Sphinx of Enlightenment
Creature — Sphinx
Flying
When this creature enters, target opponent draws a card and you draw three cards.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- Starter Commander Decks
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #9367
Sphinx of Enlightenment enters, draws you a card, and hands an opponent a card — net zero on cards but a 4/5 flyer for five mana, which is a reasonable rate when the political gift buys you a turn. In Kangee, Sky Warden builds, that flying body matters more than the symmetrical draw, and the cost is low enough to run without a second thought.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Kangee, Sky Warden
Kangee, Sky Warden rewards stacking the board with flyers, and Sphinx of Enlightenment delivers a 4/5 flying body that immediately counts toward Kangee's payoffs — the incidental draw is almost beside the point when you're building critical mass in the air.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Sphinx of Enlightenment is a Commander card through and through — the political gifting dynamic and the five-mana cost are both calibrated for a 40-life multiplayer game where buying goodwill matters. In Legacy and Vintage, it's technically legal but never sees play; a five-mana do-nothing-relevant creature doesn't compete in those formats. Commander is the only context where Sphinx of Enlightenment earns its slot, specifically in blue decks that care about flying creature count or can weaponize the opponent's extra draw against them.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Sphinx of Enlightenment is deep bulk — pick it out of a common box or grab a playset without thinking about it. Bulk rares with narrow applications don't move up in price, so buy it for the deck and forget about it.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.