Mephitic Vapors MTG Card
2018-10-05 - Number 76
2019-11-07 - Number 709
2024-01-12 - Number 85
2020-09-26 - Number GRN-76
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Surveil |
Text of card
All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn. Surveil 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
Ravnica's safest strongholds are often neither.
Cards like Mephitic Vapors
Mephitic Vapors finds its niche within the realm of board sweepers in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives include cards like Cry of the Carnarium and Golden Demise, both offering a similar effect of dealing with swarms of smaller creatures. Mephitic Vapors stands apart with its unique surveil mechanic, allowing you to filter the top cards of your library in addition to the -1/-1 it gives to all creatures on the battlefield.
Golgari players might also draw comparisons to Status // Statue, which furnishes utility in both single-target removal and mass board wiping capabilities. While it doesn’t allow you to surveil like Mephitic Vapors, its flexibility to serve as an instant-speed removal spell can be critical in tight situations. Then we have Drown in Sorrow, offering a similar creature negation while also scrying to shape upcoming draws. It doesn’t give the graveyard interaction that Mephitic Vapors’ surveil provides, which can be instrumental for setting up future plays or fueling graveyard synergy.
Each of these cards climb the ranks in their own right within Magic: The Gathering’s pantheon of removal spells, with Mephitic Vapors carving its own spot through its combination of creature control and deck manipulation.
Cards similar to Mephitic Vapors by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mephitic Vapors not only functions as a solution to multiple threats on the board but it also offers a Surveil 2 mechanic. This allows you to look at the top two cards of your library and choose to put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest back on top of your library in any order, thereby setting up your future draws and sifting through your deck for better options.
Resource Acceleration: Although Mephitic Vapors does not directly accelerate resources in the way of adding mana, by allowing you to Surveil, it indirectly accelerates your game plan. This process helps in filtering unnecessary cards from the top of your deck, effectively speeding up your access to vital resources and key spells that could be crucial for the flow of the match.
Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Mephitic Vapors is designed to be played in your main phases. The strategic timing of this card can disrupt your opponent’s board by removing low-toughness creatures ahead of their combat phase or after a turn where they might deploy numerous token creatures, crucially altering the pace and resources of their game plan.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While providing a strategy for deck and card control, Mephitic Vapors enforces a discard action that could deplete valuable hand resources, potentially placing players at a disadvantage, especially if the card synergy relies on a rich hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Restrictive mana needs may arise with Mephitic Vapors as it requires black mana, this specificity can restrict its integration into multi-color decks and may not fit smoothly within the mana curve in certain deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing cost versus impact, Mephitic Vapors has a relatively high mana cost for its effect. This could lead players to opt for alternatives that deliver either more potent board control or lower-cost options that allow for a more versatile play earlier in the game.
Reasons to Include Mephitic Vapors in Your Collection
Versatility: Mephitic Vapors offers a unique blend of board control and deck manipulation. Its ability to give all creatures -1/-1 until end of turn makes it a solid choice for weakening opponents’ armies, while the surveil 2 mechanic allows for strategic planning of upcoming draws.
Combo Potential: The card’s surveil mechanic synergizes well with graveyard strategies and can help set up powerful combinations by filtering unwanted cards or enhancing delve and undergrowth abilities.
Meta-Relevance: In environments flooded with token strategies or where small, aggressive creatures are prevalent, Mephitic Vapors serves as a timely answer to clear multiple threats with a single card, making it a tactically sound inclusion.
How to beat
Mephitic Vapors is an intriguing spell in Magic: The Gathering that can thwart opponents’ strategies, primarily those employing numerous low-toughness creatures. This card’s ability to give all creatures -1/-1 until end of turn can disrupt a wide array of aggressive tactics by clearing out weaker creatures. To effectively counter this card, consider using creatures with higher toughness to withstand the temporary debuff. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed spells that can boost your creatures’ toughness in response can save them from the vaporous descent.
Incorporate cards in your deck that can regenerate or return creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, effectively negating the impact of Mephitic Vapors. Moreover, having access to hexproof or indestructible creatures renders Mephitic Vapors’s effect redundant. By equipping your deck with these strategies, not only will you fortify your battlefield presence, but you’ll also retain an edge over adversaries who rely on Mephitic Vapors to clear out opposing forces.
It’s essential to adapt your game plan and maintain a diverse range of threats to stay one step ahead of area-of-effect cards like Mephitic Vapors. By doing so, you ensure resilience against such disruptions and maintain a strong standing in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mephitic Vapors MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Mystery Booster, 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 Mephitic Vapors and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Mephitic Vapors Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Darek Zabrocki.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 709 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | GRN-76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki | ||
| 4 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 85 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mephitic Vapors has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mephitic Vapors card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | Creatures that are going to die after getting -1/-1 will still be on the battlefield while you surveil. They won’t be put into their owners’ graveyards until after Mephitic Vapors is entirely finished resolving. If any of their abilities trigger on surveilling, those abilities will trigger but won’t resolve until after the creatures have left the battlefield. |
| 2018-10-05 | Mephitic Vapors affects only creatures on the battlefield at the time it resolves. Creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn won’t get -1/-1. |
| 2018-10-05 | When you surveil, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards into your graveyard, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them into your graveyard. |
| 2018-10-05 | You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, you’ll surveil last. For others, you’ll surveil and then perform other actions. |