Empyreal Voyager MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 180
2020-11-12 - Number 194
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Vedalken Scout |
| Abilities | Flying,Trample |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying, trample Whenever Empyreal Voyager deals combat damage to a player, you get that many (energy counters).
"For years, I studied the aethersphere from afar, but it was not until I touched the aether for myself that I came to know the power contained in the swirling sky."
Cards like Empyreal Voyager
Empyreal Voyager has an interesting position within the realm of creature cards. Much like Thrummingbird, it has the ability to give you a benefit whenever it deals combat damage to a player. Thrummingbird helps you proliferate, building on any type of counters you have out. However, Empyreal Voyager’s trample and energy counter production set it distinctly apart, offering both aggression and a resource pool for your energy-based strategies.
Considering Skyship Plunderer, we observe a similar dynamic. This card also deals with energy counters but gives you more control, allowing a counter of your choice to be placed on another target permanent. Where Empyreal Voyager excels is in direct player damage potential due to trample. Not to be overlooked, Voltaic Brawler extends the conversation around energy-driven creatures. It costs less mana, making it an early game factor, but lacks the evasion provided by Empyreal Voyager’s trample ability.
In evaluating the card’s utility against these counterparts, Empyreal Voyager stands out for being able to feed into the energy mechanic while still being a formidable attacker in player-versus-player engagements. This balance of offense with a versatile energy counter mechanic grants it a unique spot among its equivalents in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Empyreal Voyager by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Drawing additional cards is often the bedrock of winning strategies in MTG, and the Empyreal Voyager excels by granting you that crucial edge. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, its triggered ability lets you draw that many cards, positioning you to outmaneuver your opponent with a fuller hand.
Resource Acceleration: Empyreal Voyager doesn’t just deal damage; it gives you an equivalent number of energy counters. Energy can be a versatile resource, fueling a variety of mechanics and hastening your access to more powerful plays, pivoting you into a stronger position as the game progresses.
Instant Speed: While the Voyager itself is not an instant, it pairs well with instant-speed spells. Flying and trample make it a formidable attacker, often unblocked, allowing you to potentially use energy-generating instants before damage is dealt for a significant impact during combat phases.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Empyreal Voyager doesn’t require discarding cards, focusing on concerns unrelated to card disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates green and blue mana, which might restrict deck-building options to those colors or require a well-tuned mana base to reliably cast it on curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two that must be colored, there are alternative creatures at this cost that could offer immediate impact or greater stats, potentially making Empyreal Voyager less favorable in fast-paced games or against decks that can aggressively manage the board.
Reasons to Include Empyreal Voyager in Your Collection
Versatility: Empyreal Voyager offers a dynamic role in gameplay, seamlessly integrating into energy-focused decks or those that require flying threats. Its ability to gather energy counters with each hit makes it a valuable asset in a variety of strategic settings.
Combo Potential: The energy counters generated by this card have multiple uses, enabling the activation of abilities or powering up other creatures and spells within the energy mechanic. This opens up numerous synergy possibilities, turning Empyreal Voyager into a versatile enabler within its archetype.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where energy strategies are prevalent, Empyreal Voyager stands out as a staple card. Its evasion ability allows it to consistently deal combat damage and accumulate energy, making it a constant threat on the board and a must-have for energy-centered deck builders.
How to beat
Empyreal Voyager is a unique creature card in MTG that thrives in energy counter strategies. With its flying and trample abilities, it can soar over ground units and deal damage even when blocked. The Voyager gains energy counters, furthering your advantage with each hit to the opponent.
Overcoming this card requires disrupting its energy synergy or removing it swiftly from play. Cards with reach or those that can deal damage in the air, such as Skywhaler’s Shot, are effective counters. Alternately, spells that provide -1/-1 counters to neutralize the Voyager’s offensive impact can be potent tools.
Utilize instant-speed removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile to eliminate the Empyreal Voyager before its energy potential snowballs can also be beneficial. Considering its modest toughness, these strategies are particularly effective. Hence, preparing your deck with a blend of aerial defense and efficient removal will keep Empyreal Voyager’s threat at bay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Empyreal Voyager MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Empyreal Voyager 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Empyreal Voyager Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by David Gaillet.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 180 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Gaillet | |
| 2 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 194 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Gaillet |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Empyreal Voyager has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Empyreal Voyager card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.) |
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method. |
| 2017-02-09 | You can't pay more energy counters than you have. |
| 2017-02-09 | is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter. |