Illusory Demon MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Demon Illusion
Abilities	Flying
Released	2009-04-30
Set symbol
Set name	Alara Reborn
Set code	ARB
Power	4
Toughness	3
Number	21
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nils Hamm

Key Takeaways

The Illusory Demon can provide sustained card advantage through combat damage triggers.
Synergy with flash enablers makes it a versatile threat, catching opponents off-guard.
Despite its abilities, the required card discard and high mana cost are significant drawbacks.

Text of card

Flying When you play a spell, sacrifice Illusory Demon.

In the Maelstrom, a trick of the light can feast on human flesh.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Illusory Demon has a triggered ability that lets you draw a card when it deals combat damage to a player. This ability grants you the potential to generate ongoing card advantage, outpacing opponents with additional resources.

Resource Acceleration: This card also has an affinity for spells or abilities that can untap it, effectively doubling its ability to provide resource acceleration. By using such combos, it can attack twice or be used for abilities requiring tapping, thereby hastening your mana curve development.

Instant Speed: Its lesser-known aspect relates to its synergy with flash enablers, which give you the flexibility to summon it at instant speed. Deploying Illusory Demon unexpectedly can disrupt opposing strategies, especially when they leave themselves unprotected, expecting to face an empty board.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to playing the Illusory Demon is its upfront cost in terms of card advantage. When casting it, you may be compelled to discard another card, potentially depleting your hand and leaving you with fewer options on subsequent turns.

Specific Mana Cost: The Illusory Demon’s potency is desirably tethered to specific mana colors, which can pose a deck building challenge. Should your mana base be unstable or your deck diversified in hues, summoning this creature might prove more demanding than expected.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With mana investment on the upper end, the Illusory Demon’s call to the battlefield may come at a significant pace. There’s a spectrum of creatures and spells vying for your mana at similar costs that boast either lower casting requirements or additional abilities, leaving the Illusory Demon occasionally overshadowed in strategic valuation.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Illusory Demon cards offer flexible gameplay that can adapt to various deck themes due to their evasive abilities. Their low-cost and efficiency in play enable them to slide into multiple deck archetypes smoothly.

Combo Potential: These cards harbor immense synergy with strategies that manipulate or benefit from illusions or creature-based tactics. They can be pivotal in creating powerful chains of plays that leave your opponents outmaneuvered.

Meta-Relevance: In gameplay environments that favor agile and elusive creatures, Illusory Demon cards can exceed expectations by bypassing traditional defenses. Their presence in your collection can offer you valuable options as the meta shifts and evolves.

How to beat

Illusory Demon is one of those Magic: The Gathering cards that demands attention the moment it hits the battlefield. Its high power level can certainly intimidate opponents, but it’s not invincible. There are efficient strategies to tackle this phantom threat. First, it’s vulnerable to spells that can target and remove creatures without dealing damage, bypassing its potential high toughness. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can dispatch it swiftly, ensuring that this demon doesn’t get the chance to wreak havoc.

Counter strategies also work effectively against Illusory Demon. Holding up mana for a well-timed Counterspell or Mana Leak when your opponent casts it can negate the threat before it even materializes. Furthermore, exploiting its potential drawback—a common feature for high-power creatures—is another tactic. Some demons require sacrifices or hand disruption when they enter the battlefield or at upkeep, creating opportunities for you to disrupt your opponent’s game plan while dealing with the creature itself.

In essence, winning against Illusory Demon involves staying prepared, running efficient removal or countermeasures, and taking advantage of the moments when it leaves your opponent vulnerable. Understanding its inherent weaknesses and your own deck’s strengths will turn this formidable foe into a manageable challenge.

Cards like Illusory Demon

The Illusory Demon card brings unique traits to the creature lineup in Magic: The Gathering. It invites comparison to other flying creatures, such as the more familiar Phantom Monster. Notably, both showcase the flying attribute, allowing them to soar over ground-based blockers. However, Illusory Demon’s ability set could offer a subtle twist in gameplay over its counterpart. For example, while Phantom Monster is a steadfast option with consistent combat stats, Illusory Demon may include conditions that bolster or inhibit its effectiveness on the battlefield, reflecting its elusive nature.

Another card worth mentioning is Spellstutter Sprite which shares the theme of delicate flying creatures but also includes an additional spell countering ability. Although Illusory Demon may not directly interact with an opponent’s spells, it’s the potential for a unique combination of abilities that distinguishes it. Moreover, Mistbind Clique presents parallel themes of trickery and surprise—hallmarks of the Illusory aspect—also with flying, but adds a potent ability that can turn a game’s tide.

While each of these cards serves a role in flying creature strategies, Illusory Demon will likely carve a niche where its abilities offer strategic advantages, whether that’s through a potent synergistic combo or as a standalone surprise on the board, enhancing the dynamics of MTG gameplay.

Cards similar to Illusory Demon by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Siren of the Silent Song - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Illusory Demon MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, 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 Illusory Demon and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Illusory Demon has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Illusory Demon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2009-05-01	If you cast a spell, the spell goes on the stack, then Illusory Demon’s triggered ability goes on the stack on top of it. The triggered ability will resolve (and you’ll sacrifice Illusory Demon) before the spell resolves.