Sleight of Mind

Sticker Mechanic Patience

For the record, I think I’m on your side when it comes to stickers. Nobody has played with them yet, so this might be a lot of air about nothing…. But the idea that stickers are too wacky…. I don’t see them doing much beyond what has already been done in magic. Magical Hack/Sleight of Mind effects are pretty similar and lacked a sticker reminder. “Hacking” names is interesting and maybe a bit weird, but I think we should wait and see.

Waiting to actually see a mechanic in its entirety before judging it? <sigh> That would be nice.

Magical Hack Mechanics Sleight of Mind Stickers

Inconsistency in Change of Rules

"Just as Sleight of Mind can’t turn a Black Knight into a Blue Knight, More or Less can’t turn Wrenn and Seven into Wrenn and Six. It only affects rules text." More or Less doesn't say "change the text" though, and this directly disagrees with one of the rulings which states "You can change power or toughness. If you change a toughness of 1 to 0, the creature will probably die." despite P/T not being part of a cards rules text.

One of my guidelines of being the Un-Rules Manager is I try very hard not to contradict black border rules when things line up. I want as much consistency between the Un and non-Un rules as possible. Sleight of Mind and Magical Hack clearly established that they can only affect rules text and not names (why you can’t Sleight a Black Knight into a Blue Knight). When changing power/toughness came up, it didn’t have a straight parallel, so I allowed it as it had a big rules application.

Black Black Border Black Knight Blue Creatures Knight Magical Hack Rules Sleight of Mind Un-sets Wrenn and Seven Wrenn and Six

Use of More or Less Card

Un-rules question: Can I use More or Less on Wrenn and Six/seven to change that number? And if so, can I use it against an opponent with both wrenns out to make them sacrifice one due to the legend rule?

Just as Sleight of Mind can’t turn a Black Knight into a Blue Knight, More or Less can’t turn Wrenn and Seven into Wrenn and Six. It only affects rules text.

Black Black Knight Blue Knight Rules Sacrifice Sleight of Mind Un-sets Wrenn and Seven Wrenn and Six

Silver-Border Cards' Text Redaction

Theoretically, could a Silver-Border card ask you to redact the text of your own cards to change what they do *permanently*?

Black border cards can do that, rules wise. See Sleight of Mind or Magical Hack from Alpha. We do less if it nowadays for memory reasons.

Black Border Magical Hack Rules Sleight of Mind Un-sets

Future of Hack Cards

Can we get a new hack card that changes one permanent type with another or are hack cards out of the picture in general?

It’s not something we do much of these days.“Hack” cards is referring to cards like Magical Hack or Sleight of Mind that permanently alter a trait.

Magical Hack Sleight of Mind

Card Text Manipulation

Would you ever consider making an un- card that can manipulate the specific words of cards (within the boundaries of ‘this can’t break the game’)

Black border has Sleight of Mind and Magical Hack. It’s tricky to make rules that let you mess with words if it’s not a direct substitution of a similar word. Silver bordered has tried, but cards just become indecipherable.

Black Black Border Magical Hack Rules Sleight of Mind Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn

Permanent Text Alteration Cards

Magical Hack has been around since Alpha, while Sleight of Mind saw the light of day in Ice Age. Over the years more of these 'alteration' cards have been printed, yet they are all Instants or Sorceries (not counting Balduvian Shaman). Will we ever see an actual (Legendary?) wizard creature with those abilities?

We don’t do a lot of permanent text changing these days.

Alpha Balduvian Shaman Card Printing Creatures Ice Age Instants Light of Day Magical Hack Shaman Sleight of Mind Sorceries

Blue Word Changing

Hi Mark! I was looking at your Mechanical Color Pie 2017 article and noticed that blue gets "word changing"...but being a relatively new player, I don't know any cards off the top of my head that I've seen with that, and I'm not sure how to search that mechanic in gatherer. Could you give an example, please?

Check out Sleight of Mind or Magical Hack.

Beginners Blue Color Pie Colors Magical Hack Mechanics Search Sleight of Mind

First Rare Card Story

I first encountered Magic in a game review in Dragon Magazine just around the time that Revised came out, and shortly thereafter some other kids on the Debate team were playing on the bus (I remember a Pearled Unicorn). Do be careful when playing outside: my very first Rare (Sleight of Mind) blew a way in a park. Thankfully when I wrote to WotC Customer Service about it, they sent me another one! I still have the letter they sent back.

: )

Dragon Pearled Unicorn Rares Sleight of Mind Unicorn Wizards of the Coast

Jacques le Vert Trivia

hey Mark, it's my birthday and I'm hoping you'll favor me with some trivia on Jacques le Vert?

There was a point in time where you could change his name with Sleight of Mind because Vert is French for Green. Then we changed the rules about being able to change names.Happy Birthday!

Birthday France Green Jacques le Vert Rules Sleight of Mind

Un-Card Limits

Un-rules question: could Sleight of Mind make Ass Whuppin' target black-bordered cards instead?

Nope. There’s a meta-rule that Un-cards can’t affect nonsilver-border games.

Ass Whuppin' Black Rules Sleight of Mind Un-sets

Magical Hacker Query

Does magical hacker effect wither? (does it count reminder text?) urgent! Thanks buddy!

No, Magical Hacker (as well as Magical Hack and Sleight of Mind) can only change rules text.

Magical Hacker Rules Sleight of Mind Wither

Silver-Bordered Game Rules

so, I cast Ass Whuppin, Twin the card, and use Sleight of Mind to change "Silver" to "Black", then Redirect the copy over to an FNM match... what happens?

There is a meta rule that says silver-bordered games cannot affect games without silver-bordered cards.

Black Cast Rules Sleight of Mind