Ephara's Enlightenment MTG Card

Ephara's Enlightenment - Born of the Gods

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2014-02-07
Set symbol
Set name	Born of the Gods
Set code	BNG
Number	146
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Wesley Burt

Key Takeaways

Boosts creature power and adds flying, enhancing offense and defense strategically.
Grants card advantage by recycling enchantments for repeated use in matches.
Instant-like effects possible through synergy with creatures entering the battlefield.

Text of card

Enchant creature When Ephara's Enlightenment enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature. Enchanted creature has flying. Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may return Ephara's Enlightenment to its owner's hand.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ephara’s Enlightenment is a boon for players looking to maintain momentum in card utility. When it enters the battlefield, you may return another enchantment you own to your hand. This not only puts Ephara’s Enlightenment into play but also recycles another enchantment for future use, effectively turning it into a new opportunity for further plays.

Resource Acceleration: It immediately boosts one of your creatures with a +1/+1 counter and grants it flying, providing a quick enhancement in both offense and defense. The upgraded creature can become a more potent threat, sidestepping blockers that can’t reach flying attackers or becoming a formidable defender in aerial combat—all of which contribute to your overall resource acceleration on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Ephara’s Enlightenment itself is not an instant, its synergy with creatures entering the battlefield can produce instant-like effects. For instance, creatures with flash can be played during your opponent’s turn, and when paired with Ephara’s Enlightenment, you can unexpectedly bolster your creature’s power and toughness, surprising an opponent with an unforeseen blocker or attacker.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ephara’s Enlightenment comes with the necessity of bouncing a creature back to your hand when cast. This mechanic might disrupt your board presence and momentum, especially in a tight game where field control is paramount.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a blend of white and blue mana, constraining it to decks that can consistently provide both colors. Players who do not run a deck focused on Azorius (white/blue) may find it challenging to meet this mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of one colorless, one white, and one blue mana, Ephara’s Enlightenment can be a bit pricey for the benefits it confers. There are alternative enchantments or creatures that offer similar or better bonuses for a lower mana investment, making them more appealing for deck inclusion.

Reasons to Include Ephara’s Enlightenment in Your Collection

Versatility: Ephara’s Enlightenment is a dynamic enchantment that enhances a variety of decks, particularly those that capitalize on creature play. By granting a creature a boost and flying, it not only makes smaller creatures more formidable but also can be returned to your hand to re-trigger enter-the-battlefield effects, making it a flexible addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: This enchantment shines in decks that focus on blink or flicker strategies. Its ability to repeatedly grant a creature a bonus and flying when a creature enters the battlefield under your control can be exploited with cards that flicker or otherwise introduce creatures frequently during a match, thus enabling ongoing value and surprise defenses.

Meta-Relevance: With decks in the current meta regularly utilizing creatures and aiming for tempo advantages, Ephara’s Enlightenment offers a quick and cost-effective way to alter the battlefield in your favor. Its place in a deck becomes particularly poignant in matches where the pace and power of creatures dictate the victor.

How to beat

Ephara’s Enlightenment is an enchantment that brings a unique dynamic to gameplay in Magic: The Gathering, especially when it’s used to boost creatures upon casting. This card offers not only a bump in stats with a +1/+1 bonus to the enchanted creature, but it also grants the valuable ability of flying, creating a significant advantage in terms of board presence and combat dynamics.

However, defeating a strategy revolving around Ephara’s Enlightenment requires a careful approach. Since the card can return to a player’s hand whenever a creature enters the battlefield under their control, it’s important to manage the flow of creatures on their side. Efficient removal spells that can handle both enchantments and creatures are key. By limiting the opponent’s creature count, you’re also mitigating the card’s recurring value. Additionally, instant speed removal spells can disrupt the opponent’s timing, rendering their plans less effective.

Understanding how to dismantle an Ephara’s Enlightenment setup ultimately comes down to controlling the pace of the game and making strategic plays. With the right tactics, such as spot removal or enchantment negation, players can effectively neutralize the impact of Ephara’s Enlightenment on the battlefield.

Cards like Ephara's Enlightenment

Ephara’s Enlightenment is a notable enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, offering a blend of boosting a creature and recurring utility. It stands in comparison to cards like Gryff’s Boon, which also gives a flying keyword and can return from the graveyard. Yet, Ephara’s Enlightenment distinguishes itself with the ability to bolster a creature’s power and toughness additionally, and it re-triggers its effect with each new creature that enters your battlements.

Another counterpart, Hope Against Hope, provides a power buff based on the number of creatures you control, leaning towards a strategy of amassing an army. However, it lacks the dynamic movement of Ephara’s Enlightenment, which can be reassigned to new creatures for ongoing benefits. Unquestionably, Ephara’s Enlightenment shines in decks that frequently cast creatures, keeping multiple threats enhanced and aerial.

So, while there are several enchantments with similar themes, Ephara’s Enlightenment holds its unique appeal in creature-heavy strategies that capitalize on its recurring nature and immediate impact on the board, enhancing both the offense and defense of your gameplay.

Cards similar to Ephara's Enlightenment by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ephara's Enlightenment MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, 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 Ephara's Enlightenment and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ephara's Enlightenment has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-02-01	If Ephara’s Enlightenment isn’t on the battlefield when its enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature it was enchanting when it left the battlefield.
2014-02-01	The last ability of Ephara’s Enlightenment will trigger only if it’s on the battlefield when the creature enters the battlefield under your control. You may return it to its owner’s hand only if it’s still on the battlefield when that ability resolves.