Daring Thief MTG Card


Daring Thief - Journey into Nyx
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Abilities Inspired
Released2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameJourney into Nyx
Set codeJOU
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number36
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJohann Bodin

Key Takeaways

  1. It excels at generating card advantage by stealing critical opponent’s permanents, reshaping the board state.
  2. The card’s need for other permanents to swap can sometimes deplete your on-board assets, a noteworthy risk.
  3. Among similar MTG cards, Daring Thief’s recurrent exchange ability sets it apart as a continuous threat.

Text of card

Inspired — Whenever Daring Thief becomes untapped, you may exchange control of target nonland permanent you control and target permanent an opponent controls that shares a card type with it.

Honesty is the first casualty of war.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Daring Thief shines when it comes to exchanging control of nonland permanents with opponents. This effect, when used wisely, can turn the tide by stealing valuable assets from your adversary, granting you access to tools that can shift the dynamic of play in your favor. This unique form of card advantage can disrupt your opponent’s strategy while enhancing your own board state.

Resource Acceleration: By cleverly trading less valuable permanents for more impactful ones, you effectively accelerate your access to stronger resources without having to cast them. This trade-off can be likened to a form of indirect acceleration, maximizing the potential of your cards in play.

Instant Speed: Although Daring Thief doesn’t operate at instant speed, its Inspired ability triggers during your untap step, keeping your mana open to respond with other spells during your turn. The strategic planning and surprise factor inherent in activating Daring Thief’s ability can catch opponents off-guard, simulating the advantages instant speed interactions provide in the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To capitalize on Daring Thief’s potent ability, you must have another permanent to exchange, potentially depleting your on-board assets, creating a situation where the trade-off might not always be in your favor, especially if lacking presence on the field.

Specific Mana Cost: Daring Thief necessitates a precise mana alignment consisting of two blue and one colorless, which can be a hurdle in multi-colored decks where mana flexibility is key, particularly during the early stages of the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana and a summoning sickness to wait out before its ability can be utilized, Daring Thief may seem steep compared to other cards in the three-mana slot that have an immediate impact on the game state. This cost requires strategic planning around your plays to ensure you’re not falling behind your opponent tempo-wise.


Reasons to Include Daring Thief in Your Collection

Versatility: Daring Thief’s ability to exchange permanents with your opponent gives it an edge in a variety of MTG deck builds. Its unique swapping mechanism allows you to upgrade your board state while potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in environments where you can manipulate the number of inspired triggers or permanents you control – think of exploiting enters-the-battlefield effects or shuffling away enchantments that are beneficial for only a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where players often rely on high-value permanents, Daring Thief becomes a tool to even the odds or turn the tide by exchanging your less valuable pieces for their key components, thus shaping the battlefield in your favor.


How to beat

Daring Thief is a unique creature from Magic the Gathering that stands out for its Inspired mechanic, which has the potential to exchange control of permanents when untapped. The key to beating Daring Thief lies in preventing it from untapping or making the exchange unprofitable. Control decks with counterspells and removal are good strategies, as they can keep the thief from hitting the board in the first place. Tactics such as tapping the creature without granting it the opportunity to untap, or rendering exchanges disadvantageous by only offering low-value permanents, can also be effective.

Aggressive strategies that apply pressure and reduce the time Daring Thief has to impact the game are also viable. Fast-paced decks can outrace the setup that Daring Thief requires, making it less of a threat. Additionally, cards that limit the actions during the untap step can nullify the thief’s ability. By understanding the intricacies of Daring Thief’s mechanics and adapting your strategy accordingly, you can mitigate its influence and maintain the upper hand.

Remembering that a well-timed removal or an adjusted board state can neutralize the threat, keeping Daring Thief manageable. It’s all about anticipation and reaction, ensuring the Inspired exchanges work in your favor or don’t occur at all.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the ins and outs of Daring Thief can be a thrilling challenge for any MTG enthusiast. With its ability to trade-up resources and disrupt opponent strategies, Daring Thief could become an ace up your sleeve in the right deck. But harnessing its power is only part of a broader journey through the MTG multiverse. For those seeking to deepen their strategic gameplay, refine deck-building skills, and perhaps even outmaneuver their rivals with Daring Thief’s unique swapping mechanics, there’s a wealth of knowledge waiting for you. We invite you to continue this journey with us, as we reveal insights that go beyond the basics, ensuring each game you play resonates with the wisdom of a seasoned pro. Dive deeper into the world of MTG and uncover the full potential of cards like Daring Thief in your collection.


Cards like Daring Thief

The Daring Thief from Magic: The Gathering presents players with a unique swapping mechanism that fundamentally alters board dynamics. In the realm of exchange effects, Daring Thief aligns with cards like Perplexing Chimera, which also involves a trade, but does so by giving players control over spells. Daring Thief, differing in approach, focuses on permanents already on the battlefield, allowing for strategic asset reallocation during the untap phase.

Switcheroo is yet another card allowing the exchange of creatures between players. While Daring Thief requires tapping as part of its Inspired mechanic, Switcheroo offers a one-time, immediate exchange without the recurability that Daring Thief provides. Moreover, Daring Thief demands clever play with untapping techniques to repeatedly leverage its ability. Cultural Exchange offers a broader scope of change, permitting the switch of multiple creatures at once, unlike the one-for-one trade of Daring Thief, but lacks the repeatability that makes Daring Thief an ongoing threat.

Assessing Daring Thief within its category of control-altering MTG cards, its distinct advantage is in its recurring nature, demanding opponents to constantly be wary of the board state lest they lose their valuable assets turn after turn.

Perplexing Chimera - MTG Card versions
Switcheroo - MTG Card versions
Cultural Exchange - MTG Card versions
Perplexing Chimera - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Switcheroo - Magic 2013 (M13)
Cultural Exchange - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Daring Thief by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Mistform Warchief - MTG Card versions
Blind Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Academy Researchers - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mistform Warchief - Scourge (SCG)
Blind Phantasm - Future Sight (FUT)
Academy Researchers - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Daring Thief MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Daring Thief and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Daring Thief has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-04-26 Although the permanent you control can't be a land, the other target can, provided it shares a card type with the first target. For example, you could target an artifact you control and an artifact land controlled by an opponent.
2014-04-26 Gaining control of an Aura or Equipment doesn't cause it to move, though gaining control of an Equipment will allow you to activate its equip ability to attach it to a creature you control later.
2014-04-26 If an inspired ability triggers during your untap step, the ability will be put on the stack at the beginning of your upkeep. If the ability creates one or more token creatures, those creatures won't be able to attack that turn (unless they gain haste).
2014-04-26 If another spell or ability allows you to change the targets of the ability (or perhaps copy it and choose new targets for the copy), you can change the targets only such that the final set of targets is still legal. For example, if the ability targets a creature you control and a creature an opponent controls, you couldn't change just the second target to a noncreature permanent controlled by that player. You could, however, change just the second target to a creature controlled by a different opponent. The two new targets can share a different card type than the two original targets did.
2014-04-26 If the full exchange can't happen, perhaps because one of the targets is illegal as the inspired ability tries to resolve, then nothing happens. No permanents change controllers.
2014-04-26 If the inspired ability includes an optional cost, you decide whether to pay that cost as the ability resolves. You can do this even if the creature leaves the battlefield in response to the ability.
2014-04-26 Inspired abilities don't trigger when the creature enters the battlefield.
2014-04-26 Inspired abilities trigger no matter how the creature becomes untapped: by the turn-based action at the beginning of the untap step or by a spell or ability.
2014-04-26 The exchange of control lasts indefinitely. It doesn't expire when Daring Thief leaves the battlefield.
2014-04-26 The relevant card types (that is, the ones a permanent can have) are artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and tribal.

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