Step Through MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Cycling,Wizardcycling

Key Takeaways

  1. Gain card advantage by cycling or selectively returning Wizards from the battlefield to your hand.
  2. Flash ability allows reactive play, turning the tide at critical gameplay moments.
  3. Wizardcycling offers versatility, fetching key creatures or enabling potent combos.

Text of card

Return two target creatures to their owners' hands. Wizardcycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a Wizard card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)

Doors open both ways.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Step Through allows for a seamless transition into deeper layers of your deck, swinging the tides in your favor by substituting lesser-valued cards with more impactful ones as the duel progresses.

Resource Acceleration: With its unique ability to return two Wizards to your hand, Step Through nudges you ahead by redeploying valuable resources. This efficient recycling act primes your game for a quickened pace, granting you a subtle yet tangible lead over the opposition.

Instant Speed: The real magic of Step Through lies in its flash, permitting tactical plays that embolden your position while keeping adversaries on their toes. Deploy it when the moment is just right and watch as your strategy unfurls at a pace they can scarcely keep up with.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Step Through demands that you toss another card from your hand into the graveyard to utilize its alternative cost, which can strain your hand, particularly if you’re running low on cards or need to retain essential pieces for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With a blue-centric mana cost, Step Through requires a commitment to blue mana sources. This can limit deck-building flexibility, making it tougher to incorporate into multi-color decks that aren’t heavy on blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a base cost of five mana, Step Through can be considered expensive for the wizardry tutoring effect it provides, given the existence of other lower-cost tutor cards that could fulfill a similar role more efficiently in your deck.


Reasons to Include Step Through in Your Collection

Versatility: Step Through offers dual utility as it can either be cycled to find a key Wizard creature for your deck or played to pull two Wizards directly from the library. This makes it adaptable to various game situations and deck builds.

Combo Potential: In decks built around Wizards, this card unlocks a multitude of combos, not only by fetching combo pieces but also by synergizing with spells that care about sorceries and instants cast or Wizards entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With creatures playing a critical role in the current game environment, having a flexible tool that can tutor specific pieces and potentially bypass counterspells offers a significant boon for strategies centered around Wizard synergies.


How to beat

Step Through is an intriguing card that can create surprising shifts in the flow of a Magic: The Gathering match. With a wizardry ability that returns up to two target creatures to their owner’s hands, this card can be particularly disruptive against opponents who rely heavily on creature-based strategies. Notably, Step Through can also be a facilitator for powerful plays due to its alternative casting option known as ‘wizardcycling’.

To effectively counteract Step Through, it is wise to limit the card’s utility by reducing the dependence on creature-heavy builds or by utilizing creatures that can resist or take advantage of being returned to the hand. Creatures with ‘enter the battlefield’ effects can capitalize on this, turning a would-be disadvantage into a repeated value opportunity. Moreover, including instants and sorceries that can counteract noncreature spells can be pivotal, especially in response to Step Through’s wizardcycling ability, which an opponent might utilize to fetch a specific wizard creature for a strategic advantage.

Ultimately, the key to overcoming Step Through lies in adaptability, and having a game plan that minimizes your vulnerability to the card’s bounce and tutor-like effects. In the chessboard that is Magic: The Gathering, foreseeing and preparing for such nuances can lead to triumph even when faced with crafty moves like Step Through.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhancing your MTG tactics is a continuous quest for depth and finesse. Drawing from the insights on Step Through, you’re now familiar with its potential to advance your gameplay through strategic wizardry plays. Embrace the flexibility it offers for pulling ahead in matches, and remember the importance of adapting to its high mana cost and color specificity. Whether you’re an adept deck builder or eager to improve, there’s always an edge to be gained. Fuel your MTG prowess with the right blend of cards, and let Step Through be a testament to your growing mastery. Continue your exploration with us and discover how to optimize your collection for the ever-evolving challenges of the game.


Cards like Step Through

Step Through from Magic: The Gathering slides neatly into the realm of blue’s return and flicker effects. It offers a dual utility that’s reminiscent of cards like Whiplash Trap. While Whiplash Trap demands two targets and triggers its cost reduction under more specific conditions, Step Through’s flexibility lies in its less restrictive nature, returning two target creatures to their owner’s hands without condition. Additionally, Step Through boasts the Wizardcycling ability, giving it an edge in fetching specific creatures for a deck built around Wizards.

Another card in the conversation is Into the Roil – a staple in many blue-based control decks. Into the Roil can bounce both nonland permanents and, if kicked, allows for card draw, but it only targets a single item at a time. On the aspect of instant-speed utility, Echoing Truth also emerges in comparison. It can clear away multiple copies of tokens or identical permanents with one swoop, though it lacks the cycling feature that provides Step Through with enhanced versatility.

Ultimately, Step Through distinguishes itself by offering both immediate impact and long-term strategic options, underlining its value in MTG’s vast ensemble of blue magic tricks.

Whiplash Trap - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Echoing Truth - MTG Card versions
Whiplash Trap - Planechase (HOP)
Into the Roil - Zendikar (ZEN)
Echoing Truth - Darksteel (DST)

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Library of Lat-Nam - Alliances (ALL)
Psychic Transfer - Starter 1999 (S99)
Balance of Power - The List (PLST)
Cruel Fate - Portal (POR)
Temporal Manipulation - The List (PLST)
Ancestral Memories - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Brilliant Plan - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Time Warp - Explorers of Ixalan (E02)
Reverse Engineer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Invoke the Winds - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Essence Fracture - Onslaught (ONS)
Rush of Knowledge - Double Masters (2XM)
Temporal Fissure - Vintage Masters (VMA)
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Acquire - IDW Comics 2014 (PI14)
Petals of Insight - Modern Masters (MMA)
Heed the Mists - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ribbons of the Reikai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Reduce to Dreams - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Tidings - Commander 2018 (C18)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Step Through // Step Through MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 Art Series and Modern Horizons 2 Art Series, 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 Step Through // Step Through and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Step Through // Step Through Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-06-18. Illustrated by Randy Gallegos.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 21s2015art_seriesborderlessRandy Gallegos
22021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 212015art_seriesborderlessRandy Gallegos
32021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 3921997normalblackRandy Gallegos
42021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 662015normalblackRandy Gallegos

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Step Through has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-06-18 Typecycling is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on a card being cycled also triggers on a card being typecycled. Any ability that stops a cycling ability from being activated also stops a typecycling ability from being activated.
2021-06-18 Unlike the normal cycling ability, typecycling doesn't allow you to draw a card. Rather, it lets you search your library for a card with the type or types indicated by the ability name. For example, a card with basic landcycling lets you search for a basic land card, and a card with Wizardcycling lets you search for a Wizard card.

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