Cloak of Confusion MTG Card
1995-06-03 - Number 117
1997-03-24 - Number 151
2008-09-22 - Number 82
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Key Takeaways
- Card Advantage: Cloak of Confusion turns opponent’s plays in your favor while you build strategic leverage.
- Mana Flexibility: Works as a late-game mana sink, freeing up resources for other critical moves in MTG.
- Surprise Instant Action: Activate at instant speed, offering the element of surprise for navigating complex MTG scenarios.
Text of card
If target creature you control attacks and is not blocked, you may choose to have it deal no damage to defending player this turn. If you do so, that player discards a card at random from his or her hand. Ignore this ability if that player has no cards in hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Engaging with the Cloak of Confusion can nudge you ahead by disrupting an opponent’s hand while you might draw into more strategic plays, subtly building your in-game leverage.
Resource Acceleration: This artifact not only meddles with the rhythm of your adversary’s game plan but can also act as a mana sink in the late game, potentially freeing up resources for other pivotal moves.
Instant Speed: The versatility of activating Cloak of Confusion at the speed of an instant sharpens its potential, allowing savvy players to navigate through complex board states and spring surprises on their opponents when least expected.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the setbacks of Cloak of Confusion is its discard mechanic, which can deplete your hand quickly if not managed carefully. This effect can sometimes work against your game plan, especially when you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise mana combination to cast, Cloak of Confusion’s mana cost can be restrictive, fitting primarily into decks that can generate both blue and black mana consistently. This requirement may exclude the card from more color-flexible or single-color decks, limiting its overall versatility in a player’s arsenal.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Cloak of Confusion offers a notable strategy to disrupt your opponent, its mana cost is notably steep when considering other options. Alternative cards may provide similar or even stronger effects at a lower cost, allowing players to remain agile and resourceful during gameplay. The mana investment must be weighed against its potential impact on the game.
Reasons to Include Cloak of Confusion in Your Collection
Versatility: Cloak of Confusion offers flexibility in disrupting your opponent’s play. This enchantment can be fitted into decks that aim to confuse and control the flow of the opponent’s strategy, making it a sound choice for various playstyles.
Combo Potential: This card works well in combinations that capitalize on opponent’s discarded cards, enhancing strategies around reanimation or graveyard manipulation.
Meta-Relevance: In a game climate heavily reliant on hand advantage, Cloak of Confusion proves to be a potent tool. It disrupts key plays and forces opponents to make difficult decisions, potentially giving you the upper hand in a tight match-up.
How to beat
Cloak of Confusion is a challenging card to contend with in MTG due to its ability to disrupt an opponent’s strategy. This artifact can turn the tide of a game by causing the opponent to discard cards at random, which can be detrimental to their game plan. When facing this card, the key is to mitigate its effects or adapt your strategy to minimize the impact of random discards.
One tactic is to utilize spells or effects that allow you to draw additional cards, which can help you recover lost resources. Cards like Brainstorm or Harmonize are examples that can replenish your hand. Alternatively, implementing cards with graveyard retrieval capabilities, such as Eternal Witness or Regrowth, can be crucial for salvaging important cards that have been discarded.
Lastly, incorporating cards that either neutralize or remove artifacts, like Naturalize or Disenchant, gives you the ability to directly target and deal with Cloak of Confusion. This proactive approach can help maintain control over the game and prevent your opponent from gaining the upper hand with their disruptive plays.
Cards like Cloak of Confusion
Within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Cloak of Confusion adds an intriguing layer to creatures’ capabilities. This enchantment mirrors the likes of cards such as Tricks of the Trade, which grants a creature unblockable status. However, Cloak of Confusion steps beyond simply making a creature harder to block by introducing an additional cost for the opponent during combat. Opponents must discard a card, a feature not found in Tricks of the Trade, creating a subtle but significant layer of strategy.
Moreover, comparing Cloak of Confusion to a card like Sleeper’s Robe reveals shared mechanics. Sleeper’s Robe also enables a creature to be unblockable and forces a card discard when the creature deals combat damage, yet it offers a different twist. Sleeper’s Robe grants the bonus of instant card draw, adding immediate value to your hand upon hitting the opponent. Although Cloak of Confusion lacks this card advantage, it stays in play affecting multiple opponents’ hands over time.
To sum up, Cloak of Confusion holds its ground amongst similar enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. It uniquely combines combat deterrence with a consistent resource denial strategy, potentially disrupting opponents’ plans one card at a time.
Cards similar to Cloak of Confusion by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cloak of Confusion MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Cloak of Confusion and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Cloak of Confusion Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Margaret Organ-Kean.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 117 | 1993 | normal | black | Margaret Organ-Kean | |
| 2 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 151 | 1997 | normal | white | Margaret Organ-Kean | |
| 3 | 2008-09-22 | Masters Edition II | ME2 | 82 | 1997 | normal | black | Margaret Organ-Kean |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cloak of Confusion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cloak of Confusion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step. |
