Ghost-Lit Drifter MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Channel,Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Ghost-Lit Drifter’s exile effect can dramatically ramp up card availability for more strategic options.
  2. Its Channel ability provides a burst of mana, potentially turning the tide of the game.
  3. Instant-speed casting increases adaptability and can catch opponents off-guard.

Text of card

Flying : Another target creature gains flying until end of turn. Channel — , Discard Ghost-Lit Drifter: X target creatures gain flying until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ghost-Lit Drifter enables you to exile the top three cards of your library, offering a substantial possibility to access additional plays and outpace your opponent in terms of resources.

Resource Acceleration: Through its Channel ability, this card allows you to untap up to two target lands, providing a sudden surge in mana that can be vital for executing game-winning combos or casting significant spells sooner than expected.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Ghost-Lit Drifter can be cast during either player’s turn, granting flexibility in response timing. This allows for strategic plays that can disrupt your opponent’s actions or enhance your own position when most advantageous.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ghost-Lit Drifter requires the player to discard another card in order to unleash its channel ability. This cost can be quite disadvantageous, particularly when your hand is already stretched thin, leaving you with fewer options on subsequent turns.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost for Ghost-Lit Drifter’s channel ability includes blue mana, which necessitates a specific mana environment typically found in blue-focused or multicolored decks only, potentially limiting its versatility in a player’s strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana and a channel ability cost of four mana, the card can feel costly compared to other offerings in the game. Players may opt for alternatives that provide similar effects or better value for the mana invested, especially in formats where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Ghost-Lit Drifter in Your Collection

Versatility: Ghost-Lit Drifter offers a flexible skill set for decks looking to utilize spirits or arcane spells. Its ability to become unblockable ensures it fits into various playstyles, particularly in strategies that aim to chip away at an opponent’s life total undeterred.

Combo Potential: As an affordable source of card advantage, Ghost-Lit Drifter can synergize with decks that capitalize on drawing cards or those looking to trigger prowess and other abilities that respond to spellcasting. Its channel ability also opens up combo routes, providing strategic depth to your gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard interaction is prevalent, Ghost-Lit Drifter can serve as a recurring threat. Its evasion and card filtering make it a reliable option in metas dominated by ground-based creatures or where reaching key spells quickly is critical for maintaining the pace of the game.


How to beat

Ghost-Lit Drifter offers a unique mix of abilities that can make it a tough opponent in MTG. This spirit card allows players to exile it with four mana to copy an instant or sorcery spell they control. To effectively counter Ghost-Lit Drifter’s ability, focus on strategies that limit graveyard interactions and spell-copying opportunities. Enforcing graveyard hate cards like Relic of Progenitus can disrupt the reusability of Ghost-Lit Drifter. Moreover, instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile are useful to prevent your opponent from gaining the momentum to utilize Ghost-Lit Drifter’s abilities effectively. Another effective method is capitalizing on counterspells to stop key spells from being copied in the first place. By anticipating your opponent’s moves and maintaining board control, you can outmaneuver Ghost-Lit Drifter and secure your position in the game.


Cards like Ghost-Lit Drifter

When evaluating the strategic nuances of the Ghost-Lit Drifter in Magic: The Gathering, it’s beneficial to consider it alongside its kin, such as Mausoleum Wanderer. Both cards have flying and provide tactical value in spirit decks. The Ghost-Lit Drifter takes this a step further with the ability to exile itself for card advantage, setting it apart from the simpler stat-boosting of Mausoleum Wanderer when a spirit spell is cast.

Another spirit to compare is Rattlechains. This card also supports spirit tribe synergies and offers flash and hexproof, enabling surprise defenses or offensive maneuvers. While Rattlechains doesn’t explicitly draw cards, it interacts with the theme of spirits and instant-speed play, much like the Ghost-Lit Drifter’s channel ability to ditch itself from hand for effect.

Dissimilar to cards that may simply offer evasion or tribal buffs, the Ghost-Lit Drifter provides an additional layer with its distinct ability to channel from the hand for an immediate impact in card draw. This aspect endows players with a subtle tactical advantage for maintaining card flow, standing out within the realm of creature cards with similar characteristics.

Mausoleum Wanderer - MTG Card versions
Rattlechains - MTG Card versions
Mausoleum Wanderer - Eldritch Moon Promos (PEMN)
Rattlechains - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Cards similar to Ghost-Lit Drifter by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ghost-Lit Drifter 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 Ghost-Lit Drifter and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ghost-Lit Drifter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Mila Pesic.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 452015normalblackMila Pesic
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 1962015normalblackMila Pesic

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ghost-Lit Drifter has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

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