Captain Ripley Vance MTG Card
2021-06-18 - Number 119
2021-08-26 - Number 427
2023-08-04 - Number 209
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Pirate |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Draw a card with every third spell cast in a turn, boosting hand-size and strategic depth.
- Supports strategies that require a high volume of spells, perfect for storm and spell-slinger decks.
- Counter Vance’s card advantage by utilizing instant-speed removal or limiting spell casting.
Text of card
Whenever you cast your third spell each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Captain Ripley Vance, then it deals damage equal to its power to any target.
The Spitfire Bastion bristles with cannons claimed from every ship she's conquered.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Captain Ripley Vance shines in decks that focus on casting numerous spells in a single turn. Each time you cast your third spell in a turn, you draw a card, which can quickly translate into a formidable card advantage, keeping your hand replenished and your options open.
Resource Acceleration: While Captain Ripley Vance doesn’t directly produce mana or Treasure tokens, the card advantage she offers can lead to drawing into more mana sources or spells that generate resources. This can effectively accelerate your available resources to execute more powerful plays as the game progresses.
Instant Speed: Although Captain Ripley Vance herself must be cast at sorcery speed, her ability to draw cards upon casting the third spell each turn does not discriminate against instant speed spells. This means you can strategically plan your turns to cast two spells on your turn and hold an instant to cast on your opponent’s turn to trigger her ability and draw outside of your designated draw phase.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Captain Ripley Vance asks you to discard a card to unleash its full potential. This demand can strain your hand, especially in tight game stages where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Building your deck around Captain Ripley Vance means you’re committing to red mana. This specificity curtails the card’s versatility as it may not seamlessly fit into multi-color or colorless strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that reflects its strength, Captain Ripley Vance competes with a wide array of four-mana spells. Players might find themselves prioritizing other spells that offer more immediate board impact or lower-cost alternatives with similar effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Captain Ripley Vance thrives in decks that play numerous non-creature spells on a single turn. Her ability to draw extra cards each turn makes her a perfect fit for spell-slinger and storm decks that aim to cast multiple spells in rapid succession.
Combo Potential: This legendary character shines in combinations that rapidly cycle through the deck, drawing into more spells to continue the chain. Her ability to provide card advantage can seamlessly integrate into combos that rely on having plenty of options in hand.
Meta-Relevance: With the prevalence of spell-based strategies in various formats, a card like Captain Ripley Vance is often a well-suited piece in the puzzle. Her ability to turn the casting of numerous spells into a source of card draw can be invaluable in keeping pace with other high-tempo decks.
How to Beat Captain Ripley Vance
Dealing with Captain Ripley Vance in Magic the Gathering can be quite the challenge given her ability to transform spells into extra card draws. She thrives in decks loaded with an arsenal of instants and sorceries, rewarding the player for casting multiple spells in a single turn. To effectively counter her strategy, it’s essential to disrupt the spell-slinging synergy she encourages.
Removing her quickly is key. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells ensures she doesn’t stick around to gain value. Cards like Murderous Rider or Heartless Act offer efficient solutions without breaking the mana bank. Another approach is to limit the number of spells a player can cast each turn. Rule of Law or Deafening Silence are exemplary cards that can stifle Vance’s card-drawing engine before it revs up.
Alternatively, targeting the player’s hand with discard effects can cripple their ability to stack multiple spells in a turn. Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek don’t just remove valuable pieces from the opponent’s hand, they also provide insight into their game plan. In essence, the key is to remain proactive in dismantling the elements that make Captain Ripley Vance a formidable presence on the battlefield.
Cards like Captain Ripley Vance
Captain Ripley Vance stands out in the realm of red cards that focus on casting multiple spells to accrue value. Like Vance, Young Pyromancer rewards players for playing multiple spells by creating creature tokens. However, the resemblance ends there, as Pyromancer generates tokens consistently with each spell, while Vance amasses and exhibits her power after the third spell each turn.
Spellgorger Weird is another comparable card, as it thrives on sorcery and instant spells. Each time you cast a noncreature spell, it gets stronger by gaining a +1/+1 counter. Unlike Vance’s one-time substantial bonus each turn, Spellgorger Weird’s power and toughness have the potential to steadily increase over time, offering a different sort of ramp up in threat level. Beamsplitter Mage also plays in the spellslinger’s space, targeting itself and a token copy with spells that could be similar to Captain Vance’s thematic focus on casting numerous instances, yet in practice, it facilitates targeting shenanigans rather than rewarding the sheer number of spells played.
The distinction lies in the gameplay dynamics where Captain Ripley Vance shines in decks poised to cast several spells quickly and extract value from that critical third spell within a single turn. These different mechanics provide a range of options for players building around spell-based strategies in MTG.
Cards similar to Captain Ripley Vance by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Captain Ripley Vance MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Captain Ripley Vance and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Captain Ripley Vance Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Mathias Kollros.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 119 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mathias Kollros | |
| 2 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 427 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mathias Kollros | |
| 3 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 209 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mathias Kollros |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Captain Ripley Vance has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Captain Ripley Vance card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-06-18 | Believe it or not, Ripley counts spells that were cast even if they didn't resolve. This means it still counts spells that were countered. |
| 2021-06-18 | Captain Ripley Vance need not be on the battlefield to witness the first two spells being cast. As long as it's already on the battlefield when you cast the third spell of a turn, its ability triggers. |
| 2021-06-18 | Copying a spell is not the same as casting a spell. |
