
Pithing Needle
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.
Rulings (5)
Jun 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.
Jun 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.
Jun 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.
Oct 1, 2009 · Once Pithing Needle has left the battlefield, activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can be activated again.
Oct 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.
Where it’s played now
Inclusion by archetype
| Archetype | Format | Inclusion | Copies | Decks (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lands | Legacy | 100% | 1–2× | 58 |
| PO | Vintage | 100% | 1× | 13 |
| Painter | Legacy | 100% | 1× | 11 |
| Smallpox | Legacy | 100% | 1× | 11 |
| Lantern | Modern | 100% | 2–3× | 8 |
| Hardened Scales | Modern | 100% | 1× | 2 |
| Heliod Combo | Modern | 100% | 1× | 2 |
| Lurrus Vault Key | Vintage | 100% | 1× | 2 |