Stymied Hopes MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Scry
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Number	64
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Peter Mohrbacher

Key Takeaways

Stymied Hopes offers card advantage and strategic disruption with its scry and countering capabilities.
The card’s instant speed grants tactical flexibility, yet demands careful management of resources.
Versatile and meta-relevant, Stymied Hopes can integrate well into control-oriented blue decks.

Text of card

Counter target spell unless its controller pays . Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

When a god's will is against you, the day never ends well.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stymied Hopes is a strategic play that can disrupt your opponent’s early game by countering their spell while also providing card advantage through its scry ability, setting up your next draw.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly accelerate resources, efficiently using mana to counter a crucial play can indirectly accelerate your board position, keeping you ahead in the race.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed nature implies you have the flexibility to decide the best moment to act, keeping your opponent guessing and potentially forcing them to commit more resources prematurely.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Demands the discard of a card to fully utilize, risking precious hand assets, especially when other counters are available that don’t require such a sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Stymied Hopes’ mana cost includes both blue and generic mana, potentially limiting its integration solely within decks that can handle such requirements with ease.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Charging two mana might seem economical, but in a fast-paced game, other counter spells provide similar or even better effects for less, making Stymied Hopes a less tempting option for decks focusing on efficiency.

Reasons to Include Stymied Hopes in Your Collection

Versatility: Stymied Hopes offers the flexibility needed in any blue-based deck seeking control elements. Its ability to force an opponent to pay more for their spell or risk having it countered, combined with providing card scrying, makes it valuable in various situations.

Combo Potential: This instant can synergize with a deck’s strategy that primes for spell-countering, taking advantage of the scry ability to ensure smoother draws or set up for game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where the early game is critical, Stymied Hopes can be essential. It disrupts opponent’s plays and helps tailor your subsequent draws to react to the developing board state, giving it relevance in current competitive play.

How to beat

Stymied Hopes brings an element of control to the gameplay in Magic: The Gathering. It’s a counterspell that not only denies an opponent’s play but also forces a dilemma upon them with its scry mechanic. The beauty of this card lies in its ability to disrupt your opponent’s strategy and gain information about their future moves.

Overcoming Stymied Hopes requires strategic hand management and timing. Using low-cost spells as bait can exhaust your opponent’s resources, making way for your more valuable spells to hit the field unopposed. It’s also beneficial to wait for a window when the opponent has tapped out, minimizing the risk of your spell being countered. Another effective approach is to employ spells that can’t be countered or to use abilities that are not spells at all, sidestepping the countering ability of Stymied Hopes completely.

Careful planning and anticipating your opponent’s moves are key. By forcing them to use their mana inefficiently, you can take advantage of their momentary weakness and secure the upper hand. In essence, while Stymied Hopes can be a thorn in your side, a thoughtful strategy can render it manageable.

Cards like Stymied Hopes

Stymied Hopes brings a distinct strategy to the table in the world of countermagic within Magic: The Gathering. This card bears similarities to other counter spells such as Mana Leak, which also offers the chance to negate a spell unless its caster pays additional mana. While Mana Leak asks for three mana to keep the spell alive, Stymied Hopes sets its requirement based on the casting spell’s mana value, adding a layer of scalability.

Closely related is Spell Pierce, yet another card that operates on the principle of taxing the opponent’s resources to ensure their spells resolve. Although Spell Pierce costs only one mana, it limits its reach to noncreature spells, whereas Stymied Hopes gives you the broader scope to target any spell at a potentially higher cost to the opponent. Then there’s Dissolve, sharpening the edge of counters with its unconditional nature and scrying ability, albeit at a steeper three mana price point.

Considering the tactical breadth, Stymied Hopes provides players with a versatile tool for controlling the game’s flow, yet it competes in a space with potent alternatives that offer various cost-to-benefit balances.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stymied Hopes MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Stymied Hopes and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stymied Hopes 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 Stymied Hopes 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	If Stymied Hopes resolves, you'll scry whether the controller of the target spell pays or not.
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.