Ethereal Valkyrie MTG Card


Ethereal Valkyrie - Kaldheim Commander
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Spirit Angel
Abilities Flying
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim Commander
Set codeKHC
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number16
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDaarken

Key Takeaways

  1. Ethereal Valkyrie excels in granting card advantage and setting up future plays by drawing and exiling cards.
  2. Flash synergies and resource acceleration are pivotal, making Ethereal Valkyrie a versatile choice in different strategies.
  3. Awareness of its mana requisites and potential hand depletion is essential for optimal use in gameplay.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Ethereal Valkyrie enters the battlefield or attacks, draw a card, then exile a card from your hand face down. It becomes foretold. Its foretell cost is its mana cost reduced by . (On a later turn, you may cast it for its foretell cost, even if this creature has left the battlefield.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ethereal Valkyrie offers a unique way to harness card advantage. Each time it enters the battlefield or attacks, you draw a card and then exile one from your hand face down. Later, these cards can be played as if they were in your hand, effectively cycling your options and increasing your playable resources.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to play the exiled cards, Ethereal Valkyrie can potentially accelerate your resources. This can lead to more impactful turns as you’re able to deploy threats or answers consistently, keeping opponents on their toes without depleting your hand.

Instant Speed: Although Ethereal Valkyrie itself isn’t an instant, it can be paired with flash enabling cards. This synergy allows you to play Ethereal Valkyrie during an opponent’s turn, surprising them with an aerial block or end-of-turn play that sets you up for your next attack, all while still gaining the card advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ethereal Valkyrie offers the boon of letting you foretell cards from your hand, it requires a discard with each exile cycle. This can be challenging when you’re managing a slim hand size or you’re in need of all the resources you’ve currently got at your disposal.

Specific Mana Cost: Ethereal Valkyrie commands a precise mana arrangement of two white/blue. This specificity can potentially restrict deck versatility, favoring only those decks that can reliably produce both colors of mana early enough to make a timely play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing six mana in total, Ethereal Valkyrie comes at a pivot point in the game, where its deployment might compete with casting impactful high-mana spells or setting up game-winning combos. Players often evaluate whether the benefits of playing Ethereal Valkyrie outweigh other strategic plays available at this stage of the game.


Reasons to Include Ethereal Valkyrie in Your Collection

Versatility: Ethereal Valkyrie stands out as a flexible card that can be integrated into a variety of decks. Its ability to draw and foretell cards provides utility in both aggressive and defensive strategies, making it a valuable addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: With its unique ability to foretell cards from your hand at a reduced cost while also enchanting another creature, Ethereal Valkyrie has the potential to synergize with a range of combos. This interaction is particularly potent in decks that thrive on casting spells from exile or seeking to maximize value from creature abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that constantly evolves, staying relevant is key. Ethereal Valkyrie’s dual roles in card advantage and board presence equip players to hold their own against the shifting meta. Its solid stats and flying ability ensure you get immediate impact on the game while setting up for future turns.


How to beat Ethereal Valkyrie

Ethereal Valkyrie stands out in the world of MTG for its dual ability to bolster one’s board presence and manipulate card advantage. Its unique ability allows players to not only add a sizable flying creature to their side but also to strategically draw and exile cards, creating opportunities for future plays. The key to countering Ethereal Valkyrie lies in timing and effective removal. Instant-speed removal such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be crucial, as it allows players to deal with the Valkyrie before its ability can impact the game.

Moreover, counterplay against Ethereal Valkyrie also involves hindering its ETB (enter the battlefield) triggering effect. This can be achieved by employing cards that limit such abilities like Hushbringer or Tocatli Honor Guard. By anticipating the threat and utilizing these cards, the advantage that Ethereal Valkyrie offers can be effectively neutralized. Lastly, since it requires a sizable investment of four mana, disrupting your opponent’s mana base with cards like Ghost Quarter can delay or even prevent the casting of Ethereal Valkyrie, thereby maintaining the balance of play.


BurnMana Recommendations

As your journey through the MTG realm unfolds, discovering cards like Ethereal Valkyrie can be a game-changer. With its play enhancement capabilities and strategic foresight, Ethereal Valkyrie is a celestial force to be reckoned with. The right synergy with flash enablers or a well-structured deck can turn this card into a formidable ally. Whether you’re looking to hone your gameplay or amplify your deck’s potential, considering Ethereal Valkyrie’s role is essential. Embark on a deeper exploration of this card’s possibilities, refine your strategies, and ensure that your collection remains ahead of the curve. Let’s dive into the versatility and combo potential that Ethereal Valkyrie brings to the board.


Cards like Ethereal Valkyrie

The Ethereal Valkyrie card is a unique presence in the realm of flying creatures in MTG. Its closest relatives in terms of mechanics include Herald of War which also lessens the casting cost of other creatures and has a striking aerial presence. However, what makes Ethereal Valkyrie stand out is its ability to not only reduce costs but also to repeatedly exile a card from your hand each time it attacks and draw you a card later – an effect not found on Herald of War.

Allocating attention to Angel of Serenity, another comparison surfaces. Both cards assist in manipulating the battlefield by exerting control over what cards can be accessed. Although Angel of Serenity allows for removal of opponents’ threats or revival of your own cards from the graveyard, it doesn’t have the same consistent hand-refinement offered by the Valkyrie’s ability to draw from the exiled cards.

To wrap it up, in the ever-evolving landscape of MTG, Ethereal Valkyrie claims its position by melding cost-effectiveness with progressive card advantage, a combination that’s sure to resonate with players who enjoy a strategic aerial offensive and value incremental card draws.

Herald of War - MTG Card versions
Angel of Serenity - MTG Card versions
Herald of War - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Angel of Serenity - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

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Azorius Skyguard - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
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Gwaihir the Windlord - The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR)
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ethereal Valkyrie MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim Commander, 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 Ethereal Valkyrie and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ethereal Valkyrie has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-02-05 Although the card you exile becomes foretold, you did not foretell it. An ability that triggers whenever you foretell a card will not trigger.
2021-02-05 Because exiling a card with foretell from your hand is a special action, you can do so any time you have priority during your turn, including in response to spells and abilities. Once you announce you’re taking the action, no other player can respond by trying to remove the card from your hand.
2021-02-05 Because the card in exile becomes foretold, you can look at it in exile. (Most effects that have you exile a card face down don’t allow you to look at the card in exile.)
2021-02-05 Casting a foretold card from exile follows the timing rules for that card. If you foretell an instant card, you can cast it as soon as the next player’s turn. In most cases, if you foretell a card that isn’t an instant (or doesn’t have flash), you’ll have to wait until your next turn to cast it.
2021-02-05 If the card you exile has foretell, it will have two foretell costs, the one printed on it and the one given to it by Ethereal Valkyrie. You may cast that card for either of its foretell costs.
2021-02-05 If you foretell a modal double-faced card, the foretell cost will be based on the mana cost of the face you cast from exile. For example, if you foretell Kolvori, God of Kinship/The Ringhart Crest, you could cast Kolvori by paying or The Ringhart Crest by paying on a future turn. If you foretell a modal double-faced card whose front face is a nonland face but whose back face is a land face, you can’t play that card as a land.
2021-02-05 If you’re casting a foretold card from exile for its foretell cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any other alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast the spell.
2021-02-05 The reduction of the foretell cost applies only to generic mana in the foretell cost. It can’t reduce requirements of specific colors of mana. For example, if you foretell a card in your hand with mana cost , its foretell cost will be .

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