Into Thin Air MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Affinity
Released	2004-06-04
Set symbol
Set name	Fifth Dawn
Set code	5DN
Number	33
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ittoku

Key Takeaways

Into Thin Air offers card advantage by replacing itself and disrupting enemy tactics simultaneously.
Instant-speed casting allows for strategic flexibility and mana management during opponents’ turns.
Though potentially resource-intensive, its versatility can justify inclusion in specific strategies.

Text of card

Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs less to play for each artifact you control.) Return target artifact to its owner's hand.

"Perhaps I should take Mirrodin apart and begin again." —Memnarch

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Into Thin Air enables the removal of an artifact or enchantment while replacing itself in your hand because it allows you to draw a card after the action is executed. This not only disrupts opponents’ strategies, but also keeps your hand stocked, preserving your tactical options.

Resource Acceleration: Acting as a subtle enabler for resource acceleration, Into Thin Air can indirectly accelerate your in-game resources. By removing key artifacts or enchantments that contribute to your opponent’s mana production or utility, you hamper their ability to develop their board, putting you at a relative advantage.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Into Thin Air at instant speed is a critical aspect of its strategic depth. This allows savvy players to wait until the most opportune moment, such as in response to an opponent’s spell or at the end of their turn, to maximize the card’s utility, all while keeping mana available for other instant-speed interactions or bluffs.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Into Thin Air necessitates the player to cast aside another card from their hand, which could deplete valuable resources and leave them at a strategic disadvantage, especially if their hand is already running thin.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a particular combination of mana to play. Requiring both colorless and blue mana, it might not fit smoothly into multicolor decks that prioritize diverse mana bases over single-color consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tapping into a full four mana just to return a single target to its owner’s hand can put you behind, especially when other spells do similar for less or provide additional benefits. In a fast-paced game, this trade-off might not be worth the slot in your deck.

Reasons to Include Into Thin Air in Your Collection

Versatility: Into Thin Air brings flexible options to the table for deck builders. If your strategy involves bouncing opposing threats or saving your own creatures from removal, this card adjusts to different board states with ease.

Combo Potential: Cleverly paired with cards that capitalize on casting or returning creatures to the hand, Into Thin Air can become part of engine setups that generate value turn after turn.

Meta-Relevance: In environments with a high density of bothersome artifacts and enchantments, Into Thin Air can serve as an essential tool to disrupt opponents’ plans and provide you with consistent control over the battlefield dynamics.

How to beat

Into Thin Air is an evasive Magic: The Gathering card that poses a unique set of challenges to players. This card offers a sneaky way to remove artifacts and enchantments from the game, something that can catch unprepared opponents off guard and shift the momentum of the match. Dealing with such a card requires a mix of proactive and reactive strategies.

Firstly, diversifying the threats on your board makes it harder for a single Into Thin Air to disrupt your game plan significantly. Having a variety of card types, rather than relying solely on artifacts or enchantments, can ensure that the effect of this card is minimized. Additionally, employing cards that have hexproof or shroud protects them from being targeted, rendering Into Thin Air ineffective against those particular threats.

Moreover, counterspells stand as a reliable line of defense against this and other disruptive spells. Having a counterspell ready to go when the opponent casts Into Thin Air can nullify it completely, allowing you to maintain your board state. In conclusion, though Into Thin Air can be a thorn in the side of many decks, with a versatile strategy and the right protective measures, you can mitigate its impact and maintain control over the battlefield.

Cards like Into Thin Air

Into Thin Air continues the long tradition of blue spells in MTG that focus on disrupting the opponent’s battlefield by returning nonland permanents to their owner’s hand. This mechanic, similar to that of Boomerang, allows for a strategic advantage by tempo manipulation. Where Into Thin Air differentiates itself is in being able to fully remove the problem by allowing the player to also exile the card if a snow mana is used, enhancing its value in snow-centric decks.

Another notable parallel is Drawn from Dreams, which also offers a careful selection process, albeit more focused on card advantage than disruption. While not a direct counterpart, it reflects the blue color’s philosophy of careful planning and precision. Meanwhile, Disperse provides a similar return-to-hand effect at a lower cost but lacks the niche exile capability that Into Thin Air possesses, making it less specialized but more versatile for various deck types. Echoing Truth is worth mentioning too, especially in a meta with multiple token strategies, where it can clear out several threats with one card.

Ultimately, Into Thin Air holds its ground among these utility spells, especially in decks designed to exploit its unique interaction with snow mana, offering both temporary and potentially permanent solutions against opposing threats.

Cards similar to Into Thin Air by color, type and mana cost

Overwhelming Intellect - MTG Card versions

Scour the Laboratory - MTG Card versions

Commence the Endgame - MTG Card versions

Masterful Replication - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Into Thin Air MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Into Thin Air and other MTG cards: