Eye of Nowhere MTG Card


Eye of Nowhere - Champions of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery — Arcane
Released2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameChampions of Kamigawa
Set codeCHK
Number59
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAlan Pollack

Key Takeaways

  1. Eye of Nowhere disrupts opponents by bouncing permanents, creating a tempo shift in your favor.
  2. Aimed at controlling the board, it forces opponents to expend more mana and turns to recover.
  3. While not instant speed, it strategically clears the way for forward maneuvers during your main phase.

Text of card

Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

"Once we prayed to the kaijin for safe voyage. Now we only pray that we can escape their gaze." —Hayato, master sailor


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Eye of Nowhere doesn’t allow you to draw cards directly, bouncing a permanent to an opponent’s hand disrupts their board state and can effectively act as a tempo advantage. This can set your opponent back on their resources and put you ahead in the game, especially if you return a land or spell with a hefty casting cost.

Resource Acceleration: While not providing direct resource acceleration, Eye of Nowhere can hinder your opponent’s development by forcing them to replay a key card. This can give you the upper hand in terms of mana utilization and potentially waste your opponent’s turn, effectively accelerating your relative position in the game.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Eye of Nowhere must be played during your main phases. Although it can’t be cast at instant speed, it allows strategic planning during your turn to best disrupt your opponent’s strategy or to create a window to advance your board state without interference.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Eye of Nowhere doesn’t require the player to discard directly, bouncing a permanent to its owner’s hand can be indirectly disadvantageous by losing an asset or tempo, particularly if you’re ahead in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Eye of Nowhere has a specific mana requirement of two blue mana, which can restrict deck building to blue-centric or multicolor decks that can accommodate this cost.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of two mana to return a single target to its owner’s hand, some players may find the card inefficient when compared to other lower-cost or more versatile disruption spells in MTG.


Reasons to Include Eye of Nowhere in Your Collection

Versatility: Eye of Nowhere offers flexibility in deck building, serving as a simple, yet effective way to disrupt your opponent’s board by returning any permanent to their hand. It’s a card that can be seamlessly incorporated into decks that aim to control the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key component in decks that aim to execute combos by delaying opponent’s threats or resetting their resources. Eye of Nowhere can also synergize with cards that capitalize on casting spells or those that benefit from bouncing your own permanents for added value.

Meta-Relevance: Should the current meta favor decks that rely on establishing early board presence or crucial turn sequences, Eye of Nowhere can be a tactical asset. It disrupts finely laid plans and can buy time against aggressive strategies, making it a timely inclusion in specific metagame environments.


How to beat

Eye of Nowhere presents a challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering with its bounce mechanic, sending a permanent back to its owner’s hand. This can disrupt your game plan by resetting one of your lands or key creatures. To counteract Eye of Nowhere, focus on building a resilient board presence with low-cost creatures or permanents. This makes the tempo loss less impactful if you’re forced to replay a card. Additionally, consider incorporating cards that benefit from being returned to your hand, such as those with “enters the battlefield” effects.

Flexibility in your strategy is also crucial. Maintain a diverse hand to adapt to setbacks caused by bounce spells. Using instant-speed spells and abilities to create permanents or draw cards during your opponent’s turn can mitigate the effect of Eye of Nowhere, as you can still utilize your mana efficiently. Moreover, holding up mana for counterspells or instant-speed interaction gives you a defense against this disruption, allowing you to negate the spell altogether and maintain your board state.

To summarize, although Eye of Nowhere can momentarily disrupt your plan, a combination of strategic mana use, card selection that embraces bounce, and instant-speed plays can effectively neutralize its advantage and keep you in control of the game.


Cards like Eye of Nowhere

Eye of Nowhere is a card that offers Magic: The Gathering players the strategic advantage of returning target permanents to their owner’s hand. This sorcery finds its likeness in cards such as Boomerang, which also allows a player to return any permanent, not just lands, but at an instant speed. Eye of Nowhere, while restricted to sorcery speed, still maintains a spot within control strategies, offering a critical play by disrupting the opponent’s board for a mere two mana.

Another comparison can be drawn with [[Voyage’s End]], which not only returns a creature to the owner’s hand but also scry 1. While Eye of Nowhere affects all permanent types, the additional scry provided by Voyage’s End can be very valuable for shaping future draws. [[Unsummon]] also presents itself as a contender, with the benefit of being a one-mana spell to swiftly bounce creatures back to the hand, but lacking the ability to target non-creature permanents unlike Eye of Nowhere.

Each of these spells offers unique benefits, and the choice between them can depend on the specific needs of a deck. While Eye of Nowhere might not be as versatile as some alternatives, it can be a pivotal inclusion in decks that aim to keep the board clear and gain tempo advantage.

Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Voyage's End - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - Legends (LEG)
Voyage's End - Theros (THS)
Unsummon - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Eye of Nowhere by color, type and mana cost

Time Walk - MTG Card versions
Braingeyser - MTG Card versions
Drain Power - MTG Card versions
Transmute Artifact - MTG Card versions
Forget - MTG Card versions
Piracy - MTG Card versions
Strategic Planning - MTG Card versions
Wind Sail - MTG Card versions
Mana Vapors - MTG Card versions
Turbulent Dreams - MTG Card versions
Quiet Speculation - MTG Card versions
Muse Vortex - MTG Card versions
See the Truth - MTG Card versions
Fae of Wishes // Granted - MTG Card versions
Maddening Cacophony - MTG Card versions
Silver Scrutiny - MTG Card versions
Reshape - MTG Card versions
Train of Thought - MTG Card versions
Skyscribing - MTG Card versions
See Beyond - MTG Card versions
Time Walk - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Braingeyser - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Drain Power - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Transmute Artifact - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Forget - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Piracy - Starter 1999 (S99)
Strategic Planning - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Wind Sail - Starter 1999 (S99)
Mana Vapors - Prophecy (PCY)
Turbulent Dreams - Torment (TOR)
Quiet Speculation - Judgment (JUD)
Muse Vortex - Commander 2021 (C21)
See the Truth - Core Set 2021 (M21)
Fae of Wishes // Granted - Throne of Eldraine Promos (PELD)
Maddening Cacophony - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Scrutiny - Dominaria United Promos (PDMU)
Reshape - The List (PLST)
Train of Thought - Guildpact (GPT)
Skyscribing - Commander 2011 (CMD)
See Beyond - Planechase Anthology (PCA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Eye of Nowhere MTG card by a specific set like Champions 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 Eye of Nowhere and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Eye of Nowhere has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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