Merseine MTG Card
1994-11-01 - Number 23a
1994-11-01 - Number 23c
1994-11-01 - Number 23b
1994-11-01 - Number 23d
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Put three net counters on Merseine when it is brought into play. Target creature Merseine enchants does not untap as normal during its controller's untap phase as long as any net counters remain. As a fast effect, target creature's controller may pay creature's casting cost to remove a net counter.
Cards like Merseine
Merseine is an enchantment aura that offers strategic depth in Magic: The Gathering. Its similarities lie with other control tools such as Claustrophobia, which also locks down creatures and prevents them from attacking or blocking. Merseine requires three blue mana and an extra cost of paying four to maintain the lock, unlike Claustrophobia, which outright disables the creature without additional costs.
Another card in this space is Ice Cage, with a lower casting cost, but with a catch – the enchantment breaks upon the creature becoming the target of a spell or ability. This condition makes Merseine a more durable solution, albeit with a recurring cost. Encrust also shares the creature neutralizing effect, though it extends its disruption to activated abilities, a broader breach than Merseine’s offering. However, Encrust comes at sorcery speed, limiting its surprise factor in gameplay when compared to the instant application led by Merseine.
Looking across the spectrum of MTG creature control spells, Merseine holds a balanced midpoint when evaluated for its reliability and necessary upkeep. It can be a game-extending asset, providing players with time and control necessary to steer the game’s tide at crucial junctures.
Cards similar to Merseine by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Merseine ensures card advantage by potentially locking down a key opponent’s creature. This disruption can often lead them to waste resources trying to free their creature or push them to make unfavorable trades, indirectly resulting in gaining card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the enchantment can hinder an opponent’s resource acceleration by targeting mana-producing creatures, effectively slowing them down and giving you an edge in the race to deploy threats or answers.
Instant Speed: Though Merseine is an enchantment with a casting requirement during your main phase, the versatility of removing counters at instant speed offers you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn. This can create surprise interactions and disrupt their strategy, allowing you to better manage the pace of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Merseine requires you to sacrifice a creature when the last fade counter is removed. This could be a steep price, especially when you are trying to maintain board presence and manage your creature resources effectively.
Specific Mana Cost: Merseine demands a specific mana alignment, namely two blue and one of any color. This requirement can potentially disrupt mana curves and restrict its integration into multi-colored decks that may not always have blue mana readily available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana and the additional payment of one mana during each of your upkeeps to maintain it, Merseine may prove to be an underwhelming enchantment. There are alternative cards that offer creature control without continuous investment, potentially yielding greater value over the span of a game.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Merseine is a card that offers flexible utility in decks that capitalize on enchantment synergies or controlling the battlefield. Its ability to neutralize a threat or be an enabler for various enchantment-centric strategies enhances any collection.
Combo Potential: Merseine’s nature as an enchantment that can be used offensively or defensively opens up opportunities for innovative combos with cards that care about enchantments or creatures being tapped.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where the pacing can shift, having Merseine provides a tool to answer some of the persistent creatures that are staples in many prevalent decks. This relevance to a changing metagame adds to its value when building a future-proof collection.
How to Beat
Merseine is a unique enchantment that presents a multifaceted challenge to overcome. This card can lock down a creature, potentially altering the course of the game by sidelining a key piece of your opponent’s strategy. However, players can deter the effect of Merseine by planning ahead with a well-considered strategy.
One of the most effective tactics is to employ artifact or enchantment removal spells, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, which promptly eliminate Merseine from the battlefield, freeing your creature to reengage in the fray. Creatures with the ability to untap themselves can also be valuable here, circumventing the constraint imposed by Merseine without requiring additional resources. Finally, it’s wise to manage your threat deployment, since having an array of formidable creatures in play dilutes the impact of Merseine’s entrapping power. By diversifying the threats you present, you compel your opponent to make tough decisions on which creature to target, thus mitigating Merseine’s potential sway over the game.
Understanding these strategies not only helps in navigating past Merseine but also enriches your overall gameplay, preparing you to face a wide range of controlling cards in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Merseine MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Fallen Empires, 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 Merseine and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Merseine Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 1994-11-01. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 23a | 1993 | Normal | Black | Heather Hudson | |
| 2 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 23c | 1993 | Normal | Black | Drew Tucker | |
| 3 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 23b | 1993 | Normal | Black | Margaret Organ-Kean | |
| 4 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 23d | 1993 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Merseine has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Merseine card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Can remove as many counters per turn as you want to and this can be done at any time instants are legal. |
| 2004-10-04 | The cost that needs to be paid includes colored mana requirements. |