<p>Sliver Overlord's abilities are not mana abilities. Mana abilities are abilities that <em>produce</em> mana, like the ability on <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSylvan%20Caryatid%5d">Sylvan Caryatid</a>. (There are a few restrictions; not <em>everything</em> that produces mana is a mana ability. See <a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Mana_ability" rel="nofollow noreferrer">rule 605.1</a> if you're curious.)</p>

<p>Sliver Overlord's abilities are simple activated abilities, with mana in their <em>cost</em>. Pithing Needle will work just fine against them, as will anything else that prevents abilities from being activated (e.g. <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArrest%5d">Arrest</a>), and anything that makes it lose abilities (e.g. <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLignify%5d">Lignify</a>).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-18T02:09:24.340Z
That makes more sense. I thought it was weird it would only target abilities that don't cost mana.
Cyberson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-18T02:07:44.653Z
2016-11-18T02:11:15.650Z
2016-11-18T02:11:15.650Z
Cascabel
<p>I was looking through different cards to try and find something to counteract my dad's <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSliver%20Overlord%5d">Sliver Overlord</a> aside from directly killing or exiling it, and when I initially saw <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bPithing%20Needle%5d">Pithing Needle</a> I got really excited, but then I saw it didn't target mana abilities, which kind of renders it useless against the Overlord.</p>

<p>Is there a card that does target mana abilities, or will I just have to exile/destroy his Overlord?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-18T10:11:47.847Z
You have an extremely low chance to draw a specific card on a Commander deck. You're playing green, so your artifact search abilities are further limited. I dunno how effective this card would be, unless you went blue.
CyberClaw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-18T23:00:27.663Z
@CyberClaw my deck is a hyper-draw deck so I will be able to get through my deck fairly fast to get to specific cards, and if not I have a couple cards that let me search.
Cyberson
<magic-the-gathering><mtg-commander>
Can I disable Sliver Overlord's abilities with Pithing Needle?
Cyberson
# Can I disable Sliver Overlord's abilities with Pithing Needle?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-18)

I was looking through different cards to try and find something to counteract my dad's [Sliver Overlord](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSliver%20Overlord%5d) aside from directly killing or exiling it, and when I initially saw [Pithing Needle](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bPithing%20Needle%5d) I got really excited, but then I saw it didn't target mana abilities, which kind of renders it useless against the Overlord.

Is there a card that does target mana abilities, or will I just have to exile/destroy his Overlord?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, mtg-commander

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You have an extremely low chance to draw a specific card on a Commander deck. You're playing green, so your artifact search abilities are further limited. I dunno how effective this card would be, unless you went blue.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 my deck is a hyper-draw deck so I will be able to get through my deck fairly fast to get to specific cards, and if not I have a couple cards that let me search.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-11-18. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Sliver Overlord's abilities are not mana abilities. Mana abilities are abilities that *produce* mana, like the ability on [Sylvan Caryatid](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSylvan%20Caryatid%5d). (There are a few restrictions; not *everything* that produces mana is a mana ability. See [rule 605.1](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Mana_ability) if you're curious.)

Sliver Overlord's abilities are simple activated abilities, with mana in their *cost*. Pithing Needle will work just fine against them, as will anything else that prevents abilities from being activated (e.g. [Arrest](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArrest%5d)), and anything that makes it lose abilities (e.g. [Lignify](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLignify%5d)).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That makes more sense. I thought it was weird it would only target abilities that don't cost mana.  

---

