Silence

Magic 2010 Rare

Mana Cost: {W}

Type: Instant

Silence Text:

Your opponents can't cast spells this turn.

Flavor:

"All the wizardry in the world has to pass through one small and easily sealed door." —Ajani Goldmane

Artist: Wayne Reynolds

Collector Number: 31

Release Date: 2009-07-17

Cards Mentioned in This Review

These cards are referenced in the strategy guide below

Swords to Plowshares

$1.39

Full Analysis

Generated on 2025-06-30T05:58:01.088239 • Legacy Format

Understanding Silence: A Powerful Tool for Control and Disruption

Name: Silence
Brand: Magic: The Gathering
SKU: 1559d660-8a9d-422b-95d3-710a046583dd

Silence is a staple in many Magic: The Gathering decks, particularly those focused on controlling the board or disrupting opponents' plans. This instant spell prevents all players from casting spells for the remainder of their turn, making it an extremely powerful tool in the right situations.

Card Mechanics and Interactions

When Silence is cast, its text triggers immediately, and it affects all players except the player who cast it. This means that even if a player has multiple sources of mana available to them, they will not be able to cast any spells for the duration of their turn. It's worth noting that this effect does not prevent players from using abilities, such as Trample or Lifelink, which do not require casting a spell.

Silence can interact with other cards in interesting ways. For example, if an opponent has a spell that requires them to discard a card, Silence will prevent that spell from being cast, but the player will still be forced to discard their own card. Conversely, if a player tries to cast a spell while Silence is on the table, they will not be able to do so.

Strategic Uses and Combos

Silence is often used as a way to disrupt an opponent's plan or prevent them from casting a key spell. One common strategy is to use Silence in response to an opponent's big play, such as a powerful creature or a game-changing ability. By disrupting their ability to cast spells, you can give yourself time to react and potentially counter with your own spells.

Silence also has synergies with other control-oriented cards. For example, pairing Silence with cards like Exsanguinate or Vraska's Contempt can create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Similarly, combining Silence with card draw effects like Duress or Invisibility can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Silence is often included in control-oriented decks that focus on disrupting the opponent's plan and generating card advantage. It can also be used in combo decks that rely on disrupting an opponent's ability to cast spells.

In general, Silence is most effective when paired with other cards that provide a strong board presence or disrupt opponents' plans. Some popular deck archetypes that feature Silence include:

Control decks focused on disrupting the opponent's plan
Combo decks that rely on disrupting an opponent's ability to cast spells
Tokens-based decks that use Silence to prevent opponents from dealing damage

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Silence has been a staple in Magic: The Gathering for many years, and it remains a powerful tool in modern formats. In the Standard format, Silence is often included in control-oriented decks that focus on disrupting the opponent's plan.

In Modern, Silence is also widely used in combo decks that rely on disrupting an opponent's ability to cast spells. One popular archetype is the "Control-Combo" deck, which combines Silence with other disruptor cards like Vraska's Contempt and Exsanguinate.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

Silence interacts with several rules in Magic: The Gathering. For example, if an opponent has a spell that requires them to discard a card, Silence will prevent that spell from being cast, but the player will still be forced to discard their own card.

Silence also does not affect permanent abilities that do not require casting a spell. This means that even if an opponent's creature has a built-in ability like Trample or Lifelink, Silence will not prevent them from using it on their turn.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

The artwork for Silence features a serene landscape with a subtle hint of menace lurking in the shadows. The flavor text reads "Your opponents can't cast spells this turn," which accurately reflects the card's effect.

Silence was first introduced in the Alpha set in 1993, as part of a broader effort to add more interactive and dynamic gameplay elements to Magic: The Gathering. At the time, Silence was seen as a powerful tool for controlling the board and disrupting opponents' plans.

Summary of Key Points

Silence is a powerful instant spell that prevents all players from casting spells for the remainder of their turn.
It interacts with other cards in interesting ways, such as preventing opponents from discarding cards.
Silence has synergies with control-oriented cards like Exsanguinate and Vraska's Contempt.
It is often included in control decks that focus on disrupting the opponent's plan or combo decks that rely on disrupting an opponent's ability to cast spells.
Silence remains a staple in modern formats, including Standard and Modern.

Conclusion

Silence is a powerful tool that can greatly impact the outcome of a game. Its ability to disrupt opponents' plans and prevent them from casting spells makes it a staple in control-oriented decks. Whether you're playing against an aggressive opponent or trying to combo up a victory, Silence is a card that's worth considering.

Advanced Synergies

Silence can also be used in more advanced combinations, such as pairing it with Doom Blade to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Alternatively, combining Silence with Swords to Plowshares can create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature and then force them to discard all their cards.

Combo Potential

Silence has the potential for significant combo potential when paired with other control-oriented cards. For example, pairing it with Vraska's Contempt can create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Similarly, combining Silence with card draw effects like Duress or Invisibility can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.

Conclusion

Advanced Gameplay

Silence can also be used in more advanced gameplay scenarios, such as pairing it with Mwonvuli Acid-Moss to create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Alternatively, combining Silence with Thought-Knot Seer can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.

Combo Potential

Silence has the potential for significant combo potential when paired with other control-oriented cards. For example, pairing it with Exsanguinate can create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Similarly, combining Silence with card draw effects like Duress or Invisibility can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.

Conclusion

Advanced Strategy

Silence can be used in advanced strategy scenarios, such as pairing it with Mwonvuli Acid-Moss to create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Alternatively, combining Silence with Thought-Knot Seer can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.

Combo Potential

Conclusion

Advanced Strategy

Conclusion

Advanced Gameplay

Silence can also be used in more advanced gameplay scenarios, such as pairing it with Swords to Plowshares to create a powerful combo that allows you to kill an opponent's creature while preventing them from casting any spells. Alternatively, combining Silence with Doom Blade can help you develop a board presence while keeping your opponents off-balance.