Cunning Advisor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Advisor
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	72
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Gao Jianzhang

Key Takeaways

Instant speed allows strategic play, enhancing flexibility and surprise element in gameplay.
Mana-specific costs require careful deck construction for optimal Cunning Advisor use.
Versatility and combo potential make it a strong inclusion in various strategic decks.

Text of card

On your turn, before you attack, you may tap Cunning Advisor to force your opponent to choose and discard a card from his or her hand.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Cunning Advisor allows you to tap into your opponent’s hand, granting access to crucial information while potentially disrupting their strategy. By forcing them to discard, you can edge out a card advantage, making it a formidable addition to any control deck.

Resource Acceleration: This spell can alter the speed of your game, particularly in formats where keeping a steady pace is vital. By strategically removing resources from your opponent’s hand, you pave the way for a faster and more efficient route to victory.

Instant Speed: Its capacity to operate at instant speed is a strategic boon. You can defer playing until the most opportune moment, maintaining flexibility and the element of surprise. This responsiveness makes the Cunning Advisor a highly versatile tool in the hands of a skilled player, conforming to the ebb and flow of the game with ease.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the hurdles players face with Cunning Advisor is the discard element embedded in its ability. This may cause strategic dilemma because you have to let go of potentially useful cards in your hand, which could lead to a depleted hand if not carefully managed.

Specific Mana Cost: Cunning Advisor demands a very specific mana arrangement for casting, which can be challenging in multicolored decks. If your mana base isn’t perfectly tuned, activating the abilities of Cunning Advisor might not always be possible when you need it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Cunning Advisor’s effectiveness must be evaluated against its mana cost. In many scenarios, players may find that the investment does not offer a competitive enough advantage on the board, especially when compared to other cards with similar effects but lower mana requirements.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cunning Advisor shines in a variety of decks, standing out in those that capitalize on resource denial and repeated drawing tactics. Its utility across multiple game situations enhances any player’s strategy versatility.

Combo Potential: This card can easily become a linchpin in combos centered around discarding or drawing, synergizing well with mechanics that exploit opponents’ dwindling resources while you gain the upper hand.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often revolves around hand management and control, Cunning Advisor plays a critical role. It disrupts your opponents’ plans while providing you continuous advantages each turn it remains on the board.

How to beat

The Cunning Advisor card can be quite the strategic enhancer in MTG, offering a mix of card draw and opponent disruption, embodying the craftiness of blue’s control game. Its ability to force an opponent to discard while bolstering your hand can tilt the scales of the match in your favor. But every card has its counterplay, and Cunning Advisor is no exception.

To outsmart this scheming scribe, it’s important to play around its hand disruption. Employ cards with graveyard retrieval capabilities to mitigate the impact of its discard mechanism. Alternatively, focus on instant-speed spells and abilities that can be activated in response to the Advisor’s trigger, ensuring you maintain a flush hand despite its attempts to pare it down. Running cards that restrict opponents’ draws or discard abilities can also neutralize the Advisor’s advantage. Lastly, prioritize board presence and develop a robust threat that demands an immediate answer, drawing attention away from hand manipulation and forcing your rival to deal with imminent dangers on the battlefield.

In the strategic dance of MTG, Cunning Advisor’s presence must be addressed with foresight and shrewd moves. Overcome its sly influence by bolstering your deck’s resilience against hand disruption and maintain pressure where it counts.

Cards like Cunning Advisor

Cunning Advisor shines in MTG as an intriguing choice among creatures that offer strategic advantages. Its closest kin in function include Dark Confidant, a card revered for its ability to draw an extra card each turn at the cost of life points equal to the card’s mana value. Cunning Advisor, in contrast, leans more toward a targeted disruption by forcing opponents to discard, thereby offering a different kind of resource manipulation.

Like Cunning Advisor, Sedraxis Specter also interacts with an opponent’s hand, but it accomplishes this through direct damage with its flying ability, triggering a discard upon inflicting combat damage. Though the specter is slightly more aggressive in nature, Cunning Advisor’s impact does not rely on combat, allowing for a more consistent discard effect. Then there’s Liliana’s Specter, which has a similar impact but requires a one-time entry to the battlefield to trigger an opponent’s discard. The repeatability of Cunning Advisor’s ability often makes it a more formidable choice in ongoing games.

Considering everything, Cunning Advisor presents itself as a valuable piece in MTG decks focusing on disrupting opponents. It finds its strength in persistent strategic advantage and the consistent pressure it can apply across the game.

Cards similar to Cunning Advisor by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cunning Advisor MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Cunning Advisor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cunning Advisor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-20	If a turn has multiple combat phases, the ability can only be activated before the beginning of the declare attackers step of the first combat phase in that turn.