Run Afoul MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2020-07-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Core Set 2021 |
| Set code | M21 |
| Number | 201 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cristi Balanescu |
Key Takeaways
- Run Afoul’s cost-efficiency and instant speed add flexible disruption against flying creatures in opponent’s decks.
- Its situational nature requires strategic deck-building to maximize card efficiency and game impact.
- Comparing Run Afoul with similar cards reveals its unique niche in forcing sacrifices, bypassing protections.
Text of card
Target opponent sacrifices a creature with flying.
"What did you catch today, my pet? Ah, it looks like a bit of vampire stuck between your teeth." —Atla Palani, nest tender
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Run Afoul may look unassuming at first, but it’s a strategic tool when it comes to disrupting your opponent’s game plan without losing card advantage. By removing a key creature with flying that your opponent relies on, you ensure that the board stays balanced or in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While this card itself doesn’t directly offer resource acceleration, its low cost allows you to effectively manage your resources. For a single green mana, you can align your plays efficiently, leaving you with more mana available for further development of your battlefield presence.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Run Afoul at instant speed provides significant strategic versatility. You can wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn, potentially disrupting their attack or combo setup. The element of surprise inherent in instant speed spells ensures that Run Afoul is a card that can be a game-changer when played smartly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Run Afoul doesn’t ask you to discard, but the narrow condition for its effect can act as a figurative discard when it sits unused in your hand against non-flying creatures.
Specific Mana Cost: While costing a single green mana is efficient, it restricts the card to green decks, or multi-color decks with green, potentially limiting its versatility in a player’s arsenal.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although on the lower end of the mana scale, when considering its highly situational nature, Run Afoul might not be the most mana-efficient card for creature removal, especially when other cards might offer broader utility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Run Afoul slots into a wide range of MTG strategies that benefit from the clean removal of troublesome fliers. It’s particularly potent in green-based decks that may lack direct removal options.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize with effects that punish opponents when they lose creatures or when spells are targeted, thereby turning a simple removal into a multi-faceted play.
Meta-Relevance: With aerial threats commonly dominating the battlefield, Run Afoul is a timely addition to any collection. It offers a low-cost solution to mitigate the advantage of popular flying creatures and can tilt the game in your favor.
How to beat
Run Afoul is a unique card that offers players in Magic: The Gathering a chance to force an opponent to sacrifice a creature with flying. This pinpoint removal can be especially troublesome for decks that rely on a few key flying creatures to dominate the skies. To mitigate the impact of Run Afoul, consider diversifying threats beyond just flyers. This can include using creatures with reach or those that create tokens, creating a buffer against such targeted removal.
Another strategy to counter Run Afoul is to employ instant-speed spells or abilities that can either protect your flying creature, such as hexproof or indestructible effects, or to sacrifice it for another benefit before Run Afoul resolves. This ensures you maintain control over your board state and potential card advantage.
Integrating a variety of non-creature spells or utilizing planeswalkers can also circumvent Run Afoul’s restriction, as it exclusively aims at creatures with flying. Expanding the types of threats in your deck can render Run Afoul ineffective, allowing your strategy to flourish unhampered by its narrow confines.
Cards like Run Afoul
Run Afoul, a unique removal option in Magic: The Gathering, invites comparison to other cards that target flying creatures. Take Plummet, for instance, a straightforward card sharing Run Afoul’s ability to destroy creatures with flight. Both are cost-efficient, making them attractive choices for players looking to bolster their defenses against aerial threats. However, Run Afoul requires an opponent to sacrifice a flying creature, which can bypass protection and indestructibility, a subtlety absent in Plummet’s more direct approach.
Wing Snare is another card in the mix, offering a similar function but at a higher mana cost. While it does allow the player to choose the flying creature to destroy, it lacks Run Afoul’s flexibility in forcing an opponent to make a difficult decision. Additionally, Run Afoul’s lower mana cost gives it a tactical speed advantage, potentially disrupting an opponent’s strategy early on.
Assessing these removal cards side by side, Run Afoul emerges as a potentially more strategic option in certain gameplay scenarios. Its ability to unsettle an opponent by removing a key creature while being a low-cost spell makes it a card worth considering for decks that counter flying-heavy strategies.
Cards similar to Run Afoul by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Run Afoul MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Run Afoul and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Run Afoul 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 |
| Timeless | Legal |
