorer Anthology 2EA2 212015normalblackAleksi Briclot
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 9372015normalblackAleksi Briclot

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sliver Hivelord has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-07-18 Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like indestructible and the ability granted by Belligerent Sliver, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2014-07-18 Damage dealt to a Sliver with indestructible is still marked on that creature. If it has lethal damage marked on it and it loses indestructible (perhaps because Sliver Hivelord leaves the battlefield), it will be destroyed.
2014-07-18 If you change the creature type of a Sliver you control 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 you control.
2014-07-18 Slivers in this set affect only Sliver creatures you control. They don’t grant bonuses to your opponents’ Slivers. This is the same way Slivers from the Magic 2014 core set worked, while Slivers in earlier sets granted bonuses to all Slivers.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks