Alabaster Potion MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 2
1995-04-01 - Number 1
1995-04-01 - Number 1
1995-08-01 - Number 2
1996-07-01 - Number 1
1996-12-31 - Number 1
1997-03-24 - Number 3
2009-09-07 - Number 2
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target player gains X life or prevents X damage to any one creature or player.
"Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity." —D'Avenant proverb
Cards like Alabaster Potion
Alabaster Potion is a versatile choice in Magic: The Gathering for players looking to either heal or deal damage based on life points. It shares some traits with cards like Spiritualize, where health gain is tied to a creature’s power. Unlike Alabaster Potion, Spiritualize does not offer the ability to directly affect opponents’ creatures but does draw a card upon resolution. Another card, Righteousness, protects a single creature by increasing its defense, similar to Alabaster Potion’s defensive utility, yet lacks the Potion’s flexibility of functioning offensively.
Then there is Congregate which, like Alabaster Potion, provides a significant life boost by considering the number of creatures on the battlefield. While it lacks Alabaster Potion’s damage option, Congregate can potentially yield a much higher amount of life for decks swarming with creatures. Beacon of Immortality stands out by doubling a player’s life total, providing a more significant instant life swing than what Alabaster Potion normally grants, yet it doesn’t offer direct interaction with creatures.
Ultimately, Alabaster Potion holds its own niche in Magic: The Gathering as a card that can adapt to many situations, offering both life gain and creature interaction in one package, a mix that can be pivotal in changing the tide of a game.
Cards similar to Alabaster Potion by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Alabaster Potion offers a dual benefit that can either restore life or boost a creature’s power and toughness. This flexibility ensures you always have a useful spell dependent on the board state.
Resource Acceleration: While not traditionally seen as a means to accelerate resources, the life gained from Alabaster Potion can be vital in enabling strategies centered around life thresholds, indirectly accelerating your game plan.
Instant Speed: The instant nature of Alabaster Potion allows you to adapt reactively to the changing battlefield. Whether it’s saving a creature from death or providing an unexpected combat trick, the speed of this spell is a significant tactical advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Alabaster Potion’s effectiveness is contingent on having an adequate hand size. In scenarios where hand size is depleted, the ability to leverage its full potential diminishes, leading to missed opportunities or forced suboptimal plays.
Specific Mana Cost: With a white mana dependency, Alabaster Potion may be restrictive for multicolor decks. This limitation can hinder its inclusion in diverse mana bases, where flexibility and color balancing are crucial for consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, including one white, Alabaster Potion’s investment may appear too burdensome when considered against other life gain or damage prevention options. Competitive environments often showcase cards with lower costs and comparable, if not superior, effects.
Reasons to Include Alabaster Potion in Your Collection
Versatility: Alabaster Potion is not just a life gain spell. Its duality allows players to either increase their life total or deal damage to creatures, making it adaptable to a variety of situations. This flexibility means it can be a valuable asset in both offensive and defensive strategies, fitting seamlessly into life gain decks or control archetypes.
Combo Potential: With the ability to affect both life totals and creature toughness, Alabaster Potion works well in tandem with cards that trigger off life gain or life loss. Moreover, its damage prevention aspect can be exploited in decks that capitalize on redirecting damage or protecting key creatures for combo setups.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where aggressive decks can dominate, having a card that can swing life totals or protect key blockers could make all the difference. Whether you’re up against burn strategies or need to stave off lethal damage, Alabaster Potion’s utility could provide the pivot needed to secure a win in today’s shifting meta.
How to beat
Alabaster Potion stands as a versatile card in Magic: The Gathering, offering players both a source of life gain and a potential combat trick. To effectively counter Alabaster Potion, one must consider the timing and strategic use of this instant spell. Utilizing abilities or spells that either counteract life gain, like Tainted Remedy, or take advantage of an opponent’s higher life total, such as Reverse the Sands, can turn the tides against Alabaster Potion.
Moreover, having instant-speed removal or damage spells that disrupt combat math can minimize the potion’s impact as a defensive tool. Cards like Skullcrack can prevent life gain for the turn and deal damage, effectively nullifying the potion’s benefit. Dispel is another countermeasure, offering a direct and affordable way to counter Alabaster Potion and similar instant-speed tricks that your opponent may have up their sleeve during the battle.
In essence, dealing with Alabaster Potion requires a blend of timing, foresight, and strategic card choice to ensure that this card does not give your opponent a significant advantage on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Alabaster Potion MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border, 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 Alabaster Potion and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Alabaster Potion Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Harold McNeill.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 2 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill | |
| 2 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 1 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill | |
| 3 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 1 | 1993 | Normal | White | Harold McNeill | |
| 4 | 1995-08-01 | Renaissance | REN | 2 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill | |
| 5 | 1996-07-01 | Rivals Quick Start Set | RQS | 1 | 1993 | Normal | White | Harold McNeill | |
| 6 | 1996-12-31 | Introductory Two-Player Set | ITP | 1 | 1993 | Normal | White | Harold McNeill | |
| 7 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 3 | 1997 | Normal | White | Harold McNeill | |
| 8 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 2 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Alabaster Potion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |