Siphon Insight MTG Card


Gain card advantage by playing spells from your opponent’s deck, elevating your overall strategy. Offers resource acceleration and flexibility by allowing casting using any color mana. Instant speed playability ensures strategic depth and reactive capabilities during matches.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Flashback

Text of card

Look at the top two cards of target opponent's library. Exile one of them face down and put the other on the bottom of that library. You may look at and play the exiled card for as long as it remains exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell. Flashback


Cards like Siphon Insight

Exploring the depths of hand disruption and card advantage in Magic: The Gathering leads us to Siphon Insight. This intriguing spell allows players to look at the top two cards of an opponent’s library, cast one of those cards for as long as it remains exiled, and then put the other into their graveyard. Its unique approach emulates the strategy of cards like Thoughtseize, which is also known for hand disruption but targets cards in hand instead of the library and lacks the ability to cast the revealed card.

Comparable to Siphon Insight is Gonti, Lord of Luxury. Gonti also lets you peek at an opponent’s deck and exile one of their cards. However, Gonti’s effect is permanent, even if Gonti leaves the battlefield, whereas Siphon Insight’s castable window remains only as long as the exiled card exists. Moreover, Gonti requires a creature on the battlefield, while Siphon Insight can be cast as an instant, adding flexibility to your strategy.

Concluding this analysis, Siphon Insight finds its niche in a league of disruptive plays and provides both card advantage and strategic insight. It stands as a compelling option for those looking to weave an element of their opponent’s strategy into their own game plan.

Thoughtseize - MTG Card versions
Gonti, Lord of Luxury - MTG Card versions
Thoughtseize - MTG Card versions
Gonti, Lord of Luxury - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Siphon Insight by color, type and mana cost

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Fate Transfer - MTG Card versions
Agony Warp - MTG Card versions
Countersquall - MTG Card versions
Warped Physique - MTG Card versions
Tyrant's Scorn - MTG Card versions
Twisted Reflection - MTG Card versions
Drown in the Loch - MTG Card versions
Corpse Cobble - MTG Card versions
Tainted Indulgence - MTG Card versions
Bind to Secrecy - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Urborg - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Mist - MTG Card versions
Drag the Canal - MTG Card versions
Contaminated Drink - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Siphon Insight. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
RoguesRogues PioneerRoguesPioneer Challenge 32 2024-05-06
Esper ControlEsper Control StandardEsper ControlStandard Preliminary 2024-04-01
Dimir ControlDimir Control StandardDimir ControlStandard League 2024-03-26
UB CONTROLUB CONTROL StandardDimir ControlWPNQ STANDARD GOLDEN STORE TALENTI

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Siphon Insight provides the unique advantage of drawing cards from your opponent’s deck, potentially accessing powerful spells or creatures that can turn the tide in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Not only does this spell allow you to look at your opponent’s cards, but it also lets you cast one of those using mana from any color, which can potentially speed up your game plan by using their resources against them.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Siphon Insight at instant speed adds a layer of strategic depth, enabling you to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn while keeping your options open.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Siphon Insight requires ejecting cards from the hand to activate its flashback ability. This can be counterproductive when your hand size is already depleted, potentially setting you back in card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Siphon Insight carries a blue and black mana requirement, potentially making it a less flexible option in decks that do not run both colors. Players must navigate a more restricted mana base to cast it effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana and an additional three for its flashback, Siphon Insight might be less appealing compared to other low-cost card selection or card advantage spells available in the format, especially considering its one-shot effect and space it occupies in a deck.


Reasons to Include Siphon Insight in Your Collection

Versatility: The card Siphon Insight stands out for its flexibility. It offers the unique ability to play cards from your opponent’s library, allowing you to utilize their resources against them. This adaptability makes it a valuable addition across various deck types, particularly in control or theft-themed strategies.

Combo Potential: Siphon Insight doesn’t just disrupt your opponent’s plans but also can set the stage for powerful play sequences. With the right setup, you can exploit the cards you pull from your opponent to combo off, giving you an unexpected edge that can lead to game-winning turns.

Meta-Relevance: With its knack for information gathering and resource denial, Siphon Insight has a place in metas where countering the opponent’s strategy is crucial. It can provide an advantage by upsetting the balance of your adversary’s deck while bolstering your own strategic options, proving its worth in competitive play environments.


How to beat

Siphon Insight is a unique card in MTG that lets you play with your opponent’s spells, offering an intriguing peek into their strategy while potentially disrupting their plans. When you’re up against it, the key lies in maintaining a hand that’s resilient to its effects. A strong mix of instant-speed interaction can offset the advantage Siphon Insight provides, allowing you to respond effectively regardless of which cards are momentarily borrowed. If possible, try to have redundant pieces or alternative routes to your game plan, so that losing a spell or two won’t dismantle your entire strategy. If your deck has cards that benefit from graveyard synergy or flashback, the impact of Siphon Insight is naturally softened, as you can still find value from your spells even after they’ve been siphoned away. Finally, being aware of when your opponent has enough mana to cast Siphon Insight, and playing around it by holding back crucial cards or baiting it out with less important ones, can help mitigate its potential impact on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the MTG realm with the cunning tactics of Siphon Insight. This MTG card is a poignant tool for those looking to disrupt opponents and gain an upper hand using their own arsenal. Perfect for control decks, its ability to cast opposing spells means every match introduces a fresh dynamic. There’s always more strategy to unearth and more decks to disrupt. If you’re intrigued by the prospects of turning your enemy’s strength into your victory, Siphon Insight deserves a spot in your collection. Expand your gameplay horizons and outwit your opponents with every draw.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Siphon Insight MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, 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 Siphon Insight and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Siphon Insight Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 940662015NormalBlackLivia Prima
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 2412015NormalBlackLivia Prima
32021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 241p2015NormalBlackLivia Prima
42021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 241s2015NormalBlackLivia Prima
52021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3752015NormalBlackLivia Prima
62022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 2412015NormalBlackLivia Prima
72024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 2422015NormalBlackLivia Prima
82024-04-19Breaking NewsOTP 542015NormalBorderlessMichal Ivan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Siphon Insight has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-09-24 "Flashback
-ost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying
-ost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
2021-09-24 A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
2021-09-24 If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
2021-09-24 Only you get to look at the exiled card. Its owner doesn't get to know what it is while it is in exile unless you tell them.
2021-09-24 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2021-09-24 You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
2021-09-24 You don't have to disclose which card you exiled and which card you put on the bottom of the library. For example, if your opponent knows what the top card of their library is and you cast Siphon Insight, you don't have to tell them where you put that card.
2021-09-24 You may play the card even if it is a land.
2021-09-24 You must still follow all normal timing rules to play a card exiled with Siphon Insight.
2021-09-24 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.