Deepwater Hypnotist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Abilities	Inspired
Released	2014-02-07
Set symbol
Set name	Born of the Gods
Set code	BNG
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	35
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Christopher Moeller

Key Takeaways

Deepwater Hypnotist can tilt the board’s balance by targeting and weakening opposing creatures during crucial turns.
Offers instant speed activated ability, adding disruption and flexibility to your in-game strategies.
While offering tempo play benefits, it comes with a specific and arguably high mana cost for its stats.

Text of card

Inspired — Whenever Deepwater Hypnotist becomes untapped, target creature an opponent controls gets -3/-0 until end of turn.

"Watch the waves too long, and you may never look away." —Meletian proverb

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deepwater Hypnotist has the potential to subtly shift the balance of card utility on the board. By targeting an opposing creature, it can effectively diminish the opponent’s available resources without direct removal. This can lead to a positional advantage that impacts the game’s progression.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or acceleration in the traditional sense, Deepwater Hypnotist can contribute to a tempo play by reducing the effectiveness of blockers or attackers. This might allow for a more favorable board state, enabling you to capitalize on your turns more efficiently.

Instant Speed: While Deepwater Hypnotist itself is not an instant, its activated ability can be utilized at instant speed. This provides flexibility in your playstyle, giving you the power to disrupt enemy strategies during their turn, right before combat or in response to an opponent’s spell.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Deepwater Hypnotist demands an opponent to discard when its criteria are met, it does not directly pose this as a resource cost to you. Therefore, this point typically does not apply to the Deepwater Hypnotist’s mechanics.

Specific Mana Cost: The Hypnotist needs both blue mana and generic mana to cast, making it somewhat restrictive for multi-color decks that might struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana for a 2/1 creature, some players might find the Hypnotist pricey for its stats and effect. Other creatures at this cost offer more impactful abilities or greater power and toughness.

Reasons to Include Deepwater Hypnotist in Your Collection

Versatility: Deepwater Hypnotist, a Merfolk wizard, can quietly slip into various blue-focused or multicolor decks. Its prowess isn’t limited to a single strategy, as it can subtly disrupt opponents during the critical moments of creature combat.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with other cards that benefit from spells that target creatures, or from having a high count of wizards in play. Establishing these synergies can lead to powerful in-game advantages and unexpected wins.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where small-to-mid-range creatures dominate the battlefield, the ability of Deepwater Hypnotist to consistently weaken a target creature each turn can become a relevant tool for controlling your opponent’s side of the board.

How to beat Deepwater Hypnotist

Deepwater Hypnotist, a creature card from the world of Magic: The Gathering, may seem unassuming at first glance. However, its ability to weaken an opponent’s creature can pivot the tide of a duel in your favor. The key to countering this Murfolk Wizard lies in its inherent fragility. With only a modest pool of hit points and attack power, the Hypnotist can be easily removed from the battlefield through direct damage spells or by forcing combat with stronger creatures.

Another effective strategy is to prioritize the removal of the Hypnotist before its controller enters combat. Cards with flash that can remove creatures or that grant temporary boosts to your own creatures can ensure that the Hypnotist’s ability to impact the game is minimal. Additionally, utilizing spells or abilities that negate the abilities of your opponent’s creatures can render the Deepwater Hypnotist’s primary function obsolete, leaving it as no more than an underwhelming presence on the board.

Ultimately, while Deepwater Hypnotist can be a nuisance in particular strategies focusing on creature control, its impact is mitigated by its need to survive until the following turn. Quick removal, strategic blocking, and ability countering are all viable ways to neutralize this watery threat.

Cards like Deepwater Hypnotist

Deepwater Hypnotist is a card that brings subtle control to the board in Magic: The Gathering. This creature stands in a niche category, functioning similarly to other passive-aggressive creatures such as Jeskai Windscout. Both have the ability to influence the game’s tempo but in distinctive ways. While Deepwater Hypnotist may not have flying like the Jeskai Windscout, it compensates by weakening an opponent’s creature during your turn, potentially altering the outcome of battles.

Another card to consider in the same spectrum is Merfolk Trickster. It also impacts your opponents’ creatures by tapping them and negating their abilities. Though Merfolk Trickster’s effect is immediate and can be triggered on your opponent’s turn, Deepwater Hypnotist’s ability requires a more planned approach to maximize its potential. Finally, we have Tidebinder Mage, locking down red or green creatures, demonstrating that control effects can vary widely, even within the same color of Magic: The Gathering.

Although Deepwater Hypnotist might not make an obvious splash, it’s the kind of card that can quietly turn the tide of a match, much like its aquatic counterparts in the realm of creature control. Its presence on the battlefield can influence an opponent’s strategy and offer a subtle yet significant advantage.

Cards similar to Deepwater Hypnotist by color, type and mana cost

Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deepwater Hypnotist MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, 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 Deepwater Hypnotist and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deepwater Hypnotist has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-02-01	If an inspired ability triggers during your untap step, the ability will be put on the stack at the beginning of your upkeep. If the ability creates one or more token creatures, those creatures won’t be able to attack that turn (unless they gain haste).
2014-02-01	If the inspired ability includes an optional cost, you decide whether to pay that cost as the ability resolves. You can do this even if the creature leaves the battlefield in response to the ability.
2014-02-01	Inspired abilities don’t trigger when the creature enters the battlefield.
2014-02-01	Inspired abilities trigger no matter how the creature becomes untapped: by the turn-based action at the beginning of the untap step or by a spell or ability.