Morphling, we had some good times together over the years but I guess this is the end. Sphinx of Jwar Isle is huge improvement over the superman all around and is in the same color to boot. Control creature of choice for years to come.
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(8 votes)
Hegemon And Steelwind Meet Your New Best Pal. Man This Guy Is Cool Hes Like Sky Swallower But With A Cool Mini Ability And Wicked Art Work.
evenblackerlotus
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(4 votes)
is it safe to assume its underwater?
Laguz
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
WOAH. This may be my favorite card from the set and I usually despise blue.
A 5/5 flyer for 6 isn't bad at all for blue, or any color really. Shroud makes it amazing. The ability combos with like 17000 incredibly useful cards and pushes this guy over the edge.
Throw in amazing artwork from one of my favorite artists and you've got a total package here. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.
GoGo26
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(7 votes)
This card is so blue, the artwork is blue, and his abilitys are really blueish!
Volcre
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(5 votes)
5/5 flying shroud? Not a lot can easily kill this... not a lot. It's awesome that they put this in a deck to stop its price becoming ridiculous.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
This card has some trippy reminder text. It seems like it should be worded differently.
Is it a static ability?
Knuckles29
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
The only thing Morphling had, was the stackable damage and the ability to untap itself.
THis costing 1 more isn't big to the ppl who will play it; I say he is a budget finisher.
In general, good upgrade to Mahamoti Djinn.. its best use would be in casual blue with Djinn of Wishes, IMO.
Owls_and_More_Owls
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Marvelous. There is nothing about this card that I don't like.
I think this card is better than baneslayer in alot of ways for control finisher in because of all the spot removal in standard right now you'd have to wait till turn seven to get your baneslayer out and have a negate in your hand. even then its not garrentued she'd survive.
SocialExperiment
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
One of the best cards in Zendikar, arguably, and a very "Blue" kind of card. His extra ability works perfectly with Djinn of Wishes (I suspect one of them was literally made for the other). Shroud is definitely nice too, since he would otherwise get Pathed or Doombladed or something as soon as he hit the table.
True_Smog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very solid and very hard to remove it from the game, what do you need else ?
JarathWulfenstein
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this guy is going in my U/W control deck. perfect addition considering the creatures I run will include him, Deft Duelist, Wall of Denial and Inkwell Leviathan...all with Shroud
iondragonx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't know why so many people complain about high casting costs in blue. The Sphinx of Jwar Isle and the Sphinx Ambassador can be cast on turn four if you cast Polymorph on your Sage Owl.
True_Mumin
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(11 votes)
Unbelievably good. I'm surprised Wizards actually printed a blue creature this powerful. 6 mana for a 5/5 flying body is already a good deal. The mini-Future Sight is a cute little boon and it feels really blue, letting you plan ahead to some extent. But it's the addition of one simple keyword - Shroud - that makes this guy so damn amazing. Your opponent's hand will get clogged with great removal spells he won't even be able to cast. Overall, I think he's the best blue creature available in Standard right now (although Sphinx of Lost Truths comes very close). If you're playing blue control, your deck should definitely pack a few copies of this monster. Thank you for this card, Wizards!
cynderblock404
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
My question is, is this card affected by Deathtouch?
U-caster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Man, I feel kinda stupid. I was gonna get the Kor deck, but procrastinated too long and this deck was the only deck left. Not only is this card great, but it pairs well with cards that use clash, or like previously said, the djinn of wishes, which is actually still my favorite. The deck was surprisingly well put together as well, and it made me feel kinda bad taking this card out of it.
Zarcron
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
cynderblock404, of course it's affected by deathtouch, which incidentally is one of the best ways to kill Empyrial Archangel, which also has shroud. It's rather clever as even if the angel doesn't block the deathtouch guy, the damage is still redirected to it and kills it.
To add to the list of possible ways to eliminate Sphinx of the Jwar Isle in T2 Defiler of Souls Sleep (doesn't destroy but helps out) Sphinx of the Jwar Isle Gomazoa (i like this one)
There is a long list of good stalling blockers and guys who trade, to mention a few Wall of Denial (magna cum laude) Winged Coatl (cum laude) Tidehollow Strix Vampire Nighthawk (already seeing play in constructed) Deadly Recluse Eldrazi Monument (Makes sphinx a non issue, until they into the roil it, also seeing constructed play)
AbyssalManZero
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This Sphinx and DJINN OF WISHES XD Exspensive, but cool combo!! :D
Donovan_Fabian
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I like that it's 5/5, and I like that it has shroud.. but with so many other cards that look at the top of the library, and really needing some other card to combo with that to make a difference, I'm not really seeing any powerhouse plays with it. It's powerful, if in powerful meaning it wont get easily removed and is still 5/5, but then there are a lot of 5 power creatures out there right now with pretty nasty abilities that can destroy an opponent when they hit play. At most it seems like the sphinx could meet them in battle and exchange 1 per 1, but otherwise it's not that great. All the spirit avatars are 5 mana instead of 6, and they all have crazy abilities (mostly) including deity of scars, and demigod of revenge. So, I like the shroud, I like the mana cost, I like the flying, and the 5/5, but the looking at top card of your deck I don't like even as a blue/green player. Now if it had the same power as magus of the future where it allowed you to play the card off the top of your deck, without your opponent knowing what it was, that would just be incredibly awesome.
Remember that shroud in no way means it can't be removed, it just means its more difficult, there is a long list of things that can take it out. There's also the issue of some other colors get bigger creatures for the same mana cost, putting you in the tough position of do you save your sphinx or sacrifice it to not take six or more damage on one turn from something like a rampaging baloth, especially with giant growths a flying.
CatsAreCthala
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Very nice card. I like the art and the third ability. It kind of does nothing but at least you know if you're screwed.
ShredwayToHeaven
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card dies to Thought Hemorrhage.
BelloAbril
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Good thing about him is that ardent plea is playable on cascading blue/white control, so you can even survive baneslayer angels.
It feels very blue, evassion, additional effects and a very elegant artwork makes this one of my faves.
TokenMaster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
A real powerhouse. Very few cards in standard can take care of it, and those few cards are easily stopped by countermagic, since the sphinx is also blue. Almost strictly better than Morphling.
kyleluther72
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm new to magic and i bought the started deck with this guy in it and he kicks ass. The day i bought that, i also bought 8 booster packs and got Djinn of Wishes :). Awesome combo, my buddy who plays plains still always whoops me though. He has a lot more cards than me, but still, he shouldn't win every time. I think plains is ridiculously overpowered.
Gaussgoat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great card, hard to argue with its art, effectiveness, or cool ability. Obviously makes an instant addition to any deck which likes cascade spells, and the shroud he is wearing should keep him safe while he beats the heck out of your opponent ;)
4.5/5
murder100
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card. I'm using one now. Shroud definately stops those red decks I always play. Great blue card. Drafted one in my first Zen draft.
ClowWizardEriol
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Arguably blue's best large creature at 6 mana without any drawbacks currently. While it would lose in combat against Mahamoti Djinn (5/6 flying), there are so many anti-creature targeted spells available now that shroud is a useful keyword. Devastating in limited formats.
MrPink343
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
If I had a nickel for every time my opponent said "play (insert any removal spell here) on sphinx...goddamit, he has shroud!", I could buy another copy of the deck he's in.
thezanet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great combo with the Djinn of Wishes. Shroud may be the coolest creature ability in standard, in my opinion. Cost efficient as well. Gotta love all of blue's flyers.
PaladinOfSunhome
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Great cost, great abilties great card overall. As well as getting to see what your gonna draw into next this card will be unable to be removed that easy.
4.0
Hey, he's not Baneslayer Angel (We'd have to remove 1 CMC *chuckles*), however what can you do? He's someone that forces you to change your deck for the metagame, and will make it that much harder to have an overpowered deck in tournaments.
ace117
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
one of my game winners, have 2 in my red/blue deck right now. this card packs a punch combined with polymorph, from a creature that costs 6 to cast to a 4 to cast creature, if your lucky when this card comes out. also a nice combo with the hellkite charger 1st turn 5 damgage then next turn instant 10 damage, and another 10 damage with hellkite chargers ablilty. this is really one of the best blue cards out there. if you're making any deck that has blue in it this card should be one of the first card to put in it.
this is by far my favorite card in the format right now.
cloneffect
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy is a freaking bomb. A 5/5 shrouded flyer for 6 mana, 4 colourless? It should take 30 seconds to see how good he is. If he gets out ok, he just sits there going "ok, you're dead in 4 turns and all your clever-dicky removal is completely worthless". He can be dealt with - universal removal, vampire nighthawk - but in an awful lot of spots he's lethal. The final ability is nice as well; knowing what's coming up at any time is great, particularly with Jace Beleren out there feeding me extra cards. The amount of times I've seen a doom blade/path to exile sitting uselessly in mind opponent's hand (thanks to telepathy)...LOL.
Powerful, decently mana-efficient (not Baneslayer-level, but much easier on the wallet), and most importantly, heavily resistant to removal. My current win condition in my U/W control deck, and I've been very satisfied anytime I've been able to bring one out. I really love this guy.
Air_Silverblade
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Sphinx of Jwar Isle > Morphling
Guest513736147
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
MasterOfEtherium Thinks This Card Is Cool Guys.
IshubarashI
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dangit, my friend has like 2 of these, and every time it comes out it causes me nothing but trouble. My blue control decks rarely have an answer ready for it. If I don't counter the minute he tries to cast it I'm essentially screwed. I can't bounce it, I can't keep it tapped down, I can't snakeform it, all I can do is try to chump block it with the few flying creatures I have and hope I draw one of my finishers before it kills me. I really need to get one or two for my blue decks lol
I love this guy so much. I really wish Baneslayer didn't get reprinted in M11 because maybe he'd actually see play.
Radagast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Surprised it wasn't Mythic - people can actually afford these!
Anyway, great card.
Calver
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What? No "Dies to Baneslayer" comments? But, hey, let's face it: This card is so blatantly good that there's really no real need to comment on it. Saying that this card is good is like saying is a good price for "Draw 3 cards."
iSlapTrees
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(13 votes)
During your opponent's turn:
"Oh I forgot what card is on top of my deck, let me check again" <- rinse and repeat :)
It's very good, no mistake. 5/5 flying with shroud will always be good, and the extra ability is just icing on the cake. But with the titans having come out, as well as Wurmcoil Engine, it won't ever see play as a 6 CMC finisher. Wurmcoil Engine is better than it and can go in any colored deck, and Frost Titan is certainly better than it and fits in blue.
It's a great card, and you could do worse than to put it in a deck, but you could still do better.
Nighthawk42
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Very solid card. Hard to compare it to Morphling though.
Even though this is 5/5 with full-time flying an a nice little ability built in vs 3/3 (slidable) for 1 more CMC, what makes Morphling so amazing is the flexiblity. Morphling's activated shroud requires a mana untapped and can be played around, but it also allows you to play spells like Hermetic Study on it.
desolation_masticore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Your opponent's hand might fill up with the targeted removal he isn't hitting this guy with but it won't be filling up with the more efficient creatures that every other color gets.
Resistant to removal, huge, evasive, blue, and with an ability that is definitely not something you see every day...
How can you not love him?
ThisisSakon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So I've got a question about the ability. Could you activate that ability, then while it is on the stack, activate it again; then repeat until you've looked through your entire library?
Or have I read that wrong?
Axelle
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Some people say that a precon rare is a synonym to a bad rare.
Jwar Jwar Sphinx laughs in their faces.
@ ThisisSakon: The ability never goes on the stack, as it is a static ability. Looking at the top card of your deck is just like looking at your hand.
Equinox523
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Don't Cry, Mahamoti Djinn. At least you can still kill him 1 on 1.
BlackAlbino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Well, they did it, it beats morphling Sure morphling CAN wall better, but it's very mana-intensive. Sure morphling costs less, but if you tap out for it it wont have shroud available. To attack like this does it takes 3 mana, and a 1-power creature could kill it. Additional one mana to keep it safe with shroud, and even more for damage safety. You can deny it all you want, when playing blue control you want to leave mana open. Sphinx is better.
THIS should have been a white angel instead of that stupid Baneslayer Angel. The latter could have been a green card with trample instead of flying. Would have give green the sort of attacking power it deserves.
JFM2796
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I use him and his friend Conundrum Sphinx as finishers for my mono blue control. I love attacking with he little sphinx and then checking my top card, reveal and just drop it in my hand. My brother will name "Plains" and reveal Elspeth. Good stuff. The shroud puts him over the edge. He will try to Swords to Plowshares it but then I got to remind him.
So...apparently my friends have this card ALWAYS present on the battlefield at ALL times cuz they do this, and they aren't even aware of this card's existence.
Hey look it's Sphinx of Uthuun's shipwrecked cousin. Hooray.
igniteice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Interestingly, on Magic Online, this works like any other card that has Play with the top card of your library revealed, in that your card is always revealed (but only to you). This makes it so that you can't repeatedly put this on the stack just to check the top card of your library (like you can with Sensei's Divining Top, mana restrictions applying of course). I suppose the You may do this at any time clause is still present though, because you can always minimize the revealed card window.
Is it useful? It's a 5/5 with flying and shroud for only 6 mana, so it's pretty useful. Granted there are a lot of other creatures out there that are 6 mana and walk circles around this guy, but this is just a cool card, and I love playing it.
good.beats.for.all
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He was a big pain in the but to every jund player
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I am looking at the top card of my library right now. Note that it says any time - so when someone casts a spell in one of my EDH games, I look at the top card of my library. They all say "does it resolve?" and I say "I'M STILL LOOKING" And I stare at it for another few minutes.
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
"Some people say that a precon rare is a synonym to a bad rare.
Jwar Jwar Sphinx laughs in their faces."
@Axelle: I think it's really mean from the Sphinx to laugh at their faces. You don't laugh at disfigured people. (They got their faces mutilated by Umezawa's Jitte a long time ago.)
preferably keep several scepters near and draw up to 9 cards per turn
iUseBreakOpen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I use this guy in my sphinx tribal EDH deck and he fits there perfectly. Unfortunately, he doesn't quite cut it for modern or legacy. He is in that awkward middle position where he's too expensive to hard cast and not powerful enough to justify cheating him into play. But definitely a winner in EDH and casual.
Syrtees
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I want to run this in my casual EDH deck, but I'm a pretty bad cheater who looks at his cards regularly. So I don't see how this could be useful to me.
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wait, you mean I shouldn't have been looking at the top of my library before?
... Well I knew THAT! Heh, who do you think I am, a cheat?
Pongdok
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My favourite straight-up blue creature. I'm a timmy at heart, so I like seeing a beater with evasion and shroud. The peeking will usually be pretty irrelevant, unless you build around it, but I would like to use it as a psychological weapon. If you feel like being a dick, tell your opponent to hold on a second while you check your top card again. 5/5
Comments (84)
A 5/5 flyer for 6 isn't bad at all for blue, or any color really. Shroud makes it amazing. The ability combos with like 17000 incredibly useful cards and pushes this guy over the edge.
Throw in amazing artwork from one of my favorite artists and you've got a total package here. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.
Is it a static ability?
THis costing 1 more isn't big to the ppl who will play it; I say he is a budget finisher.
In general, good upgrade to Mahamoti Djinn.. its best use would be in casual blue with Djinn of Wishes, IMO.
Day of Judgment
Windstorm
Lavalanch
Rockcaster Platoon
...And that's all. Gatekeepers of Malakir, Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Prized Unicorn, Infest, Volcanic Fallout, Pyroclasm, Jund Charm, Caldera Hellion, Lavaball Trap, or Magma Pheonix could all do the job, but you'd need multiple of them or some other helping cards. Long story short: It's not going to happen. It's Wrath or nothing.
6 mana for a 5/5 flying body is already a good deal. The mini-Future Sight is a cute little boon and it feels really blue, letting you plan ahead to some extent.
But it's the addition of one simple keyword - Shroud - that makes this guy so damn amazing. Your opponent's hand will get clogged with great removal spells he won't even be able to cast. Overall, I think he's the best blue creature available in Standard right now (although Sphinx of Lost Truths comes very close). If you're playing blue control, your deck should definitely pack a few copies of this monster.
Thank you for this card, Wizards!
Other ways to kill the sphinx: Fleshbag Marauder, Cruel Ultimatum
Defiler of Souls
Sleep (doesn't destroy but helps out)
Sphinx of the Jwar Isle
Gomazoa (i like this one)
There is a long list of good stalling blockers and guys who trade, to mention a few
Wall of Denial (magna cum laude)
Winged Coatl (cum laude)
Tidehollow Strix
Vampire Nighthawk (already seeing play in constructed)
Deadly Recluse
Eldrazi Monument (Makes sphinx a non issue, until they into the roil it, also seeing constructed play)
Remember that shroud in no way means it can't be removed, it just means its more difficult, there is a long list of things that can take it out. There's also the issue of some other colors get bigger creatures for the same mana cost, putting you in the tough position of do you save your sphinx or sacrifice it to not take six or more damage on one turn from something like a rampaging baloth, especially with giant growths a flying.
It feels very blue, evassion, additional effects and a very elegant artwork makes this one of my faves.
4.5/5
4.0
Anyway, great card.
But, hey, let's face it: This card is so blatantly good that there's really no real need to comment on it. Saying that this card is good is like saying
"Oh I forgot what card is on top of my deck, let me check again" <- rinse and repeat :)
It's a great card, and you could do worse than to put it in a deck, but you could still do better.
Even though this is 5/5 with full-time flying an a nice little ability built in vs 3/3 (slidable) for 1 more CMC, what makes Morphling so amazing is the flexiblity. Morphling's activated shroud requires a mana untapped and can be played around, but it also allows you to play spells like Hermetic Study on it.
Terra Stomper and Baneslayer Angel disagree.
This card is great. It's also a bit overhyped.
How can you not love him?
Or have I read that wrong?
Jwar Jwar Sphinx laughs in their faces.
@ ThisisSakon: The ability never goes on the stack, as it is a static ability. Looking at the top card of your deck is just like looking at your hand.
Sure morphling CAN wall better, but it's very mana-intensive.
Sure morphling costs less, but if you tap out for it it wont have shroud available.
To attack like this does it takes 3 mana, and a 1-power creature could kill it. Additional one mana to keep it safe with shroud, and even more for damage safety.
You can deny it all you want, when playing blue control you want to leave mana open. Sphinx is better.
This guy with Magus of the future
trololol
Is it useful? It's a 5/5 with flying and shroud for only 6 mana, so it's pretty useful. Granted there are a lot of other creatures out there that are 6 mana and walk circles around this guy, but this is just a cool card, and I love playing it.
Note that it says any time - so when someone casts a spell in one of my EDH games, I look at the top card of my library. They all say "does it resolve?" and I say "I'M STILL LOOKING" And I stare at it for another few minutes.
Jwar Jwar Sphinx laughs in their faces."
@Axelle: I think it's really mean from the Sphinx to laugh at their faces. You don't laugh at disfigured people.
(They got their faces mutilated by Umezawa's Jitte a long time ago.)
Aside from Djinn of Wishes, there are quite a couple of cards that can turn her ability from a little strategic advantage to a meaningful assurance for other cards:
-Polymorph, Proteus Staff, Shape Anew or Reweave for powerful transformations.
-Sindbad (even more card-drawing two-drops in green, see below)
When playing green:
-Fa'adiyah Seer, Coiling Oracle, Bloodline Shaman and Wood Sage
-Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
-Honorable mentions: Neurok Familiar, Erratic Mutation, Mitotic Manipulation. Lammastide Weave, Gamekeeper
And finally if you also dare to splash red, consider Intet, the Dreamer.
(You probably won't want to play too many of these cards while just relying on the Sphinx, though. At least not without playing other cards that reveal and/or control the top card like Mirri's Guile, Lantern of Insight, Mishra's Bauble, Sensei's Divining Top, Mul Daya Channelers or Oracle of Mul Daya.)
I like to pair mine up with Conundrum Sphinxes and gain super-steady card advantage.
(they have no synergy.)
Mise
Isochron Scepter
this
preferably keep several scepters near and draw up to 9 cards per turn
... Well I knew THAT! Heh, who do you think I am, a cheat?