Sudden Storm MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Scry
Released	2014-02-07
Set symbol
Set name	Born of the Gods
Set code	BNG
Number	53
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Adam Paquette

Key Takeaways

Sudden Storm grants control by tapping creatures and artifacts, hindering opponent’s momentum for two turns.
It requires strategic deck building to optimize mana base and manage its four-mana cost effectively.
Comparing to similar cards, its multi-target disruption and versatility make it a worthwhile addition.

Text of card

Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

No matter how big and strong you are, the sea is bigger and stronger.

Card Pros

Instant Speed: Sudden Storm shines with its ability to be cast at instant speed, giving players the flexibility to disrupt opponents’ strategies during their turn. This can be pivotal in maintaining the upper hand in a match or protecting against potentially game-ending threats.

Card Advantage: When played, Sudden Storm not only impacts the board by tapping creatures but also prevents them from untapping during the next untap step. This dual functionality means you’re effectively hindering two turns worth of activity with a single card, creating a form of card advantage through tempo.

Resource Acceleration: Although Sudden Storm doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in the form of mana or tokens, it serves as a resource acceleration by buying you time. Freezing your opponent’s creatures allows you to build up your resources for a stronger play or a pivotal turning point without the pressure of an immediate counterattack.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other spells that offer comparable effects, Sudden Storm requires you to discard a card which can set you back if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes both generic and specific colors, this card needs a well-tuned mana base to ensure it can be played on curve without hiccups.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Taking up four mana on your curve, Sudden Storm can feel costly especially when you’re trying to establish or maintain board presence as it doesn’t directly affect the battlefield upon resolution.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sudden Storm is a flexible card that can halt your opponent’s strategy by tapping their potential attackers or blockers. It’s a great fit in decks aiming to control the tempo of the game.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies looking to capitalize on the tempo advantage. By stalling the opponent’s creatures, it can effectively set up for combo executions or serve as a pseudo removal in critical turns.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where aggressive or midrange decks are prevalent, Sudden Storm shines by disrupting plays and giving you the upper hand. It’s particularly useful when the board is at a delicate equilibrium or when staving off an impending assault.

How to Beat

Sudden Storm is an intriguing card to encounter in MTG. It effectively stalls aggressive strategies by tapping down key creatures and preventing them from untapping during the next untap step. This can disrupt opponent’s tempo and give you a valuable breathing room. To overcome Sudden Storm, it’s vital to diversify your threats. Relying too heavily on a few powerful creatures can leave you vulnerable to such tempo plays.

Similarly, utilizing instant-speed spells and abilities can keep your game plan flexible and robust against control strategies. Flash creatures, for example, can be cast on your opponent’s turn, bypassing the effect of Sudden Storm. Activated abilities that don’t necessitate tapping or untapping can also maintain pressure without falling prey to this card’s freezing grasp. Cards with vigilance or those that can untap themselves naturally, like Kiora’s Follower, are also excellent choices to circumvent the shackles of Sudden Storm.

In essence, broadening your strategic options and proactively considering your opponent’s potential disruptions are key in outpacing control elements like Sudden Storm. By doing so, you’re preparing your deck to withstand and thrive against such targeted hindrances.

Cards like Sudden Storm

Sudden Storm stands out as an intriguing tactical play in the MTG universe. This card finds parallels with cards like Frost Breath, which also taps down multiple targets, preventing them from untapping on the next player’s untap step. While Frost Breath affects only creatures, Sudden Storm ramps up the strategy by including the ability to target artifacts as well – a slight yet impactful extension of utility for players seeking to control the board.

Another comparison can be drawn with Gridlock. Instead of affecting only creatures or artifacts, Gridlock can tap down any nonland permanents. Although it is flexible in targets, Sudden Storm’s advantage is the guaranteed two targets and the delay in untapping, which can be pivotal during crucial turns. However, Gridlock offers adaptability in how many targets you can affect, based on the amount of mana you are willing to invest.

Considering these aspects, Sudden Storm commands a particular niche. By halting your opponent’s momentum and offering multi-target disruption, it is undeniably valuable for players aiming to maintain tempo and control in the game. The combination of immediacy and broad impact makes Sudden Storm a card worth considering for decks that thrive on hindering the adversary.

Cards similar to Sudden Storm by color, type and mana cost

Careful Consideration - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sudden Storm 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 Sudden Storm and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sudden Storm 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 Sudden Storm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-09-15	Scry appears on some spells and abilities with one or more targets. If all of the spell or ability’s targets are illegal when it tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t scry.
2013-09-15	When you scry, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards on the bottom of your library, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them on the bottom.
2013-09-15	You choose how to order cards returned to your library after scrying no matter where you put them.
2013-09-15	You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, that means you’ll scry last. For others, that means you’ll scry and then perform other actions.
2014-02-01	If a creature affected by Sudden Storm changes controllers before its old controller’s next untap step, Sudden Storm will prevent it from becoming untapped during its new controller’s next untap step.
2014-02-01	If you choose zero targets, you’ll just scry 1 when the ability resolves. However, if you choose at least one target and all of Sudden Storm’s targets are illegal as it tries to resolve, the spell won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t scry in that case.
2014-02-01	If you chose two targets and one is an illegal target when Sudden Storm resolves, that creature won’t become tapped and it won’t be stopped from untapping during its controller’s next untap step. It won’t be affected by Sudden Storm in any way.
2014-02-01	This spell can target tapped creatures. If a targeted creature is already tapped when the spell resolves, that creature remains tapped and doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.