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Pithing Needle

{1}

Artifact

As this artifact enters, choose a card name. Activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can't be activated unless they're mana abilities.
CommanderLegalModernLegalStandardNot legal
Format legality

Constructed

StandardNot legal
PioneerLegal
ModernLegal
LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
PauperNot legal

Commander

CommanderLegal
Pauper CommanderNot legal
Duel CommanderLegal
PreDHLegal
OathbreakerLegal
Tiny LeadersLegal

Arena

AlchemyNot legal
HistoricLegal
TimelessLegal
BrawlBanned
Standard BrawlNot legal
Competitive BrawlLegal
GladiatorLegal

Other

PremodernNot legal
Old SchoolNot legal
Penny DreadfulLegal
Future StandardNot legal

Used in 2 known combosEDHREC #6,540Played in 1% of all cEDH decks

Printings
15
Price range
$0.43to$86.46

Versions

Rulings

5 · latest Oct 1, 2012
  • WotCOct 1, 2012

    Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form "[cost]: [effect]." Triggered abilities and static abilities of the named card work normally.

  • WotCOct 1, 2009

    Once Pithing Needle has left the battlefield, activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can be activated again.

  • WotCJun 1, 2005

    If you name a card that has both a mana ability and another activated ability, the mana ability can be activated but the other ability can't be activated.

  • WotCJun 1, 2005

    Pithing Needle affects cards regardless of what zone they're in. This includes cards in hand, cards in the graveyard, and exiled cards. For example, a player can't cycle Eternal Dragon or return an Eternal Dragon from their graveyard to hand if Pithing Needle naming Eternal Dragon is on the battlefield.

  • WotCJun 1, 2005

    You can name any card, even if that card doesn't normally have an activated ability. You can't name a token unless that token has the same name as a card.