Silent Observer MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 86
2019-11-07 - Number 489
2020-09-26 - Number SOI-86
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card draw, mana acceleration, and instant speed interaction, critical for maintaining game momentum.
- Requires careful hand management and color commitment, which might restrict deckbuilding options.
- Despite high mana costs, it excels in versatility, combo potential, and meta-relevance, solidifying defenses.
Text of card
Flying
It's not just a feeling—you *are* being watched.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Silent Observer provides a consistent edge in the game by offering reliable card draw abilities. This is crucial when it comes to staying ahead in card economy and maintaining pressure on your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: With the ability to untap your lands or other mana resources, Silent Observer can significantly boost your mana efficiency. This acceleration is essential for casting more spells or activating abilities that can turn the tide of the match.
Instant Speed: The power of reacting at instant speed cannot be underestimated in MTG. Silent Observer can alter the board’s state when least expected, catching opponents off guard and disrupting their strategies during their turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Silent Observer requires players to discard a card if they wish to use its flash ability, making it less appealing when hand size is crucial to maintain a strategic advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost includes blue mana, which necessitates a commitment to that color within a player’s deck architecture, potentially limiting its inclusion exclusively to blue or blue-centric decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost which is on the higher side for its creature category, Silent Observer may not always be the most efficient play, especially when other creatures with similar or better stats and abilities might be available for a lesser mana investment.
Reasons to Include Silent Observer in Your Collection
Versatility: Silent Observer can be a solid addition to decks that require a reliable defender. Its flying ability makes it an excellent blocker for various creatures in the game, providing strategic defense regardless of the deck it’s in.
Combo Potential: In strategies focused on tapping and untapping creatures, Silent Observer can be pivotal. It fits well with cards that capitalize on defenders or those that gain benefits each time a creature with flying is tapped.
Meta-Relevance: Given that flying creatures are consistently relevant in various MTG formats, having Silent Observer in your collection means you’re prepared to handle multiple threats. It can be particularly useful in a metagame dense with aggressive ground-based creatures.
How to Beat Silent Observer
Understanding the mechanics behind Silent Observer can be the key to overcoming its steadfast defensive capabilities. This card establishes itself as a reliable defender with flying, acting as an aerial blockade against creatures that would otherwise threaten your life total. The hallmark of Silent Observer is not just in its ability to block well, but to endure multiple encounters due to its 4 toughness. This makes it a formidable obstacle for players relying on small or medium-sized flyers to press their advantage.
To effectively counter this vigilant guardian, you may want to consider removal spells that can bypass its decent toughness. Spells that can exile creatures or reduce their toughness to zero are ideal. Traditional removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile are excellent means to directly remove Silent Observer from the battlefield without engaging in combat. Alternatively, you might opt for a strategy that doesn’t entail combat. Employing non-creature win conditions or strategies to bypass Silent Observer, such as direct damage spells or leveraging powerful card combos, can circumvent the need to deal with the card in a combat scenario.
In essence, crafting your deck with a mix of potent removal and versatile strategies can help ensure that Silent Observer doesn’t hamper your path to victory. Whether you’re dealing with it head-on or simply sidestepping its defense, you can maintain control over the game’s flow and emerge victorious.
Cards like Silent Observer
The Silent Observer provides a unique demeanor to creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. While it presents itself as a reliable flying defender, one may draw parallels with cards such as Wall of Air. Like Silent Observer, Wall of Air is an excellent defensive flyer, but the Observer’s slightly higher toughness gives it a modest edge in withstanding damage from commonly played creatures.
Moreover, examining Azure Drake reveals another card with flying capabilities, but the Drake is tailored more towards offense rather than defense, lacking the observer’s steadfast defensive posture. Meanwhile, Guardian of the Guildpact offers a different type of protection with damage immunity from monocolored creatures, though it doesn’t fly, which can be seen as a trade-off when strategizing your defense.
Conclusively, Silent Observer carves out a niche as a stalwart aerial shield in a player’s arsenal, offering more in terms of durability compared to similar cards. Its dependable presence on the board makes it a worthy consideration for those seeking to fortify their lines against aerial threats.
Cards similar to Silent Observer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Silent Observer MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Mystery Booster, 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 Silent Observer 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Silent Observer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Lake Hurwitz.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 86 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lake Hurwitz | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 489 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lake Hurwitz | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | SOI-86 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lake Hurwitz |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Silent Observer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
