Aetherize MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Aetherize offers a strong card advantage by returning multiple attacking creatures to the opponent’s hand.
  2. Being an instant, it allows for flexible play, turning the tide of battle when it’s most beneficial.
  3. The card’s four mana cost is a strategic investment for resource management and tempo control.

Text of card

Return all attacking creatures to their owner's hand.

"You can come back once you've learned some manners—and figured out how to reconstitute your physical forms."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aetherize allows you to clear the battlefield of attacking creatures, sending them all back to the opponent’s hand. This results in a massive swing in card advantage, especially when used against multiple opponents in multiplayer formats.

Resource Acceleration: Since Aetherize has a casting cost of four mana, it scarcely affects your mana pool’s balance, prioritising resource management. When played correctly, it can provide a massive tempo shift in your favor, halting opponent’s aggressive strategies and providing you the window to accelerate your game resources.

Instant Speed: As an instant card, Aetherize can be played during your opponent’s turn making it a powerful combat trick that can be used to devastating effect. The versatility it offers by being an instant, allows you to keep open mana and use it only when the situation is most advantageous to you.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Aetherize can prove to be a game-changing card, it doesn’t come without its cons. On top of its initial casting cost, Aetherize needs ample cards in hand to be truly effective. This means you may often find yourself having to discard, which can be inconvenient, especially if resources are insufficient.

Specific Mana Cost: Aetherize carries a specific blue mana requirement. This predominantly dictates the deck type you need to include it in your game. If your current deck doesn’t accommodate enough blue mana, using Aetherize may become challenging. Therefore, this imposes limitations on its functionality and overall usability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost coming in at four mana, this is comparatively higher than many other cards within the game. This high cost can make its use quite restrictive in earlier stages of the game and less manageable than other alternatives that provide similar advantages for less mana.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aetherize, with its instant casting speed, fits naturally into control decks that require solid defensive options. It also suits decks that thrive on manipulating opponents’ creature placements.

Combo Potential: This card holds great combo potential. It can be paired with strategies that aim to capitalize on opponents’ empty board state, giving you an advantage to launch your attacking arsenal without resistance.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta-game dominated by creature-heavy or aggro strategies, the utility of Aetherize shines. It serves as a fantastic counter, as it can unexpectedly sweep aside a host of attacking creatures, disrupting your opponents’ strategies and preserving your life points.


How to beat

Aetherize is a unique card spell in Magic: The Gathering. Its tactical strategy can have a devastating impact on your opponent’s creatures, particularly if they have a substantial front line. This blue instant spell sends all attacking creatures back to their owner’s hand, causing significant disruption to offensive strategies.

To counter Aetherize, a dual approach would be beneficial. Firstly, limit your number of attacking creatures to mitigate the effect of this spell. By preserving your creatures and not overly committing, its impact can be minimized.

Secondly, you could opt for spells or abilities that offer hexproof or protection. Cards like Swiftfoot Boots or Bruna, the Fading Light guarantee security against actions targeted toward your creatures. Equally, exploiting counter spells is another viable strategy. By countering the Aetherize spell at the crucial moment, you can maintain your offensive position and continue exerting pressure.

Tackling the Aetherize card requires strategic thinking and the clever use of resources. By understanding the various counter strategies available, you can best prepare to challenge this potent MTG card spell and maintain your formidable battlefield presence.


BurnMana Recommendations

Aetherize is a spell card that any MTG enthusiast should consider for its exceptional tactical depth. From creating sudden tempo swings to enabling strategic plays, its importance in a well-rounded collection cannot be overstated. Whether facing down swarms of tokens or preventing the final push from an aggro opponent, this card could be your ticket to a resounding comeback. Mastery over such instant spells is an art in and of itself. If you’re looking to refine your control strategies or simply want to add a layer of defense to your arsenal, Aetherize warrants your attention. Explore further with us and discover the myriad of ways to optimize your deck around this crucial gameplay pivot.


Cards like Aetherize

The Aetherize card surely adds a unique twist to the realm of instant spells in Magic: The Gathering. As a comparative piece, consider Cyclonic Rift, which also moves creatures off the battlefield. However, Aetherize ushers them into their owner’s hand rather than throwing them into oblivion. This process tends to be less harsh and opens the door for future repositioning.

We also see parallels with Evacuation, another potent, instant spell that returns all creatures to their owner’s hands. Despite the broader impact, Evacuation’s higher mana cost compared to Aetherize does pose a challenge. Along similar lines, we can observe Engulf the Shore. It follows a closely related mechanism but bases its impact on the number of Islands you control – a determining factor missing in Aetherize’s straightforward action.

To sum it up, while comparing Aetherize to peers, the card offers a blend of strategic and lower-cost gameplay. Therefore, it stands firm in the scheme of Magic: The Gathering instant spells, with its unique prospects of battlefield manipulation.

Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Evacuation - MTG Card versions
Engulf the Shore - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Evacuation - Stronghold (STH)
Engulf the Shore - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)

Cards similar to Aetherize by color, type and mana cost

Deflection - MTG Card versions
Ray of Command - MTG Card versions
Inspiration - MTG Card versions
Turnabout - MTG Card versions
Quash - MTG Card versions
Foil - MTG Card versions
Thwart - MTG Card versions
Repel - MTG Card versions
Plagiarize - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Cryptic Command - MTG Card versions
Urza's Command - MTG Card versions
Wheel and Deal - MTG Card versions
Gifts Ungiven - MTG Card versions
Fold into Aether - MTG Card versions
Part the Veil - MTG Card versions
Surging Aether - MTG Card versions
Careful Consideration - MTG Card versions
Gifts Given - MTG Card versions
Discombobulate - MTG Card versions
Deflection - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ray of Command - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Inspiration - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Turnabout - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Quash - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Foil - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Thwart - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Repel - Odyssey (ODY)
Plagiarize - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fact or Fiction - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Cryptic Command - Amonkhet Invocations (MP2)
Urza's Command - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Wheel and Deal - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Gifts Ungiven - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Fold into Aether - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Part the Veil - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Surging Aether - Coldsnap (CSP)
Careful Consideration - Modern Masters (MMA)
Gifts Given - Happy Holidays (HHO)
Discombobulate - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aetherize MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora, 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 Aetherize and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Aetherize Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-02-01GatecrashGTC 292003normalblackRyan Barger
22015-02-27Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. KioraDDO 362015normalblackRyan Barger
32015-11-13Commander 2015C15 852015normalblackRyan Barger
42017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 402015normalblackRyan Barger
52020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 232015normalblackRyan Barger
62022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 191★2015normalblackXavier Ribeiro
72022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 1912015normalblackXavier Ribeiro
82023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1422015normalblackAlexandre Honoré
92024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 4481997normalblackAlexandre Honoré

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aetherize has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Aetherize card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2017-11-17 An "attacking creature" is one that has been declared as an attacker this combat, or one that was put onto the battlefield attacking this combat. Unless that creature leaves combat, it continues to be an attacking creature through the end of combat step, even if the player it was attacking has left the game, or the planeswalker it was attacking has left combat. There's no such thing as an attacking creature outside of the combat phase.

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