Bury in Books MTG Card
2021-04-23 - Number 39
2022-12-02 - Number 279
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
This spell costs less to cast if it targets an attacking creature. Put target creature into its owner's library second from the top.
There are no weapons allowed in the Biblioplex, but a clever mage is never truly defenseless.
Cards like Bury in Books
Bury in Books has carved its niche as a tactical disruption spell in MTG. Its closest relative is perhaps Unsummon, which serves a similar purpose in bouncing creatures back to an opponent’s hand. However, Bury in Books distinguishes itself with the ability to put the creature second from the top of the library, which can significantly delay an opponent’s plans more than a simple return to hand.
Comparably, Into the Roil stands out with its modular kicker cost that, if paid, allows you to draw a card in addition to returning a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. While not putting the card out of reach like Bury in Books, the potential card draw can be a valuable trade-off. Another comparison can be drawn with Voyager’s Staff, which offers a similar postponement effect. However, it deals with any kind of permanent at the expense of being an artifact with an activation cost.
Analyzing the dynamics of these options, Bury in Books is an excellent choice for players looking for a blend of tempo play and strategic creature delay, contributing to its unique position in control decks within MTG.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bury in Books provides an efficient way to deal with opposing threats while potentially keeping your hand stocked. Its ability to temporarily remove a creature from the battlefield can disrupt your opponent’s board state, giving you the upper hand in card utility and battlefield presence.
Resource Acceleration: By delaying your opponent’s plans, this card indirectly accelerates your resources. The time gained can be critical for setting up your strategy or finding the key pieces to your game-winning combo without the pressure from an opposing threat.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Bury in Books at instant speed is a strategic advantage. It allows reactive play during your opponent’s turn, making it easier to navigate and control the pace of the game. You can adapt to threats in real-time and optimize the timing for maximum impact.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Bury in Books doesn’t necessitate a discard, but it does have conditions that need a more strategic approach to timing, potentially disrupting your play if resources are low or if you’re planning several moves ahead.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both colorless and blue mana to play, which could be limiting for multicolor decks that might not always have the necessary blue mana available when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a total of five mana, including one blue, Bury in Books may seem steep for its effect, especially when you could potentially use less expensive spells for a similar result or for advancing your board presence more effectively.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Bury in Books is a card that excels in various settings owing to its capability to temporarily remove an opposing creature from combat. This trait allows it to be seamlessly incorporated into many blue decks, offering a strategic advantage whether you’re stalling for time or protecting your life total.
Combo Potential: Its instant speed nature adds significant combo potential, letting players cast it during an opponent’s turn to disrupt their plays or at the end of their turn to reduce the threat on the board and maintain card tempo.
Meta-Relevance: Given that it can address a wide array of creatures that dominate the current meta, including those with powerful enter the battlefield abilities or resilient threats, it remains a highly relevant inclusion for players looking to refine their control and tempo strategies.
How to Overcome Bury in Books
Bury in Books is a strategic spell in Magic: The Gathering, known for its delaying tactics. The card allows players to tuck an opposing creature into its owner’s library, a move that can certainly disrupt an opponent’s plan. However, its effectiveness hinges on timing, as it requires a target creature to be tapped, thus creating an opportune moment for counterplay.
One effective way to circumvent the disruption of Bury in Books is by utilizing untap abilities or cards that can protect your creatures from being targeted. You can keep your creatures vigilant, denying the opportunity for Bury in Books to be used to its full potential, or employ spells like Lazotep Plating, which can provide hexproof to your creatures and make them impervious to such control spells.
Another tactic is to bait out Bury in Books with a less crucial creature, preserving your key players for later in the game. Similarly, cards that can grant indestructible or regenerate abilities provide additional resilience against tucking and other forms of removal. Being proactive and presenting multiple threats can also spread an opponent’s resources thin, diminishing the impact of a single Bury in Books. Understanding and anticipating this delaying tactic is essential to maintain the upper hand and keep your creatures in play.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bury in Books MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Bury in Books 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
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Printings
The Bury in Books Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven: School of Mages | STX | 39 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 279 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bury in Books has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bury in Books card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-04-16 | If the target creature’s controller has zero cards left in their library when Bury in Books resolves, that creature becomes the top card of their library. |