Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch MTG Card

Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch - Betrayers of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Abilities	Defender
Released	2005-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Betrayers of Kamigawa
Set code	BOK
Power	0
Toughness	3
Number	39
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Randy Gallegos

Key Takeaways

Kaijin offers a tactical edge, bouncing threats and disrupting opponent’s game plans efficiently.
Activated at instant speed, it adds versatility and surprise factor in defense during play.
Requires thoughtful play, its discard requirement, and specific mana cost add strategic depth.

Text of card

Defender (This creature can't attack.) Whenever Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch blocks a creature, return that creature to its owner's hand at end of combat. (Return it only if it's in play.)

When it's finished, all that's left of you is a ripple on a still pond.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the notable benefits of Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch is its ability to offer tactical advantage with its unique touch. While it doesn’t draw cards directly, its bounce effect can indirectly contribute to card advantage by returning a threat to an opponent’s hand, thereby delaying their plans and giving you an upper hand in card utility.

Resource Acceleration: Although the card itself doesn’t ramp or produce additional mana, it can act as a key accelerator in strategies that capitalize on bouncing opponents’ creatures. This can disrupt mana-intensive plays or combo pieces, effectively setting your opponent back while you develop your board state or prepare for a counterattack.

Instant Speed: Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch’s capability is at instant speed due to its triggered ability, making it a versatile defender that can be used to surprise an unwary attacker. The instantaneous nature of the effect grants you the flexibility to address threats as they come, ensuring that you can adapt to the fluid dynamics of the game while keeping your defenses up.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Maneuvering around Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch necessitates a certain tactical approach, given it’s not just a matter of casting but also strategically deciding when to use its ability. This can backfire if you’re not holding enough cards to afford the discard without sacrificing essential plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored to fit mostly blue mana-based decks, this card requires a single blue mana along with another generic one. This specific mana alignment could potentially restrict its inclusion, particularly in decks that run a tight mana curve or those with a wider color spectrum.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though only two mana is required to cast Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch, within the landscape of MTG where every mana point matters, it is relatively steep for a creature of its stats. This mana commitment could detract from other, possibly more impactful, plays during the early game.

Reasons to Include Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch in Your Collection

Versatility: Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch offers flexible defensive capabilities, suitable for blue-based control decks. Its potential to block and return creatures to an opponent’s hand allows you to manage the battlefield effectively.

Combo Potential: This card works well in synergistic combinations, especially with strategies that capitalize on bouncing opponents’ creatures. It can repeatedly clear the way for your own attacks or disrupt opponent strategies that rely on creature presence.

Meta-Relevance: Given the creature-heavy nature of many competitive decks, having a card that can dissuade attacks or reset the opponent’s board development can be critical. In a meta where tempo plays are key, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch can be a significant inclusion.

How to beat

Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch holds a unique space among utility creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Renowned for its defensive ability to return creatures to their owners’ hands, it can serve as a powerful deterrent against attackers. Unlike other cards that may require mana to activate similar abilities, Kaijin operates on contact, which means strategy shifts when facing it.

However, its strength can be mitigated. One option is to take advantage of its inability to interact with non-creature spells. Going for a strategy centered around enchantments, sorceries, or instants could reduce the impact Kangin has on the game. Additionally, as a creature, Kaijin can be vulnerable to removal spells that bypass its effect, such as those that exile or destroy it without needing to enter combat.

In summary, respect the control Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch can command on the battlefield, but remember that alternative strategies and targeted removal can effectively neutralize its influence, ensuring your creatures can press on to victory unimpeded.

Cards like Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch

Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch is a unique card emphasizing defensive capabilities in the blue lineup of creatures. A comparable card in the realm of defensive creatures is Fog Bank. Both are outstanding defenders with relatively low casting costs. Kaijin not only can block creatures without flying, thanks to its power restriction but it also bounces attackers back to their owner’s hand, resetting the opponent’s board presence. Fog Bank offers no such creature return, but instead possesses the ability to prevent all damage that would be dealt to it, offering a different type of stall tactic.

Moving into another defensive creature with similarity to the Kaijin is Guard Gomazoa. It also prevents any damage that would be dealt to it as a defender. Although it lacks the ability to return attacking creatures to their owner’s hand, it does share the capacity to halt aggressors in their tracks. Conversely, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch provides an interactive gameplay experience that can disrupt an opponent’s strategy significantly more than Guard Gomazoa’s straightforward damage prevention.

Assessing these creatures side by side, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch stands as a tactical choice for players seeking to maintain a clear battlefield while also having a defensive creature that actively controls the pace of the game.

Cards similar to Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa, 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 Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch and other MTG cards: