Mask MTG Card

Type	Token Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant,Totem armor
Released	2018-08-09
Set symbol
Set name	Commander 2018
Set code	C18
Number	4
Frame	2015
Layout	Token
Border	Black
Illustred by	Johannes Voss

Key Takeaways

Mask cards offer card advantage by refreshing your hand, which is key for maintaining strategic play options.
Their ability to cheat on mana costs accelerates gameplay, granting a significant tempo advantage.
Instant speed deployment of Mask adds flexibility to respond to changes in the game without wasting resources.

Text of card

Enchant permanent Totem armor (If enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Aura.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Mask card boosts your hand by letting you replace it with a new card from your library, effectively refreshing your options and maintaining a healthy hand size for strategic plays.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling you to cheat on mana costs, Mask can significantly speed up your gameplay, allowing for faster deployment of your threats and gaining a tempo advantage over your opponent.

Instant Speed: The ability to deploy Mask at instant speed offers flexibility, letting you adapt to the board state and react to your opponent’s moves without committing your resources prematurely.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A key drawback of Mask cards in MTG is that they often have a discard condition. This can put players at a disadvantage, especially in situations where maintaining a robust hand size is critical for executing strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Many Mask cards feature rigorous mana requirements to cast, such as a distinct combination of colors. This particularity can restrict the card’s inclusion to decks that can consistently generate the right mana colors, potentially limiting its overall versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing the mana cost compared to the benefits provided, some Mask cards might be deemed inefficient. For the mana investment, players might expect a more impactful effect on the game’s board state, making these cards potentially less optimal choices in a game where efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mask cards, known for their ability to cloak the true nature of a player’s strategy, can be seamlessly integrated into a myriad of deck archetypes. Their flexibility in either protecting your key creatures or disrupting your opponent’s plans makes them a smart addition for any player looking to enhance their deck’s adaptability.

Combo Potential: Layering these cards into your deck opens up a world of combo possibilities, allowing players to craft ingenious synergetic plays. Whether you’re using them to shield creatures until a combo is set or as part of a larger strategy that thrives on bluff and misdirection, their inclusion can be game-changing.

Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting metagames, having cards that offer tactical flexibility is crucial. Mask cards maintain their relevance by their very nature of being reactive and subtly powerful, providing a significant edge in matchups where the ability to adjust your strategy on the fly is key to victory.

How to beat

Overcoming the challenges presented by Mask in Magic: The Gathering requires careful deliberation and strategy. Known for its elusive properties that can shield creatures or skew combat calculations, Mask is a card that demands attentive gameplay. Players need to consider the direct methods of removal such as enchantment destruction or universal removal tools that don’t rely on targeting, to effectively bypass Mask’s protective umbrella.

Board wipes stand as one option, sweeping away all creatures regardless of any concealing Masks they may wear. Alternatively, one can employ the use of abilities or spells that force the opponent to sacrifice creatures, thus cleverly avoiding the need to target them directly. Hand disruption can also be key, pre-emptively removing Mask from the game before it even hits the battlefield, disrupting the opponent’s planned defenses.

In essence, tackling a Mask card head-on involves a mix of foresight and flexible tactics. By incorporating multi-purpose removal, board-wide effects, or pre-combat trickery, players can navigate around the complexities that Mask introduces to the board and maintain control over the match.

Cards like Mask

Mask as a strategy-enhancing artifact in MTG stands in comparison with other equipment cards like Swiftfoot Boots. Both offer the invaluable advantage of protecting a creature, with Mask being able to guard against a wide array of targeted spells. Unlike Swiftfoot Boots, which grants haste and hexproof immediately, Mask demands a higher level of tactical play, carefully timing the protection it offers to the wearer.

Navigating further through MTG’s extensive library, we encounter Whispersilk Cloak, another powerful equipment. It shares the protective theme but goes a step further by making the equipped creature unblockable in addition to providing shroud. This creates an interesting trade-off for players deciding between the two. Mask offers targeted protection that’s more cost-efficient, while Whispersilk Cloak provides a broader shielding effect with a direct path to deal damage.

Each card offers unique tactical advantages and disadvantages, illustrating the depth and variety within MTG’s equipment cards. Mask, with its distinct protective capabilities, commands a place in the rogue decks that value precision and timing in defense.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mask MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2018, 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 Mask and other MTG cards: