Spirit of the Labyrinth MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment Creature — Spirit
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Restricts card draws to one per turn, shifting the advantage in card access.
  2. Low casting cost effectively maintains tempo and hampers opponents.
  3. Static ability acts as a consistent, mana-free disruption on the field.

Text of card

Each player can't draw more than one card each turn.

Students at the Dekatia Academy learn that being sent to study with her is a lesson in itself.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spirit of the Labyrinth shines in formats where players tend to draw numerous cards. By restricting each player to draw only one card each turn, it effectively hinders opponents’ strategies that rely on massive card draw, thus tipping the balance of card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Spirit of the Labyrinth itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost assists in maintaining tempo and allows allocation of mana to other crucial plays during early turns. Its mere presence can accelerate your game plan by slowing down your opponent’s.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant, the card’s static ability is always “on” once it hits the battlefield, providing a continuous effect that can disrupt your opponents’ instant-speed draw spells, acting as a pseudo instant-speed disruption that doesn’t require additional mana investment each turn.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Spirit of the Labyrinth requires both white mana and generic mana to cast, which necessitates a firm commitment to white or a diversified mana base in multicolored decks. This can hinder its incorporation into decks that aren’t heavily white.

Discard Requirement: While not directly enforcing discarding, Spirit of the Labyrinth restricts each player to one card draw per turn. This effect can potentially backfire in situations where you heavily rely on card advantage strategies or are looking to replenish your hand quickly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not overly expensive, the creature’s mana cost places it in direct competition with other two-mana creatures. Its 3/1 stats provide a respectable power level, yet may not always justify the slot over other utility creatures in the same mana range, which could offer more impactful abilities or synergies within certain strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spirit of the Labyrinth’s ability to limit each player to one draw per turn applies to various deck types, enhancing strategies centered around denying opponents’ card advantage while not being restrictive to your own deck’s theme.

Combo Potential: With this card on the field, you can craft combinations that disrupt your opponents’ plans to draw multiple cards, thereby gaining an upper hand. It’s perfect for decks that use the draw step as a strategic choke point.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to stifle card draw mechanics that are prevalent in many competitive decks, Spirit of the Labyrinth remains a timely inclusion in a metagame where control decks and combo engines rely heavily on drawing numerous cards.


How to beat

Spirit of the Labyrinth presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering by restricting each player to drawing only one card each turn. This potent ability can lock down strategies that rely heavily on card draw, making it seem like a daunting wall to overcome. Nevertheless, there are effective ways to navigate around this obstacle and ensure your deck’s game plan can proceed unimpeded.

To successfully beat a Spirit of the Labyrinth, it’s beneficial to leverage removal spells that can bypass the drawing restriction, such as “Fatal Push” or “Path to Exile,” allowing you to remove the creature without needing to draw cards. Additionally, prioritize playing cards or using abilities that place cards into your hand without drawing them, such as “Abundant Harvest” or “Coiling Oracle,” as they circumvent the restriction imposed by the Spirit.

Remember, adapting to the board state and understanding when the Spirit of the Labyrinth influences it is crucial. Flexibility in your play and having a varied toolbox are key to outlasting this enchanting creature’s influence on your game strategy.


BurnMana Recommendations

Utilizing Spirit of the Labyrinth in MTG demands clever strategy, meticulous deck building, and an understanding of the current metagame. Perfect for thwarting your opponent’s efforts to gain card advantage, this card is an invaluable tool in many competitive scenes. Analyze your deck to ensure it aligns with the card’s unique capabilities, and remember its potential roles in combos or as a disruption element. Enhancing your gameplay goes beyond the inclusion of powerful cards; it includes the knowledge of when to play them and how to counteract their weaknesses. Immerse yourself in the wealth of resources we offer and refine your skills for the countless duels ahead. Sharpen your understanding and revel in the impactful plays that Spirit of the Labyrinth can facilitate. Dive into the depth of strategy with us and transcend the ordinary gameplay experience.


Cards like Spirit of the Labyrinth

Spirit of the Labyrinth is an intriguing piece in the puzzle of hand disruption cards in MTG. It shares the playing field with cards like Notion Thief, which restricts adversaries from drawing more than one card each turn. However, Spirit of the Labyrinth brings its own unique aspects to the table with its enchantment-like ability embedded in a creature, allowing for more aggressive strategies while also limiting opponents’ card draw.

Alms Collector is another close relative in this family of cards; it also challenges card draw norms by converting potential extra draws into single card draws with an additional perk of netting the Alms Collector’s controller an extra card. While it’s more expensive in terms of mana cost than Spirit of the Labyrinth, this feline cleric offers a larger body and a card gain advantage. Additionally, we can look at Leonin Arbiter, which regulates another aspect of the game: the searching of libraries. Although it affects a different resource pool, it showcases the comparable intent of disrupting usual game mechanics often exploited by opponents.

Regardless, Spirit of the Labyrinth stands out due to its cost-effective approach to restricting card draws and its easy engagement in battle, which often makes it a favorite among players who appreciate the tactical control it exerts over the game.

Notion Thief - MTG Card versions
Alms Collector - MTG Card versions
Leonin Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Notion Thief - MTG Card versions
Alms Collector - MTG Card versions
Leonin Arbiter - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Spirit of the Labyrinth by color, type and mana cost

Blessing - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Red - MTG Card versions
Island Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: White - MTG Card versions
Crusade - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Blue - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Ground - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Artifacts - MTG Card versions
Energy Storm - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Black - MTG Card versions
Ward of Lights - MTG Card versions
Gossamer Chains - MTG Card versions
I'm Rubber, You're Glue - MTG Card versions
Absolute Grace - MTG Card versions
Serenity - MTG Card versions
Mageta's Boon - MTG Card versions
Seal of Cleansing - MTG Card versions
Absolute Law - MTG Card versions
Sacred Ground - MTG Card versions
Pacifism - MTG Card versions
Blessing - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Red - MTG Card versions
Island Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: White - MTG Card versions
Crusade - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Blue - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Ground - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Artifacts - MTG Card versions
Energy Storm - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Black - MTG Card versions
Ward of Lights - MTG Card versions
Gossamer Chains - MTG Card versions
I'm Rubber, You're Glue - MTG Card versions
Absolute Grace - MTG Card versions
Serenity - MTG Card versions
Mageta's Boon - MTG Card versions
Seal of Cleansing - MTG Card versions
Absolute Law - MTG Card versions
Sacred Ground - MTG Card versions
Pacifism - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spirit of the Labyrinth MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods and The List, 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 Spirit of the Labyrinth and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Spirit of the Labyrinth Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-02-07 and 2014-02-07. Illustrated by Jason Chan.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-02-07Born of the GodsBNG 272003NormalBlackJason Chan
22020-09-26The ListPLST BNG-272003NormalBlackJason Chan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spirit of the Labyrinth has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spirit of the Labyrinth 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 a replacement effect would try to replace a card that you can’t draw, that effect can’t apply.
2014-02-01 If you draw a card, and then Spirit of the Labyrinth enters the battlefield, you won’t be able to draw more cards that turn.
2014-02-01 If you haven’t drawn any cards in a turn, and a spell or ability would cause you to draw multiple cards, you’ll just draw one card.
2014-02-01 You can draw a maximum of one card on each player’s turn. Subsequent card draws are ignored.

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