Geistwave MTG Card


Provides card advantage and tempo by bouncing nonland permanents, useful for disrupting opponents or saving allies. Enables resource acceleration and combo potential, excelling in instant-speed interactions and multiple deck archetypes. Requires careful mana allocation due to specific mana needs and the potential for hand depletion as a trade-off.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. If you controlled that permanent, draw a card.

Necro-alchemists gained popular support during the Travails, when geist-fueled weapons helped defend towns against mad cultists and Eldrazi monstrosities.


Cards like Geistwave

Geistwave has entered the arsenal of Magic: The Gathering blue spells as a versatile option for players. It’s often compared to other bounce spells like Unsummon, which similarly returns a target creature to its owner’s hand for one blue mana. However, Geistwave adds a layer of utility by allowing the bounce of any nonland permanent, not just creatures, and gives card advantage through its draw effect. While costing an additional mana over Unsummon, it compensates by being more flexible and beneficial in longer games.

Another parallel can be drawn with Into the Roil, a card also allowing the targeting of nonland permanents. Into the Roil has the kicker mechanic which, when paid, permits the drawing of a card. Geistwave offers the card draw inherently without requiring an additional cost, making it slightly more economical in terms of mana. Lastly, there’s Blink of an Eye, functioning almost identically to Into the Roil but with a different name and artwork. The ability to choose when to have the additional effect without kicker makes Geistwave a more adaptable choice for various game situations.

To sum up, Geistwave’s capacity for handling diverse threats and offering card draw positions it as a noteworthy utility card in player’s decks, especially when considering the tempo advantage and strategic depth it brings to the game.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Blink of an Eye - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Blink of an Eye - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Geistwave by color, type and mana cost

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Echoing Truth - MTG Card versions
Early Frost - MTG Card versions
Mana Leak - MTG Card versions
Remove Soul - MTG Card versions
Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Echoing Truth - MTG Card versions
Early Frost - MTG Card versions
Mana Leak - MTG Card versions
Remove Soul - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Geistwave. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Blue TronMono-Blue Tron ModernMono-Blue TronModern League 2023-12-01
Five-Color CreativityFive-Color Creativity StandardThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Hidden StringsHidden Strings PioneerHidden StringsPioneer Preliminary 2023-12-14

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Geistwave provides a valuable opportunity to return a target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. This can be strategically used on your own permanents to reuse enter-the-battlefield effects or to save key pieces from removal. Not only does it protect your board, but if used on an opponent’s permanent, it can set them back, disrupting their plans and tempo.

Resource Acceleration: An often overlooked advantage of Geistwave is its potential to accelerate your resources. By returning a permanent you control to your hand, you can play it again, potentially triggering landfall or other such abilities multiple times within a single game. This can lead to a swift and overwhelming advantage in resource development.

Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to threats or opportunities at the most opportune time. Whether it’s during your opponent’s end step or in response to an opponent’s spell, Geistwave’s instant speed allows for reactive game play, keeping your opponents guessing and allowing you to maximize the impact of your cards.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Geistwave makes its caster pitch a card, potentially depleting your hand when you might be trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This instant demands a blue mana, which means players running multiple colors may struggle to keep blue mana available when it’s most needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a full cost of two mana, Geistwave may not always be the most mana-efficient option for bouncing creatures or spells when you’re strategizing to keep the board clear or disrupt opponents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Geistwave shines in decks that capitalize on instant-speed interaction, able to counter spells or save your own creatures while setting up for future plays. It’s flexible enough to fit into a variety of archetypes from control to tempo.

Combo Potential: With its ability to return a creature to your hand, Geistwave opens up numerous combo possibilities. Reinforce enter-the-battlefield effects or reuse creatures with potent abilities to outmaneuver opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that often hinges on key spells and creatures, the utility Geistwave provides keeps it relevant. It slots into the current metagame by disrupting opponent’s strategies and protecting your own board state efficiently.


How to beat

Geistwave is an intriguing blue instant that adds tactical flexibility in Magic: The Gathering matches. It allows a player to return a creature or planeswalker to its owner’s hand and can replicate this effect with a rebound, signing up for a second round on the next turn. With this card in your opponent’s deck, your battlefield presence can feel twice as precarious.

To outmaneuver Geistwave, efficient play is key. Make sure to capitalize on times when your opponent is low on mana, especially if they’ve played it once and you know the rebound is imminent. Deploying threats that are cheap to cast can ease the sting of being bounced back to your hand. Additionally, cards with enter-the-battlefield effects or those that generate value upon casting would not mind the temporary setback and can, in fact, exploit Geistwave’s rebound for extra advantage.

Lastly, counterspells or hand disruption are solid strategies against Geistwave. Keeping watch on your opponent’s mana and anticipating when they’d want to play it allows a well-timed Thoughtseize or Negate to dismantle their plan. Thus, while Geistwave poses a unique challenge, strategic play can help ensure your forces remain steadfast on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Geistwave’s flexibility minimizes the need for compromise when sculpting your victory. Implementing this card into your MTG arsenal ensures you are adept at dictating the flow of battle, boasting control with each graceful wave. Whether you are retriggering potent abilities or safeguarding your cards from peril, Geistwave stands as a testament to strategic diversity. Plunge into the depths of strategic nuance and elevate your gameplay; let Geistwave ripple through your deck, redefining the pace and potency of your plays. Dive in, harness these insights, and see how your collection transforms – with Geistwave, every match is a canvas for triumph.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Geistwave MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Geistwave and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Geistwave Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Olena Richards.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 562015NormalBlackOlena Richards
22022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 562015NormalBlackOlena Richards

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Geistwave has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-09-24 You won't draw a card if you don't control the target permanent as Geistwave resolves, even if you controlled that permanent at some previous point.