Sphinx

Sphinx is a creature type used on Magic cards that depict large, powerful creatures with lion-like bodies, human faces, and feathered wings. Some rival dragons in size and strength.

Description

Sphinxes are known for their cunning and vast intellect, and many never speak save in riddles. They are aligned primarily with blue magic, though some may be white and/or black. Sphinxes can be found on many worlds. Sphinx is the iconic creature for the color blue.

Sphinxes have hollow bones that can function as organ pipes, so “every phrase is a motif and a speech can be a symphony”. Most Sphinxes within the Multiverse were likely influenced by Azor, an ancient Sphinx planeswalker who once traveled between the worlds to bring order.

Some sphinxes have excellent hearing and apparently can tell truth from lies and separate truth from honesty. This was demonstrated by Sharuum.

The first card to bear the creature type was Petra Sphinx in Legends.

Alara

Sphinxes on Alara are highly revered and respected as leaders of their communities because of their vast knowledge. The Sphinx Crucius is said to have created Etherium, which shaped Esper into what it is now, and after the shortening of stores of Etherium, Sharuum showed them how to make it last longer.

After the Sundering and prior to the Conflux, Sphinxes were found exclusively on Esper.

Amonkhet

Amonkhet sphinxes have leonine bodies, hawklike wings, and faces resembling humans, framed by great frills or manes of feathers. Their powerful forearms are also feathered, and fans of long feathers form their tails. They were perhaps the only creatures to remain uncorrupted by the influence of Nicol Bolas. Their impenetrable minds proved to be beyond even Bolas’s ability to control — but even so, he was able to place them under a curse to guarantee their silence, banning them from communicating with other creatures in any way. Most citizens of Naktamun believed that the Sphinxes had taken vows of silence until the God-Pharaoh had returned to them. They began to speak only after the Second Sun aligned. They whispered dire warnings, though no one listened.

Criosphinxes

A rare few sphinxes have the heads of rams instead of the humanlike faces of other sphinxes. Though these Criosphinxes lie under the same curse as all their kind, they are less enigmatic and more aggressive, actively attacking creatures of Bolas they encounter in the desert.

Dominaria

Sphinxes roamed the cold wastes of Dominaria's Ice Age

Mirrodin

There are a small number of sphinxes on Mirrodin. They are so rare that most believe them to disappear into the aether when seen. It is known that at least the Consecrated Sphinx has been compleated by the Phyrexians.

Ravnica

Ravnica is known to have sphinxes affiliated with the Azorius. Most of these beings are solitary creatures that value their privacy, but will share their insights among each other in times of need. In Guilds of Ravnica, Isperia, the sphinx leader of Azorius, is dead.

Some Sphinxes are aligned with the Dimir and also count as nightmares.

Serra's Realm

In an alternate reality, sphinxes populated the planeswalker Serra's realm instead of angels.

Theros

Theran sphinxes are primordial, mysterious beings with ancient knowledge. They have abstract thought patterns, so even when they are not trying to be enigmatic they still are. One, Medomai, is a prophet at Meletis, going into the city several times to warn of future events.

Zendikar

On Zendikar, Sphinxes are to be found in Sejiri, on the Jwar Isle, and most recently in Magosi and Tazeem as well. Most Sphinxes search remote locations to ponder of Zendikar's mysteries and contemplate what they have learned. They jealously protect their lairs from other sphinxes and large predators, such as dragons, but they pay little attention to smaller visitors. A sphinx’s lair is often difficult to reach, and typically involves treacherous climbing for creatures without the ability to fly. A visitor who can reach the spot is often rewarded with an audience—but those who come in search of answers are likely to leave disappointed.

Notable sphinxes

• Alhammarret, High Arbiter — Jace Beleren's tutor.
• Arjun, the Shifting Flame
• Azor
• Crucius
• Isperia — guild leader of the Azorius Senate on Ravnica.
• Medomai — a sphinx of Theros who brings riddles to Meletis.
• Sharuum — hegemon of Esper.
• Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign
• Yennett — queen of an unspecified realm, she has been known to wield time magic. (Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign)

Sphinx tokens

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Sphinx	Blue	Creature — Sphinx	4/4	Flying	Hour of Need
	White/​Blue	Creature — Sphinx	4/4	Flying, vigilance	Warden
Glyph Keeper	White	Creature — Zombie Sphinx	5/3	Flying Whenever Glyph Keeper becomes the target of a spell or ability for the first time each turn, counter that spell or ability.	Glyph Keeper

Sphinx enchantment

• Riddleform is an enchantment that can become a 3/3 sphinx creature with flying.