Thopter Spy Network MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Creates card advantage by drawing cards for each tapped artifact during upkeep.
  2. Generates 1/1 flying artifact tokens, enhancing defense and accelerating win conditions.
  3. Synergizes with instants, allowing strategic tapping of artifacts for card draws.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control an artifact, create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying. Whenever one or more artifact creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, draw a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thopter Spy Network is a dynamic engine that rewards you with an extra card during your upkeep for each artifact you control that’s tapped. This ability is a clear path to outpacing your competition by ensuring a constant flow of options.

Resource Acceleration: Every time you cast an artifact, Thopter Spy Network generates a 1/1 Thopter artifact creature token with flying. These tokens not only enhance your defensive capabilities but also add to your arsenal, potentially accelerating your win condition.

Instant Speed: While Thopter Spy Network itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with cards of instant speed. You can strategically play instants on your opponent’s turn to tap your artifacts, triggering Thopter Spy Network’s card-drawing ability more effectively on your own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thopter Spy Network does not have a discard requirement, which is beneficial for card retention in your hand. This attribute allows you to maintain a strategic advantage by preserving your resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Thopter Spy Network’s casting cost includes two blue mana, which can make it less flexible for multicolored decks. This specific mana demand may restrict its inclusion to primarily blue or artifact-centric decks that can reliably produce blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Thopter Spy Network requires a significant investment for its abilities. While it offers potential for creating token creatures and card draw, its cost may compete with other impactful four-mana plays, requiring careful deck construction and timing to maximize value.


Reasons to Include Thopter Spy Network in Your Collection

Versatility: Thopter Spy Network is a flexible enchantment that fits seamlessly into artifact-centric decks. Its ability to create flying token creatures bolsters your defenses while contributing to offense as well.

Combo Potential: With each artifact you control dealing combat damage, Thopter Spy Network rewards you with card draw, a powerful engine that pairs well with artifact synergies and can substantially increase your hand advantage.

Meta-Relevance: Considering its ability to provide a steady flow of thopter tokens and card advantage, Thopter Spy Network holds practical value in metas that favor tempo plays and incremental advantages, giving you the upper hand against a swath of popular strategies.


How to beat

Countering the Thopter Spy Network requires strategic moves and a keen understanding of its mechanics. As an enchantment that rewards players with card draw and a growing army of flying Thopters, it’s pivotal to disrupt the setup early. Artifact removal spells like Disenchant or Abrade can effectively dismantle the network before it generates value. It’s also advantageous to control the board with sweepers such as Wrath of God to prevent a swarm of Thopters from overwhelming you.

Another approach to shutting down the Thopter Spy Network lies in negating the card advantage it bestows. Hand disruption techniques, including Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, can remove it from an opponent’s grip before it even hits the battlefield. Moreover, employing instant-speed interaction like Negate or Dovin’s Veto to counter the enchantment upon casting is crucial to keeping a step ahead.

Ultimately, precise timing and a proactive defense are the keys to neutralizing the Thopter Spy Network’s influence. By prioritizing the removal of the network and maintaining control over the board, you can safeguard against the card advantage and token generation it seeks to exploit, leading to a stronger position in the game’s evolving dynamics.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves more than deck building—it’s about smart card choices that align with your strategies. Thopter Spy Network is a prime example of a card that can enhance both your offense and defense through efficient token generation and resource acceleration. Understanding its best use scenarios and preemptive counters is essential for any player looking to optimize their artifact-based decks. Learn the subtle art of employing such powerful cards and refine your gameplay strategies. Soar to new heights on the wings of those mechanical Thopters and discover how to gain the upper hand, whether it’s in casual play or competitive scenes. Dive deeper and enrich your MTG journey with us.


Cards like Thopter Spy Network

Thopter Spy Network is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that brilliantly blends card draw with creature generation. It shares a thematic link with Efficient Construction, another card that crafts Thopter tokens whenever you cast an artifact. However, Thopter Spy Network steps up the game with the added benefit of potentially drawing a card each time one of your Thopters deals combat damage to a player.

Seeking parallels, Bident of Thassa emerges as a contender. It too involves drawing cards when your creatures deal combat damage to a player. The difference lies in the absence of Thopter creation and an activation cost needed to force opponents to attack. Conversely, Ghirapur Aether Grid, while entrenched in artifact synergy, utilizes your artifacts to ping opponents and creatures, foregoing the aerial token creation and direct card advantage that Thopter Spy Network provides.

Ultimately, Thopter Spy Network carves its niche among artifact-centric cards thanks to its dual functionality. It not only fuels your aerial offense but also maintains card flow seamlessly, making it a valuable addition to any artifact-themed deck strategy.

Efficient Construction - MTG Card versions
Bident of Thassa - MTG Card versions
Ghirapur Aether Grid - MTG Card versions
Efficient Construction - Aether Revolt (AER)
Bident of Thassa - Theros (THS)
Ghirapur Aether Grid - Magic Origins (ORI)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thopter Spy Network MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins Promos and Magic Origins, 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 Thopter Spy Network and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Thopter Spy Network Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by Jung Park.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic Origins PromosPORI 79s2015normalblackJung Park
22015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 792015normalblackJung Park
32018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1072015normalblackJung Park
42022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 982015normalblackJung Park
52022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 971997normalblackJung Park
62022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 3612015normalblackJung Park
72023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 2412015normalblackJung Park

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thopter Spy Network has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-06-22 The last ability will trigger, at most, once per combat damage step per player. However, if at least one artifact creature you control has first strike and others don't, or if an artifact creature you control has double strike, the ability could trigger twice per combat: once in each combat damage step.
2015-06-22 Thopter Spy Network's first ability has an “intervening ‘if' clause.” That means (1) the ability won't trigger at all unless you control an artifact as your upkeep begins, and (2) the ability will do nothing if you don't control an artifact as it resolves.

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