So you wanna see a Coldsnap card, do ya? Well sonny, who am I to deny ya your rightful glance at that dadgurmed card?

Vexing Sphinx is a hefty flier, with a not-quite-as-hefty-as-it-seems drawback. I think we all can agree that three mana for a 4/4 flyer is quite a bargain – most colors don't get 4/4 creatures at four mana. Vexing Sphinx can end the game single-handedly in five turns… but that's not a likely scenario because of its cumulative upkeep.

You see, the Sphinx does have one nasty drawback – cumulative upkeep: Discard a card. What's this mean? Well, let's look at the chart below.

Turn 1: Cast Vexing Sphinx
Turn 2: Discard a card, swing for 4
Turn 3: Discard 2 cards, swing for 4
Turn 4: Discard 3 cards, swing for 4
Turn 5: Discard 4 cards, swing for 4
Turn 6: Discard 5 cards, swing for 4

Most players are not going to have fifteen cards to discard over the course of five turns, meaning that the Sphinx probably won't go all the way on its own. Never fear! Even though the discard is a major deterrent to playing this guy, there is another clause on the card that pushes it from janky to tournament playable:

“When Vexing Sphinx is put into a graveyard from play, draw a card for each age counter on it.”

Let's take a look at the above chart again, except with the second ability factored in.

Turn 1: Cast Vexing Sphinx.
Turn 2: Discard a card. If the Sphinx dies, draw a card.
Turn 3: Discard 2 cards. If the Sphinx dies, draw 2 cards.
Turn 4: Discard 3 cards. If the Sphinx dies, draw 3 cards.
Turn 5: Discard 4 cards. If the Sphinx dies, draw 4 cards.
Turn 6: Discard 5 cards. If the Sphinx dies, draw 5 cards.

Realistically, the Sphinx can come in for 8-12 damage, and then draw 3-4 cards. The timing on the age counters is what makes the Sphinx work. From the reminder text:

“At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.”

So, let's say you've had the Sphinx out for two attacks – this means you've discarded three cards total (one the first upkeep, two the second upkeep). At the beginning of your next upkeep, you put an age counter on the Sphinx, and then decide whether you want to discard three cards, or draw three cards. In essence, it means you're getting the Sphinx as a loaner – eight damage (and a hefty 4/4 blocker on the turn it is cast) for the cost of only the Sphinx itself!

In an aggressive Blue or Blue/White or Blue/Green strategy, this is a bargain. Consider Vexing Sphinx to be a slightly slower Ball Lightning in the sky. You don't expect Ball Lightning to stick around, but you do want it to get in its six damage. The same goes for Vexing Sphinx – you are playing it with the intent of getting in for 8-12 damage, and if it does its job, great.

The Sphinx is also great against removal, because even if your opponent waits for you to pay the cumulative upkeep cost on the Sphinx, you're already put an age counter on the guy, and will be drawing cards. Enchanted with Faith's Fetters? No problem, wait until your next upkeep, put an age counter on the Sphinx, and then let it die so you can draw cards. Hit by Terror? You're going to draw cards, because the age counters go on before the cumulative upkeep costs are paid.

Vexing Sphinx seems especially good as a compliment to Madness and Flashback cards. U/G Madness wants to have a second turn Mongrel followed by a third turn Arrogant Wurm. Why not just play a third turn Vexing Sphinx, and discard Basking Rootwalla, Wonder, Arrogant Wurm, and Deep Analysis to the hefty 4/4 flyer? That seems like a game plan to me, especially since U/G Madness would like nothing more than to get the nuts draw, and end the game in a hurry.

A lot of players are going to be put off by the cost of discarding cards to the Sphinx, but there isn't as much danger of card disadvantage in playing the Sphinx as there appears, thanks to the timing rules on cumulative upkeep. If you plan on treating Vexing Sphinx as a two-turn, eight-damage machine, it is a perfectly fine card. If you want to use it to enable madness and flashback cards, you're set as well. Don't dismiss Vexing Sphinx! You might not like discarding cards, but the cost isn't bad, and the body you get is better than almost anything else you can buy for the mana. Burning-Tree who?