Dream Eater MTG Card
Text of card
Flash Flying When Dream Eater enters the battlefield, surveil 4. When you do, you may return target nonland permanent an opponent controls to its owner's hand. (To surveil 4, look at the top four cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
Cards like Dream Eater
Dream Eater stands out in the world of blue creatures within MTG with its unique synergy of abilities. If we examine other blue creatures like Nezahal, Primal Tide, we notice that, while Nezahal also offers a significant card advantage, it lacks the battlefield interaction that Dream Eater provides with its bounce ability upon entering the battlefield. Additionally, Nezahal’s condition for card draw is tied to your opponent’s actions, unlike Dream Eater’s guaranteed surveil upon arrival.
Another card to consider is Aetherling, a former versatile finisher in blue decks. Aetherling offers evasion and resilience against removal, similar to Dream Eater’s flash ability permitting it to dodge sorcery speed threats. However, Dream Eater again edges out with its immediate board impact and deck filtering capabilities. Sphinx of Foresight is another akin card, providing early game advantage with its scry ability. Yet, it doesn’t compare to Dream Eater’s immediate board effect and flexibility in timing due to flash.
Ultimately, Dream Eater showcases a blend of control and foresight, allowing players to shape their hand and the battlefield simultaneously. This combination is a rare find and situates Dream Eater in a unique position among blue creatures in the game.
Cards similar to Dream Eater by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dream Eater shines when it comes to generating card advantage. Its ability to surveil four when it enters the battlefield provides the opportunity to filter the top cards of your library, effectively digging deeper into your deck to find the answers or threats you need.
Resource Acceleration: While Dream Eater itself does not directly create additional resources in the form of mana, its ability orchestrates a playstyle that often leads to resource acceleration. By ensuring you draw into more relevant spells sooner, you streamline your play, avoiding wasted turns and accelerating your game plan.
Instant Speed: The flash ability of Dream Eater is a critical aspect of its utility. Being able to summon this creature at instant speed gives you the flexibility to react to your opponent’s moves, potentially disrupting their strategy during their turn. Additionally, it keeps your mana open to represent other instant-speed interactions, which can give you a significant strategic edge.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Dream Eater’s synergistic abilities can sometimes compel a player to discard a valuable card, potentially putting them at a disadvantage later in the game if their hand is already sparse.
Specific Mana Cost: Dream Eater’s casting cost demands two blue mana, which restricts its inclusion to blue-centric or two-color decks that can reliably provide this specific mana requirement, potentially limiting the card’s versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, this creature’s impact on the board may come into play later than desired. This can be especially challenging during fast-paced games where lower-cost creatures could provide quicker benefits.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Dream Eater offers unique flexibility in gameplay. This card can serve as both an offensive threat and a defensive mechanism, making it suitable for a variety of blue-based decks that value interactive play.
Combo Potential: Its Surveil 4 ability lets you filter your draws while setting up your graveyard for potential synergies. The bounce effect upon entering the battlefield can be part of a combo that capitalizes on reusing enter-the-battlefield triggers or delaying opponent threats.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment filled with key permanents and a focus on maintaining board control, Dream Eater can be an effective tool. The ability to disrupt opponent strategies while developing your own makes it a solid choice in the ever-evolving MTG landscape.
How to beat
Dream Eater is a formidable creature that can shift the tides of a Magic: The Gathering match with its powerful abilities. As a flying 4/3 creature, it provides respectable damage in the air and its surveil 4 ability can drastically improve the controller’s future draws. The bounce effect adds to its disruptive presence, capable of sending a nonland permanent an opponent controls to their hand when Dream Eater enters the battlefield.
To successfully challenge Dream Eater, considering instant-speed removal is essential. Cards like Murder or Fatal Push can handle the creature before its controller gleans too much advantage. Counter spells are equally invaluable, with Negate or Essence Scatter preventing Dream Eater from hitting the board in the first place. Additionally, playing around Dream Eater’s bounce ability by holding back key permanents or utilizing cards with beneficial enter the battlefield effects can minimize its impact.
Ultimately, managing Dream Eater involves a blend of strategic timing and the right removal tools. Recognizing the significance of instant-speed interaction is key to undermining this nightmarish specter, ensuring it doesn’t turn your winning dreams into a haunting defeat.
BurnMana Recommendations
Understanding each card’s nuanced strengths and weaknesses can instantly upgrade your MTG strategy, opening new avenues for victory. Dream Eater is a fine example of a card that’s not just about raw power but about finesse and timing. By considering its ability to surveil, flash in unexpectedly, and disrupt opposing plays, savvy players can pivot their entire match trajectory. Delve deeper into MTG with BurnMana and harness Dream Eater’s potential to craft a deck that not only competes but dominates. Embrace the subtleties of gameplay, refine your collection and edge out the competition with every drawn card. Learn more with us and witness your mastery unfold.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dream Eater MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Murders at Karlov Manor Commander, 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 Dream Eater 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
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Printings
The Dream Eater Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Daarken.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 38 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 2 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 101 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dream Eater has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dream Eater card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | Dream Eater’s reflexive triggered ability triggers even if you have fewer than four cards in your library to surveil. |
| 2018-10-05 | Dream Eater’s triggered ability goes on the stack without a target. While that ability is resolving, after you’ve surveilled, the reflexive triggered ability triggers and you pick a target nonland permanent to be returned to its owner’s hand. This is different from effects that say “If you do . . .” in that you choose the target after having surveilled. |
| 2018-10-05 | When you surveil, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards into your graveyard, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them into your graveyard. |
| 2018-10-05 | You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, you’ll surveil last. For others, you’ll surveil and then perform other actions. |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.