Sleight of Hand MTG Card


Improves card quality by selectively drawing, tailoring hands to the game’s demands, and enhancing strategy. Constrained use due to color specificity and discard effect, limiting its application in diversified decks. Essential for combos and adaptability, Sleight of Hand is a staple for fine-tuning decks across various formats.
Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library.


Cards like Sleight of Hand

Sleight of Hand plays a pivotal role in the league of mana-efficient card selection spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares its basic functionality with cards like Serum Visions, which lets players draw a card followed by a scry action. However, Sleight of Hand allows a more immediate choice between the two top cards, offering instant decision-making that Serum Visions delays until after the draw.

Comparatively, Ponder is another close match, offering a look at the top three cards and then drawing a card, with the option to shuffle before drawing. Ponder’s versatility in its shuffle mechanic provides a slightly different approach to deck manipulation. Sleight of Hand, while more straightforward, ensures that the chosen card impacts the game faster by putting it directly into hand.

When evaluating these cards side by side, Sleight of Hand is lauded for its singular ability to offer control over the immediate future at an affordable cost. Though it lacks the depth of manipulation that other spells provide, its efficiency and speed make it a formidable tool for players seeking a swift and direct method to improve their hand.

Serum Visions - MTG Card versions
Ponder - MTG Card versions
Serum Visions - MTG Card versions
Ponder - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sleight of Hand allows you to look at the top two cards of your deck, ensuring you get the best card for your current situation and subtly boosting your card quality without losing card quantity.

Resource Acceleration: Although Sleight of Hand does not directly produce mana or tokens, it effectively accelerates your resources by helping you find the necessary lands or spells to progress your game faster.

Instant Speed: While Sleight of Hand is a sorcery, its low mana cost means it can seamlessly weave into your turn without hindering the ability to play other spells, maintaining a pace that keeps you ahead in resource management.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Sleight of Hand allows you to choose one of the top two cards of your library and put that card into your hand, discarding the other can potentially rid you of a valuable asset in some strategic scenarios.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a single blue mana, making it exclusive to blue decks or those that can accommodate blue mana-producing lands and resources, which could restrict its versatility across varied archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being just a one blue mana investment, in a game where efficiency reigns, there are other low-cost options that may net you more immediate advantage or provide a higher impact on the game’s state.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sleight of Hand offers streamlined deck manipulation, allowing players to quickly sift through cards to find the perfect answer or combo piece, making it adaptable to a wide array of strategies.

Combo Potential: This spell’s ability to dig deeper into your library enhances the chances of assembling combo pieces earlier in the game, serving as a springboard for powerful plays that could lead to a swift victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that often centers on tight resource management and efficient play, Sleight of Hand remains perpetually relevant by ensuring consistency and keeping your game plan on track in the face of varied meta-challenges.


How to beat

Sleight of Hand is a pivotal card within the cosmos of fast-paced Magic: The Gathering decks, offering players a quick peek at the top two cards of their library, then plucking one to add to their hand. Its immediate card selection advantage at a minimal cost makes it a strategy accelerator for combo or control decks aiming to sculpt their perfect hand.

Countering Sleight of Hand effectively requires an understanding of your opponent’s goals and the disruption of their game plan. Deploying hand-attack spells like Thoughtseize early can strip this card or key combo pieces from their grip before they can use them. Alternatively, employing counterspells on crucial spells that your opponent searches for with Sleight of Hand can nullify their carefully curated hand. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is also an adept choice, increasing the cost of noncreature spells and hindering Sleight of Hand’s low-cost advantage.

Lastly, don’t undervalue the power of board pressure. A robust offense forces opponents to alter their strategy, dealing with the threats on the table instead of smoothly executing their planned sequence. By strategically applying these tactics, players can dampen the impact of Sleight of Hand, sticking a wrench in the gears of an opponent’s meticulously arranged game plan.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricate dance of MTG can unlock an array of strategic options. Sleight of Hand remains a classic select-and-sculpt tool for honing your deck’s performance. With the ability to sift through the top two cards of your deck, you gain direct influence over your next tactical moves. It’s perfect for those who appreciate a deft touch in maintaining card flow and seeking the right card at the right moment. If your strategy leans towards quick execution and precision, then delving deeper into strategies that enhance Sleight of Hand’s strengths might be your next big move. We invite you to continue your exploration of MTG with us, uncovering the subtle art of card selection, and learning more about attaining a Sleight of Hand-like efficiency in every match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sleight of Hand MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Starter 1999, 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 Sleight of Hand and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sleight of Hand Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 461997NormalBlackPhil Foglio
21999-07-01Starter 1999S99 511997NormalWhitePhil Foglio
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 98★1997NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 981997NormalWhiteChristopher Moeller
52005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 99★2003NormalBlackJim Murray
62005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 992003NormalWhiteJim Murray
72011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 621997NormalBlackPhil Foglio
82018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 702015NormalBlackJim Murray
92023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 3762015NormalBlackScott Murphy
102023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 672015NormalBlackScott Murphy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sleight of Hand has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
StandardbrawlLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-12-07 If there is only one card in your library, you put it into your hand.