Mirran Spy MTG Card


Mirran Spy - Mirrodin Besieged
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Drone
Abilities Flying
Released2011-02-04
Set symbol
Set nameMirrodin Besieged
Set codeMBS
Power 1
Toughness 3
Number26
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDave Kendall

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances board presence by untapping artifacts or creatures, strategically buttressing your play.
  2. Instant-speed ability of Mirran Spy allows for dynamic and unforeseen in-game maneuvers.
  3. Despite utility, the card requires discerning play to leverage its full potential effectively.

Text of card

Flying Whenever you cast an artifact spell, you may untap target creature.

Accurate information is a precious commodity in times of war.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mirran Spy’s ability to untap another artifact or creature when you cast an artifact can offer a tactical edge. Efficiently reusing artifacts that have tap abilities or creatures that benefit from being untapped can effectively generate extra value with each cast, leading to a potential card advantage on the board.

Resource Acceleration: In combination with certain artifacts or creatures that produce mana upon tapping, Mirran Spy facilitates an acceleration of resources. By untapping these assets, you gain an opportunity to generate additional mana within the same turn, potentially allowing for more significant plays earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: Mirran Spy’s ability can be utilized at instant speed since it’s triggered during the casting of an artifact. This flexibility enables players to react to the flow of the game, keeping opponents guessing and making it more challenging for them to anticipate your moves. Such speed can be especially crucial for surprise blocks or enabling combos without waiting for summoning sickness to wear off.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must be tactical when Mirran Spy remains in their hand as it offers no immediate board impact and demands careful planning to maximise its untapping ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both blue mana and generic mana, the Spy can be challenging to cast in multicolor decks, potentially constraining deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, Mirran Spy’s capabilities could be considered limited when measured against other creatures or spells at the same cost that might provide greater versatility or a more substantial effect on the game state.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mirran Spy offers ample flexibility, seamlessly integrating into artifact-centric or blue-based decks. Its ability to untap a permanent can be a crucial enabler for multiple strategies.

Combo Potential: With its capability to untap other permanents whenever you cast an artifact spell, it lays the foundation for infinite combos, particularly with cards that have tap abilities for mana production or direct effects.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where game pace and intelligent resource management are critical, Mirran Spy shines by facilitating subsequent plays and maintaining momentum within your deck’s strategy.


How to beat

Mirran Spy is an intriguing creature from the *Mirrodin Besieged* set that can confound MTG players with its ability to untap another target artifact or creature whenever you cast an artifact spell. This can lead to powerful combos, particularly in a deck with numerous cheap artifacts or a key artifact that benefits from being untapped multiple times in a turn.

To counter this spy from Mirrodin, removal spells are your best bet. Instant-speed removal can disrupt the combo by removing the spy before the untap ability resolves. Prioritizing spells that can eliminate creatures at a low cost, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, will maintain your mana efficiency while dismantling their strategy.

Artifact destruction can also be a robust preventative strategy against the Mirran Spy. By targeting the artifacts the player aims to cast repetitively, you remove the fuel for the Spy’s ability. Cards like Shatter or Naturalize can serve this purpose and should be considered for sideboards if Mirran Spy becomes a consistent threat in your gameplay environment.

Ultimately, understanding how Mirran Spy interacts with the board and being proactive with your removal spells is the key strategy to ensure this card doesn’t overrun you with its potential for combo plays.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the strategic depths of MTG can be complex, but the Mirran Spy offers unique advantages that Commanders shouldn’t overlook. It serves as a key enabler in artifact-focused decks, turning each artifact spell into an opportunity to untap and reactivate your resources. If you aspire to create seamless combos or outpace your opponents with slick plays, understanding cards like Mirran Spy can give you the edge. Interested in refining your deck-building skills and discovering new synergies? Explore with us to harness the true potential of Mirran Spy and other pivotal cards in your MTG arsenal.


Cards like Mirran Spy

Delving into the world of Magic: The Gathering, Mirran Spy stands out as a unique artifact creature. Comparable to the Vedalken Engineer, which similarly provides a synergy with artifacts. Yet, Mirran Spy offers a distinct advantage by allowing the untapping of a creature or artifact each time you cast an artifact spell. The Engineer, in contrast, lends two mana to your pool to only spend on artifact spells or abilities, lacking the untapping flexibility.

Skilled Animator is another card that echoes a relationship with artifacts. It transforms a target artifact into a formidable creature with base power and toughness 5/5 as long as it remains on the battlefield. This compares with Mirran Spy’s ability to unlock repeated use potential in the right artifact-based deck. Similarly, Trinket Mage searches for an artifact with a cost of one or less when it enters the battlefield, supporting artifact-reliant strategies but without the reactive utility that Mirran Spy provides during the course of a game.

When analyzing the various interactions and advantages in artifact-centric decks, Mirran Spy confidently carves its niche. It grants players the chance to exploit the casting of multiple artifacts, leveraging each spell to orchestrate a tempo of play that can be hard to disrupt.

Vedalken Engineer - MTG Card versions
Skilled Animator - MTG Card versions
Trinket Mage - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Engineer - Darksteel (DST)
Skilled Animator - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Trinket Mage - Fifth Dawn (5DN)

Cards similar to Mirran Spy by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Mistform Warchief - MTG Card versions
Blind Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Academy Researchers - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mistform Warchief - Scourge (SCG)
Blind Phantasm - Future Sight (FUT)
Academy Researchers - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mirran Spy MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged, 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 Mirran Spy and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mirran Spy has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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