Sorcerous Sight MTG Card


Sorcerous Sight - Portal
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set namePortal
Set codePOR
Number68
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byKaja Foglio

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants foresight for strategic planning, enabling better resource management and deck execution.
  2. Instant speed allows for flexible play, matching card advantage with on-the-fly decisions.
  3. Mana cost and discard requirement may limit its inclusion in some decks effectively.

Text of card

Look at your opponent's hand. You draw a card. (Draw the card from your deck.)

Do not react; anticipate.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sorcerous Sight gives players foresight into upcoming draws, facilitating strategic planning and maintaining flow in their deck’s execution.

Resource Acceleration: By knowing what is coming next, Sorcerous Sight enables players to make informed decisions on resource allocation, potentially accelerating their board development and threat deployment.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Sorcerous Sight at instant speed offers flexibility, allowing players to efficiently utilize their mana and respond to an opponent’s actions during their turn, keeping the element of surprise and strategy on their side.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to Sorcerous Sight is that you’ll need to pitch another card from your hand to cast it. This stipulation can backfire if you’re already struggling with card advantage or holding onto key pieces for your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands both blue and black mana, which can be restrictive. If your deck doesn’t consistently produce both types of mana, including Sorcerous Sight might be more of a liability than an asset.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though scrying and drawing cards is valuable, the mana investment for Sorcerous Sight can be hefty. At its mana value, players might expect a more impactful board presence or a stronger disruption effect against their opponents.


Reasons to Include Sorcerous Sight in Your Collection

Versatility: Sorcerous Sight offers a unique ability to peek into an opponent’s hand, making it suitable for a variety of decks looking to gain strategic information. Its low casting cost allows for easy incorporation with other plays during your turn.

Combo Potential: This spell pairs well with cards that benefit from knowledge of the opponent’s hand, enhancing discard strategies or preparing counterspells. With Sorcerous Sight, you will be one step ahead in setting up your perfect combo.

Meta-Relevance: As players constantly adapt to new strategies, knowing what your opponent holds gives you the upper hand. Sorcerous Sight helps in tailoring your game plan against popular decks, making it a useful tool in staying competitive.


How to beat

Sorcerous Sight is a unique card that allows players to look at the top card of any library at any time until Sorcerous Sight leaves the battlefield. Countering this continuous effect can be tricky, but not impossible for seasoned Magic: The Gathering players. The key to overcoming Sorcerous Sight lies in the realm of instant-speed interaction. Consider running counterspells to prevent Sorcerous Sight from hitting the table in the first place. Alternatively, fast removal spells can dispatch it soon after it arrives.

Another strategy includes taking advantage of the short window before your opponent can make full use of the information provided by Sorcerous Sight. Aggressive or unexpected plays could offset the strategic advantage your opponent gains. Lastly, employing your own information-gathering cards or effects that shuffle your library can mitigate the downside of Sorcerous Sight by limiting the reliability of the information gained by your adversary.

Strategic deck building and prompt responses can nullify the edge that Sorcerous Sight might give an opponent. Being aware of the potential it has to influence the game is the first step in crafting a plan to deal with this potent card effectively.


Cards like Sorcerous Sight

Aimed at refining strategic plays, Sorcerous Sight from the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering offers players the ability to peek into an opponent’s hand. When drawing parallels, Peek is a card with a similar revealing effect that also costs one blue mana. However, Sorcerous Sight has an edge with its scry feature, allowing for deck manipulation and better draw control.

Gitaxian Probe shares the trait of revealing an opponent’s hand at no mana cost but comes with the price of two life through Phyrexian mana. Furthermore, it has the additional advantage of drawing a card. Compare that to Sorcerous Sight, which only fixes your next draw but does not add to your hand directly. Of course, there is also Telepathy, an enchantment with a broader scope, granting continuous insight into all opponents’ hands. Unlike Sorcerous Sight, Telepathy doesn’t offer the scry benefit but provides an ongoing advantage in multiplayer scenarios.

Considering tactical advantages and card synergy in players’ decks, Sorcerous Sight holds its ground as a mind-game enhancer in Magic: The Gathering, attractive for its combination of immediate intel and deck refinement capabilities.

Peek - MTG Card versions
Gitaxian Probe - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Peek - Odyssey (ODY)
Gitaxian Probe - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Telepathy - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Sorcerous Sight by color, type and mana cost

Drafna's Restoration - MTG Card versions
Reconstruction - MTG Card versions
Psychic Purge - MTG Card versions
Energy Tap - MTG Card versions
Mind Bomb - MTG Card versions
Recall - MTG Card versions
Portent - MTG Card versions
Taunt - MTG Card versions
Prosperity - MTG Card versions
Eye Spy - MTG Card versions
Sleight of Hand - MTG Card versions
Broken Dam - MTG Card versions
Index - MTG Card versions
Extract - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Secretkeeper // Venture Deeper - MTG Card versions
Preordain - MTG Card versions
Serum Visions - MTG Card versions
Ponder - MTG Card versions
Breakthrough - MTG Card versions
Careful Study - MTG Card versions
Drafna's Restoration - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Reconstruction - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Psychic Purge - Masters Edition (ME1)
Energy Tap - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Mind Bomb - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Recall - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Portent - The List (PLST)
Taunt - Portal (POR)
Prosperity - Commander 2013 (C13)
Eye Spy - Starter 1999 (S99)
Sleight of Hand - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Broken Dam - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Index - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Extract - Odyssey (ODY)
Merfolk Secretkeeper // Venture Deeper - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Preordain - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Serum Visions - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Ponder - Doctor Who (WHO)
Breakthrough - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Careful Study - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sorcerous Sight MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Sorcerous Sight and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sorcerous Sight has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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