Tibalt's Trickery MTG Card


Capitalize on instant speed for surprise plays and disrupt your opponent’s strategy with Tibalt’s Trickery. Combo Tibalt’s Trickery with low-cost spells to cheat out high-cost, game-altering cards early. Despite risks, its potential for high-reward plays makes Tibalt’s Trickery a collection-worthy card.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Mill

Text of card

Counter target spell. Choose 1, 2, or 3 at random. Its controller mills that many cards, then exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile a nonland card with a different name than that spell. They may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then they put the exiled cards on the bottom of their library in a random order.


Cards like Tibalt's Trickery

Tibalt’s Trickery has made ripples in the Magic: The Gathering red color pie for its unique take on countering spells. In the realm of counterspells, it engages an atypical mechanic of not just countering but cascading into another spell. This sets it apart from traditional blue counters like Counterspell that offers a straightforward spell denial without further effects.

Chaos Warp is a card that some might draw parallels with due to its unexpected nature of dealing with threats. It forces a shuffle and potential flip of fate from the deck itself, much like Tibalt’s Trickery’s wild unpredictability. Yet, it’s critical to observe that Chaos Warp is guaranteed to replace the permanent it deals with, whereas Tibalt’s Trickery can sometimes fizzle, leading to no replacement spell at all.

Assessing cards akin to Tibalt’s Trickery reveals just how distinct it is in MTG’s wide array of spells. Its ability to disrupt while potentially causing an unanticipated benefit for the caster or the opponent adds a layer of chance that’s both thrilling and daunting for players navigating the strategic landscapes of Magic: The Gathering.

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tibalt's Trickery by color, type and mana cost

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Shatter - MTG Card versions
Word of Blasting - MTG Card versions
Incinerate - MTG Card versions
Guerrilla Tactics - MTG Card versions
Aleatory - MTG Card versions
Orcish Catapult - MTG Card versions
Blood Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Falter - MTG Card versions
Shattering Pulse - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Strike - MTG Card versions
Starstorm - MTG Card versions
First Volley - MTG Card versions
Surging Flame - MTG Card versions
Psychotic Fury - MTG Card versions
Sudden Shock - MTG Card versions
Fists of the Anvil - MTG Card versions
Release the Ants - MTG Card versions
Magma Jet - MTG Card versions
Seismic Shudder - MTG Card versions
Fling - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Tibalt's Trickery. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Creative TechniqueCreative Technique LegacyCreative TechniqueLegacy Showcase Qualifier 2024-03-31
WURWUR PioneerPioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-05-12
Temur CascadeTemur Cascade LegacyCreative Technique*HALF PRICE FRIDAY* $1K - Legacy - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 1:30 pm

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tibalt’s Trickery doesn’t traditionally net you extra cards in hand, but it can dramatically alter the battlefield in your favor. By countering your own low-cost spell, you potentially drop a high-cost game-changer onto the board much earlier than expected, giving you a significant advantage over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Tibalt’s Trickery can effectively bypass mana costs. This could result in summoning powerful creatures or casting impactful spells much earlier, which technically accelerates your effective resource usage by avoiding the need for a traditional mana curve.

Instant Speed: The power of Tibalt’s Trickery is enhanced by its instant speed, allowing for unexpected plays during your opponent’s turn. You could disrupt key spells they cast, potentially turning the tide of the game, and because it’s at instant speed, it keeps your opponents guessing and forces them to play around the threat of this card.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tibalt’s Trickery doesn’t exactly have a discard requirement, casting it involves countering your own spell, which is akin to discarding. This mechanism necessitates careful play, as it can lead to a strategic setback if not timed perfectly or if the random card revealed is not beneficial.

Specific Mana Cost: Tibalt’s Trickery has a strict casting cost that requires both colorless and red mana. This specificity means that players running multicolor decks may find it challenging to meet the mana requirement at the crucial moment, potentially limiting the card’s effectiveness in diverse deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana, one of which must be red, this card sits at a peculiar spot. Although it can disrupt opponent’s strategies when used effectively, there are other cards in the MTG universe that offer more reliable control or counterspelling options at a similar or lower mana cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tibalt’s Trickery offers a unique defense mechanism, as it can counter unwanted spells while potentially putting a more powerful card onto the battlefield from your deck. This flexibility makes it a multipurpose tool in red decks that typically lack counterplay options.

Combo Potential: With its ability to mill cards and then cast a spell for free, Tibalt’s Trickery opens the door to numerous combo possibilities. Players can set up their decks to benefit from the cards it mills, or to take advantage of the spells cast off its triggered effect, thus enabling explosive turns.

Meta-Relevance: Especially in metas where noncreature spells dominate the playing field, Tibalt’s Trickery can be a game changer. It disrupts opponent strategies while potentially turning the tables in your favor in a single move, making it a timely inclusion for players looking to counter popular decks.


How to Beat Tibalt’s Trickery

Overcoming Tibalt’s Trickery, a red instant from Magic: The Gathering, hinges on anticipating and mitigating its effect. Key to this strategy is understanding that Tibalt’s Trickery aims to disrupt your spells, countering them and potentially leading to a more powerful spell cast from the top of your opponent’s library. One approach to beating this card involves holding back on casting your most critical spells until you’re confident the coast is clear, or you possess a means to protect them.

That said, creature-based strategies can be particularly effective. Since Tibalt’s Trickery targets only spells, it remains ineffective against creatures already on the battlefield. Moreover, employing spells with multiple instances, such as modal spells or Adventure cards, can outpace and deplete the Trickery’s defensive capacity, paving the way for your more significant spells to land successfully.

An additional tactic involves using cards that restrict your opponent’s magic. Tools like Pithing Needle, which can be named Tibalt’s Trickery upon entry, prevent the activated abilities of named cards from being used. By layering these strategies, the risk posed by Tibalt’s Trickery diminishes, allowing you to maintain the flow of your game plan while neutralizing this tricky instant.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves not only understanding individual cards like Tibalt’s Trickery but also how they sync with your overarching strategy. Whether you’re disrupting opponents with its chaos-inducing counter or forging new combo avenues, this card can pivot the tide of a match. Still, it’s crucial to weigh its unique strengths against its equally unique vulnerabilities. If you’re intrigued by the potential of Tiballt’s Trickery in your deck or eager to learn counter-tactics to this wildcard, join the BurnMana community. Dive into a deeper analysis, sharpen your deck-building skills, and outmaneuver your opponents with insider insights. Visit us now to embrace the full spectrum of your MTG prowess.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tibalt's Trickery MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kaldheim Art Series, 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 Tibalt's Trickery and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tibalt's Trickery Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-06. Illustrated by Anna Podedworna.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 883162015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna
22021-02-05Kaldheim Art SeriesAKHM 382015Art seriesBorderlessAnna Podedworna
32021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3602015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna
42021-02-05KaldheimKHM 1532015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna
52021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 153s2015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna
62021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 153p2015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tibalt's Trickery has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricBanned
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernBanned
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerBanned
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessRestricted