Sphinx MTG Card

Journey into Nyx (JOU)
2014-05-02 - Number 1

Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
2019-01-25 - Number 9

Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
2024-01-12 - Number 17

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Type	Token Creature — Sphinx
Abilities	Flying
Power	4
Toughness	4

Key Takeaways

Sphinxes provide card advantage, key in dictating game flow and hand volume.
They offer resource acceleration and instant speed gameplay, enhancing tactical depth.
Despite their strengths, some require discards and have demanding mana costs.

Text of card

Flying

Card Pros

Card Advantage: A Sphinx MTG card typically offers significant card advantage by enabling you to scry and draw additional cards. This feature is paramount in keeping your hand replenished and controlling the flow of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Many Sphinx cards come with abilities that accelerate your mana resources. Whether it’s through untapping lands or artifact synergies, these creatures often help in casting high-cost spells earlier than your opponent expects.

Instant Speed: Certain Sphinx cards have flash, allowing you to deploy them at instant speed. This tactical advantage lets you surprise opponents during their turn, disrupting their strategies while upgrading your board state without skipping a beat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sphinx cards often demand a discard from hand, creating a potential setback if your hand is already depleted or if valuable cards are forced to be tossed away.

Specific Mana Cost: Many Sphinx cards come with a demanding color-specific mana requirement, usually involving both blue and other colors, which might not meld smoothly with all deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: These creatures typically come with a high mana value due to their powerful effects and stats, which can slow down your early game or leave you vulnerable as you set up for their deployment.

Reasons to Include Sphinx Cards in Your Collection

Versatility: Sphinx cards in MTG are typically blue, known for their flexibility in gameplay. They slot into various decks, providing strategic advantage through card draw, flying abilities, and even acting as finishers in control decks.

Combo Potential: Several Sphinxes have unique abilities that synergize with artifacts or instant and sorcery spells, enriching combo decks and enabling powerful interactions that can swing the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In current metagames that often value card advantage and strong evasive creatures, Sphinx cards can play a pivotal role. Their presence on the board can significantly impact your matches, making them a competitive choice for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve.

How to beat

Sphinx cards in the realm of MTG represent a unique challenge with their often high-powered flying abilities and game-altering effects. Usually, confronting a Sphinx on the board requires strategic planning. For instance, one effective tactic to overcome a Sphinx is to utilize efficient removal spells that can bypass its potentially hefty casting cost and evasive abilities. Cards like Murder or Path to Exile, which can target creatures regardless of their power level or abilities, provide a clean and direct answer to these imposing creatures.

Another approach is to limit the Sphinx’s impact through hand disruption or counterspells, preventing your opponent from casting these powerful creatures in the first place. Duress or Thoughtseize can help you take preemptive action, while counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak ensure that a Sphinx never gets to make its presence felt on the battlefield. It’s also worth considering board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation, which can sweep away all creatures, Sphinx included, thus resetting the state of play.

Overall, while Sphinx cards can be formidable, they are not invincible. A well-timed removal, counter spell, or board wipe can effectively neutralize the threat, allowing players to maintain control over the game.

Cards like Sphinx

The Sphinx archetype in MTG presents a roster of formidable fliers often coupled with game-shaping abilities. Notably, Consecrated Sphinx stands as a pillar amongst Sphinxes, offering a powerful card draw engine that triggers off any opponent’s draw. This ability can set it apart from other Sphinxes and provides an edge particularly in multiplayer formats where card advantage can become exponential.

Comparatively, consider the iconic Sharuum the Hegemon, a Sphinx that combines resilience in the air with a potent artifact recursion ability. Although it does not draw cards inherently, it offers strategic depth and potential for combo plays in artifact-centric decks. Then there’s the majestic Sphinx of Uthuun offering a ‘Fact or Fiction’ effect upon entering the battlefield, giving players a choice-driven card advantage while presenting a significant aerial threat.

While each Sphinx has its unique role within MTG’s expansive universe, they all share traits such as high impact abilities and a presence on the board that commands attention. In this category of cards, the Sphinx MTG card that prioritizes card draw stands out, particularly for decks where drawing is paramount. Whether it’s for raw power or intricate utility, each Sphinx serves a strategic position in a deck’s arsenal.

Where to buy

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

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Printings

The Sphinx Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-05-02 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2014-05-02	Journey into Nyx	JOU	1	2003	Token	Black	Jesper Ejsing
2	2019-01-25	Ravnica Allegiance	RNA	9	2015	Token	Black	Scott Murphy
3	2024-01-12	Ravnica Remastered	RVR	17	2015	Token	Black	Scott Murphy