A-Eyes of the Beholder MTG Card

A-Eyes of the Beholder - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2022-07-07
Set symbol
Set name	Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Set code	HBG
Number	A-154
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kari Christensen

Key Takeaways

A-Eyes of the Beholder offers card advantage by combining threat neutralization with card draw.
Instant speed allows strategic disruption of the opponent’s play, maintaining your momentum.
Requires mindful deck building due to specific mana and discard costs that can limit flexibility.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase A-Eyes of the Beholder MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the A-Eyes of the Beholder and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Target creature gets -11/-11 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When playing A-Eyes of the Beholder, you can potentially neutralize an opponent’s threat while also drawing a card, effectively giving you a two-for-one advantage in the exchange.

Resource Acceleration: Although A-Eyes of the Beholder does not directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, the resource acceleration comes from the efficiency of dealing with a threat while replacing itself in your hand, helping maintain your grip on the game’s pace.

Instant Speed: The power of A-Eyes of the Beholder lies in its instant speed interaction, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s actions on their turn, which can disrupt their strategy and protect your board position without sacrificing the momentum of your own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of A-Eyes of the Beholder is that it necessitates discarding a card to achieve its full potential. This additional cost can put players at a disadvantage, especially when their hand is already sparse, and resources are precious.

Specific Mana Cost: With an activation cost that requires specific mana types, this card can be challenging to cast in a multi-colored deck. Players must have the right mana available, which can be a constraint and reduce the card’s versatility in various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana value associated with deploying A-Eyes of the Beholder can be on the higher side compared to other options in the game. For the mana investment, players might find other cards that provide a similar or better effect with a lower cost, thereby affecting deck efficiency and tempo.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: A-Eyes of the Beholder is a unique card that can seamlessly integrate into various strategies, particularly those looking to exploit its substantial disabling ability to tip the scales in creature-heavy matchups.

Combo Potential: Given its potential to incapacitate key creatures, it can be an integral part of combos aimed at clearing the board or paving the path for your own heavy hitters to swing in without obstruction.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors creatures with powerful effects or decks that consistently field numerous threats, A-Eyes of the Beholder stands out as a relevant card for disrupting those strategies and keeping opponents on the back foot.

How to beat

Eyes of the Beholder is a spell that can turn the tides of battle in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to neutralize a powerful creature with its -11/-11 effect can be a game changer. Yet there are strategies to mitigate its impact. One effective tactic is to utilize creatures with hexproof or shroud, rendering them immune to targeted spells. Another approach is to maintain a diversified field with multiple threats, diluting the impact of a single removal spell like Eyes of the Beholder.

Indestructible creatures also stand resilient against Eyes of the Beholder, as the negative stats won’t result in their destruction. Moreover, counter spells are a direct and efficient response, especially given the high mana cost of Eyes of the Beholder. Keeping up mana for reactive spells or abilities can put the card’s user at a significant disadvantage due to its cost, offering you the opportunity to build a stronger board presence and gain tempo advantage over your opponent.

Ultimately, Eyes of the Beholder can be a formidable card, but with clever deck building and strategic play, its threat can be significantly reduced, ensuring your creatures survive and thrive on the battlefield.

Cards like A-Eyes of the Beholder

A deep dive into the Eyes of the Beholder from Magic: The Gathering reveals its unique place in the roster of removal spells. Eyes of the Beholder stands out due to its potential to completely obliterate a creature, regardless of its power and toughness. Compared to other spells like Doom Blade or Murder, which are cheaper to cast but cannot bypass indestructible creatures, Eyes of the Beholder ensures nothing stands in its way.

While Doom Blade and Murder are efficient and more commonly used in player decks due to their lower mana costs, Eyes of the Beholder has the upside of being an unconditional removal. It is more akin to the card Terminate, which also destroys a target creature and can’t be regenerated but at a more accessible casting cost. Terminate does not have the same universal application since it’s limited to only non-black creatures. This creates a situation where Eyes of the Beholder may be favorable in scenarios with diverse and resilient threats on the battlefield.

Considering all aspects, Eyes of the Beholder brings a solid option for players looking to handle any problematic creature, offering peace of mind at its higher mana value. Its ability to remove creatures without restrictions solidifies its role in Magic: The Gathering as a powerful asset in any control deck arsenal.