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Pithing Needle

First printed in Saviors of Kamigawa (2005)

All 17 prints

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  • Ravnica Remastered (RVR) #463, 2024
  • Magic Online Promos (PRM) #102335, 2022 (digital)
  • Double Masters 2022 (2X2) #312, 2022
  • Double Masters 2022 (2X2) #397, 2022
  • Double Masters 2022 (2X2) #564, 2022
  • Magic Online Promos (PRM) #94084, 2022 (digital)
  • Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL) #257, 2022
  • Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID) #257, 2021
  • Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID) #378, 2021
  • Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Promos (PMID) #257p, 2021
  • Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Promos (PMID) #257s, 2021
  • Secret Lair Drop (SLD) #44, 2020
  • Kaladesh Inventions (MPS) #44, 2016
  • Return to Ravnica (RTR) #231, 2012
  • Magic 2010 (M10) #217, 2009
  • Tenth Edition (10E) #338, 2007
  • Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK) #158, 2005

Pithing Needle

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.

Illustrated by
Pete Venters

Legality

Legal in
Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Historic, Timeless, Penny Dreadful, Gladiator, Commander, Duel Commander, PreDH, Tiny Leaders, Oathbreaker, Competitive Brawl
Banned in
Brawl
Not legal in
Standard, Pauper, Future Standard, Alchemy, Premodern, Old School 93/94, Pauper Commander, Standard Brawl

Rulings (5)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Once Pithing Needle has left the battlefield, activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can be activated again.
  • Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form "[cost]: [effect]." Triggered abilities and static abilities of the named card work normally.

Prices

MTGO price: 0.006 TIX, the cheapest non-foil print (average sell price on GoatBots, 1 Nov 2026).

Combos

2 combos, the most popular first:

Vintage In 28 of 68 decks (41.2%), most in Psychic Frog

Staple: main deck, 15% of decks (#60); sideboard, 37% of decks (#3) (last 120 days)

Share of decks
41.3%
▼ 11.8 vs previous 7 days
10 Aug: 56.2% 17 Aug: 49.5% 24 Aug: 40.9% 31 Aug: 46.6% 7 Sep: 48.5% 14 Sep: 45.2% 21 Sep: 50.3% 28 Sep: 45.4% 5 Oct: 47.7% 12 Oct: 47.5% 19 Oct: 53.1% 26 Oct: 41.3%
Weekly, last 90 days
Decks
31
14 main, 19 sideboard
Avg. copies
1.0
in the main deck
Win rate
59%
11 top 8, leagues excluded
Weekly data
Week fromShare of decks
10 Aug56.2%
17 Aug49.5%
24 Aug40.9%
31 Aug46.6%
7 Sep48.5%
14 Sep45.2%
21 Sep50.3%
28 Sep45.4%
5 Oct47.7%
12 Oct47.5%
19 Oct53.1%
26 Oct41.3%

Archetypes by metagame share

Archetype Meta Play it
Psychic Frog 16.2% 18%
Tinker Vault 16.2% 64%
White Initiative 13.2% 11%
Colorless (unclassified) 7.4% 100%
UB (unclassified) 7.4% 60%
Forth Eorlingas 5.9% 75%
Breach Storm 4.4% 100%
Shops 4.4% 100%

Played together with

Card Together Lift
Tolarian Academy100%1.9
Sol Ring100%1.9
Mana Crypt100%1.6
Urza's Saga100%1.5
Mox Ruby100%1.5
Mox Emerald100%1.4
Mox Pearl100%1.2
Mox Jet100%1.2
Mox Sapphire100%1.2
Black Lotus100%1.1
Together
decks with this card that also play the other one (main deck)
Lift
how much more often than chance: 1 = unrelated, above 1 = played together on purpose

Best win rate

DeckRecord
White Initiative
DominiqueTutor in Vintage Challenge 32		 9-0
100%
Psychic Frog
2345678 in Vintage Challenge 32		 7-2
78%
Shops
_Shikamaru_ in Vintage Challenge 32		 6-2
75%
Colorless
Martinho1111 in Vintage Challenge 32		 5-2
71%
Tinker Vault
_Dionysos_ in Vintage Challenge 16		 5-2
71%
Colorless
Carlone90 in Vintage Challenge 16		 5-2
71%
Colorless
duke12 in Vintage Challenge 32		 4-2
67%
Tinker Vault
Xwhale in Vintage Challenge 32		 4-2
67%

Leagues excluded: MTGO publishes only the 5-0 decks.

Latest decks

DeckCopiesFinish
White Initiative
DominiqueTutor, 		1 side #1
of 46
9-0
Psychic Frog
2345678, 		1 side #2
of 46
7-2
Shops
_Shikamaru_, 		1 main
1 side		 #3
of 46
6-2
Colorless
Martinho1111, 		1 side #5
of 46
5-2
Breach Storm
Sommertroll, 		1 side #6
of 46
4-3
UB
etoustar, 		1 main #8
of 46
4-3
Breach Storm
thedeck84, 		1 side #10
of 46
4-2
Colorless
duke12, 		1 main #11
of 46
4-2

Modern In 56 of 319 decks (17.6%), most in Golgari Broodscale

Staple: main deck, 8% of decks (#84); sideboard, 10% of decks (#20) (last 120 days)

Share of decks
17.0%
▲ 0.1 vs previous 7 days
10 Aug: 14.5% 17 Aug: 16.6% 24 Aug: 17.7% 31 Aug: 21.2% 7 Sep: 18.7% 14 Sep: 21.2% 21 Sep: 23.5% 28 Sep: 17.5% 5 Oct: 16.0% 12 Oct: 14.3% 19 Oct: 16.9% 26 Oct: 17.0%
Weekly, last 90 days
Decks
66
33 main, 36 sideboard
Avg. copies
1.0
in the main deck
Win rate
58%
20 top 8, leagues excluded
Weekly data
Week fromShare of decks
10 Aug14.5%
17 Aug16.6%
24 Aug17.7%
31 Aug21.2%
7 Sep18.7%
14 Sep21.2%
21 Sep23.5%
28 Sep17.5%
5 Oct16.0%
12 Oct14.3%
19 Oct16.9%
26 Oct17.0%

Archetypes by metagame share

Archetype Meta Play it
Golgari Broodscale 11.6% 59%
Affinity 7.5% 100%
Mono-Green (unclassified) 2.2% 43%
UB (unclassified) 2.2% 57%
WR (unclassified) 1.9% 17%
Mono-Black (unclassified) 0.9% 33%
UG (unclassified) 0.3% 100%

Played together with

Card Together Lift
Urza's Saga100%3.6
Mishra's Bauble82%3.1
Welding Jar79%11.3
Skateboard79%9.9
Mox Opal79%9.3
Tormod's Crypt79%8.7
Kappa Cannoneer76%10.9
Pinnacle Emissary76%10.9
Engineered Explosives76%10.9
Steam Vents76%3.5
Together
decks with this card that also play the other one (main deck)
Lift
how much more often than chance: 1 = unrelated, above 1 = played together on purpose

Best win rate

DeckRecord
Golgari Broodscale
ChewDawg in Modern Challenge 32		 8-1
89%
Mono-Green
kePs in Modern Challenge 32		 6-2
75%
Golgari Broodscale
Fransadness in Modern Challenge 32		 6-2
75%
Affinity
sioutis_kk in Modern Challenge 32		 6-2
75%
UB
MAFS in Modern Challenge 32		 5-2
71%
Affinity
Azzay0 in Modern Challenge 32		 5-2
71%
Affinity
Azzay0 in Modern Challenge 32		 5-2
71%
Golgari Broodscale
Attomium in Modern Challenge 32		 6-3
67%

Leagues excluded: MTGO publishes only the 5-0 decks.

Latest decks

DeckCopiesFinish
Affinity
Tree42o, 		1 main #20
of 66
4-3
Golgari Broodscale
Fransadness, 		1 side #21
of 66
4-3
Affinity
sioutis_kk, 		1 main #2
of 28
5-3
Affinity
musasabi, 		1 main #4
of 28
4-3
Golgari Broodscale
SpecterTurtle, 		1 side #8
of 28
3-3
Affinity
JV_7777, 		1 side #12
of 28
2-2
Affinity
Azzay0, 		1 main #13
of 28
3-2
Affinity
wild88plk, 		1 main #14
of 28
3-2

Legacy In 21 of 150 decks (14.0%), most in Lands

Staple: main deck, 8% of decks (#61); sideboard, 7% of decks (#36) (last 120 days)

Share of decks
13.9%
▲ 1.5 vs previous 7 days
10 Aug: 14.2% 17 Aug: 14.0% 24 Aug: 12.5% 31 Aug: 13.1% 7 Sep: 14.3% 14 Sep: 13.4% 21 Sep: 16.4% 28 Sep: 17.2% 5 Oct: 11.7% 12 Oct: 16.0% 19 Oct: 12.4% 26 Oct: 13.9%
Weekly, last 90 days
Decks
25
18 main, 7 sideboard
Avg. copies
1.0
in the main deck
Win rate
52%
4 top 8, leagues excluded
Weekly data
Week fromShare of decks
10 Aug14.2%
17 Aug14.0%
24 Aug12.5%
31 Aug13.1%
7 Sep14.3%
14 Sep13.4%
21 Sep16.4%
28 Sep17.2%
5 Oct11.7%
12 Oct16.0%
19 Oct12.4%
26 Oct13.9%

Archetypes by metagame share

Archetype Meta Play it
Lands 6.7% 90%
Izzet Cutter 4.0% 17%
Mystic Forge 3.3% 100%
UR (unclassified) 1.3% 50%
URG (unclassified) 1.3% 50%
Welder Combo 1.3% 100%
Cephalid Breakfast 0.7% 100%
Painter 0.7% 100%

Played together with

Card Together Lift
Urza's Saga100%5.5
Ancient Tomb100%3.2
Exploration61%9.2
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale61%9.2
Malevolent Rumble61%9.2
Maze of Ith61%9.2
Blast Zone61%9.2
Thespian's Stage61%8.5
Dark Depths61%8.5
Mox Diamond61%7.9
Together
decks with this card that also play the other one (main deck)
Lift
how much more often than chance: 1 = unrelated, above 1 = played together on purpose

Best win rate

DeckRecord
Lands
FrankHolmquist in Legacy Challenge 32		 6-1
86%
Lands
Minivan_of_Jeskai in Legacy Challenge 32		 6-2
75%
Mystic Forge
musasabi in Legacy Challenge 32		 4-2
67%
UR
DNSolver in Legacy Challenge 32		 5-3
63%
Painter
XanaZero in Legacy Challenge 32		 4-3
57%
Izzet Cutter
RyanWu in Legacy Challenge 32		 3-3
50%
Lands
Seebsling in Legacy Challenge 32		 3-3
50%
Mystic Forge
musasabi in Legacy Challenge 32		 3-3
50%

Leagues excluded: MTGO publishes only the 5-0 decks.

Latest decks

DeckCopiesFinish
Lands
Granham, 		1 main 5-0
Lands
Seebsling, 		1 main #16
of 44
3-3
Mystic Forge
musasabi, 		1 main #20
of 44
3-3
Izzet Cutter
RyanWu, 		1 side #22
of 44
3-3
Lands
Phellipe, 		1 main #24
of 44
2-3
Lands
HoldTheElle, 		1 main #25
of 44
2-4
URG
DominiqueTutor, 		1 side #26
of 44
2-4
Lands
JohnGranvik, 		1 main 5-0

Commander In 10 of 719 decks (1.4%), most in Dack Fayden, Helping Hand
Share of decks
1.4%
▲ 0.4 vs previous 7 days
17 Aug: 0.4% 24 Aug: 1.0% 31 Aug: 1.0% 7 Sep: 1.1% 14 Sep: 1.1% 21 Sep: 1.9% 28 Sep: 1.4% 5 Oct: 1.5% 12 Oct: 2.4% 19 Oct: 1.0% 26 Oct: 1.4%
Weekly, last 90 days
Decks
10
10 main, 0 sideboard
Avg. copies
1.0
in the main deck
Win rate
–
2 top 8, leagues excluded
Weekly data
Week fromShare of decks
10 Aug–
17 Aug0.4%
24 Aug1.0%
31 Aug1.0%
7 Sep1.1%
14 Sep1.1%
21 Sep1.9%
28 Sep1.4%
5 Oct1.5%
12 Oct2.4%
19 Oct1.0%
26 Oct1.4%

Archetypes by metagame share

Archetype Meta Play it
Dack Fayden, Helping Hand 2.1% 33%
Magda, Brazen Outlaw 1.7% 8%
King T'Challa 0.6% 25%
Urza, Lord High Artificer 0.4% 33%
Council of Reeds 0.1% 100%
Oswald Fiddlebender 0.1% 100%

Played together with

Card Together Lift
City of Traitors100%2.5
Mox Opal100%1.7
Mana Vault100%1.2
Chrome Mox100%1.2
Sol Ring100%1.0
Disruptor Flute90%17.0
Vexing Bauble90%3.8
Arcane Signet90%1.3
Mox Diamond90%1.1
Ancient Tomb90%1.1
Together
decks with this card that also play the other one (main deck)
Lift
how much more often than chance: 1 = unrelated, above 1 = played together on purpose

Best win rate

No results yet.

Leagues excluded: MTGO publishes only the 5-0 decks.

Latest decks

DeckCopiesFinish
Dack Fayden, Helping Hand
EDHsenpai [BAD], 		1 main #11
of 74
2-2
Dack Fayden, Helping Hand
Kelsie Ricard [TILT], 		1 main #51
of 74
0-3
Oswald Fiddlebender
Ptw, 		1 main #10
of 26
1-2
Council of Reeds
Zuko, 		1 main #1
of 19
3-0
Dack Fayden, Helping Hand
Joshilando, 		1 main #30
of 32
0-4
King T'Challa
Oriol Almaida, 		1 main #36
of 52
0-3
Urza, Lord High Artificer
Eisenherz [INTIM], 		1 main #18
of 54
1-1
Magda, Brazen Outlaw
Dominik "XorroX" Wagner, 		1 main #37
of 54
0-3

Duel Commander No decks in this period

Staple: main deck, 4% of decks (#548) (last 120 days)

No decks with this card in this period.