Spectral Reserves MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2016-07-22
Set symbol
Set name	Eldritch Moon
Set code	EMN
Number	43
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Seb McKinnon

Key Takeaways

Spectral Reserves offers dual benefits: creating flying tokens for defense or attack and immediate life gain for sustainability.
It requires white mana, making it less flexible in multicolored decks but potentially powerful in mono-white builds.
Despite its mana cost, its versatility in token and lifegain synergy makes it a noteworthy addition to many decks.

Text of card

Put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. You gain 2 life.

"My predecessors taught me of duty and commitment. It seems they have more to teach." —Wendin, veteran cathar

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spectral Reserves provides a subtle card advantage by creating two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying. This creates potential blockers or attackers that help you maintain board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By gaining 2 life when Spectral Reserves enters the battlefield, you are effectively buying more time to establish your resources and strategy, which is essential in pacing the game to your advantage.

Instant Speed: While Spectral Reserves isn’t an instant, its impact during your main phase can provide strategic advantages, like setting up defenses before your opponent’s turn or preparing for cards that synergize with lifegain or token generation.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Spectral Reserves provides a boost by creating Spirit tokens and gaining life, it also requires you to potentially lose another valuable card from your hand, which can lead to a less desirable card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both white mana in its casting cost, thus limiting its seamless integration in multicolored decks that may not always have the required mana available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost equating to four mana, the return on investment for Spectral Reserves can be challenging to justify when there are alternative spells that might offer a lower cost for a similar effect, or more impactful board presence for the same cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spectral Reserves is a card that can serve multiple roles in a variety of decks. It’s particularly useful in decks that aim to gain life while creating spirit creature tokens that can be used for both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: The spirit tokens generated by Spectral Reserves can synergize with other cards that capitalize on token presence, such as anthems or sacrifice outlets, enhancing intricate combos and interactions within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where aggro decks are prevalent, the lifegain aspect of Spectral Reserves could prove to be a crucial factor in outlasting your opponents. Simultaneously, the tokens it provides help maintain board presence against control archetypes.

How to beat

Spectral Reserves is a unique white spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering that offers a dual benefit – creating spirit creature tokens and life gain. Although beneficial for defensive plays and creating blockers, this sorcery can be outmaneuvered. Efficient removal, like board wipes or targeted selection deletion, can easily diminish the advantage provided by the spirit tokens. Focus on keeping the board clear and prevent these tokens from becoming a nuisance.

Aggressive decks that push for a fast win can typically outpace the life gain aspect by dealing significant damage quickly. Playing around Spectral Reserves requires a keen sense of timing and resource management. If you’re facing this card, consider developing a strategy that leverages stronger creatures or interacting with it on the stack. Keep in mind, life gain by itself does not win the game – maintaining board presence and applying pressure is key to overcoming the temporary boost Spectral Reserves may provide an opponent.

Beating Spectral Reserves comes down to proactive strategies and choosing the right moments to act. Whether that means deploying haste creatures, using enchantments that limit life gain, or simply overwhelming the opponent with a more dominant board state. Adaptability and tactics are essential when dealing with such a spell.

Understanding the Utility of Spectral Reserves

Spectral Reserves offers a unique blend of life gain and creature creation within MTG’s vast array of cards. It stands in a similar design space as cards like Queen’s Commission, which also generates two 1/1 white Vampire creature tokens with lifelink. However, Spectral Reserves edges out with an additional benefit of granting you 2 life, providing a slight increase in immediate sustain for your life total.

Cards like Spectral Reserves

Spectral Reserves finds its niche among cards that balance creature tokens with life gain. Take Call the Cavalry, for instance, which provides two 2/2 Knight creature tokens with vigilance at the same mana cost of four. While you forfeit the lifelink and immediate life gain that Spectral Reserves offers, you gain in board presence with more substantial tokens. Triplicate Spirits is another card that echoes the spirit of Spectral Reserves, offering three 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying, but at the cost of tapping your creatures and potentially a higher mana investment. The trade-off here revolves around increased evasion versus the immediate life gain of Spectral Reserves.

Each card in this category serves distinct roles, with Spectral Reserves uniquely satisfying the role of a cushion against aggression while developing your board, which can be pivotal in MTG matches that hinge on maintaining a life advantage and defensive capabilities.

Cards similar to Spectral Reserves by color, type and mana cost

Presence of the Wise - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spectral Reserves MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon, 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 Spectral Reserves and other MTG cards: