Mystic Veil MTG Card


Drawing an extra card from Mystic Veil can decisively enrich strategic options. It’s instant speed ensures versatility and surprise element during plays. Demands careful deck construction due to specific mana and discard costs.
Mystic Veil - Visions
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set nameVisions
Set codeVIS
Number38
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byD. Alexander Gregory

Text of card

You may choose to play Mystic Veil as an instant; if you do, bury it at end of turn. Enchanted creature cannot be the target of spells or effects.

"Magic is my thread, my will the needle. I weave over you as if you never were." —Poetics of Hanan


Cards like Mystic Veil

Mystic Veil is a unique aura card in Magic: The Gathering that offers creature protection by preventing all damage that would be dealt to the enchanted creature. A card with a similar protective theme is Spectra Ward, which not only prevents all damage to the creature but also grants it protection from all colors, which can be a powerful asset. While Mystic Veil is more straightforward and less mana-intensive, Spectra Ward offers a broader scope of protection.

Comparably, there’s the card Shielded by Faith, offering an ongoing shield through its ability to grant indestructible to a creature. While it’s more expensive than Mystic Veil, the indestructible keyword can be more resilient against board wipes that don’t deal damage. Then, there’s also Indestructibility, another card that, as the name suggests, endows a creature with indestructible. It is costlier than Mystic Veil and lacks the latter’s cantrip advantage – the ability to draw a card, which maintains card advantage.

Each card carries its pros and cons, but Mystic Veil often stands out for its cantrip effect combined with protection, striking a balance between maintaining card flow and defensive capabilities, making it a contender in decks that aim to protect key creatures.

Spectra Ward - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
Indestructibility - MTG Card versions
Spectra Ward - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
Indestructibility - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mystic Veil enables a player to draw an additional card upon its activation, providing a steady flow of options and bolstering hand resources to outmaneuver the opponent.

Resource Acceleration: When played, Mystic Veil has the potential to untap lands, effectively ramping up your mana resources and permitting more impactful plays or the ability to respond to threats with ease.

Instant Speed: The capability to cast Mystic Veil at instant speed offers versatility, allowing strategic depth by conserving mana for reactive plays or end-of-turn advantages without disrupting your primary game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mystic Veil requires the player to discard a card, which can be particularly taxing in situations where hand size is already compromised or when each card held is of strategic importance.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana arrangement to cast, specifically blue mana. This necessity potentially restricts deck-building options, confining the card’s inclusion to blue-centric or multi-color decks that can accommodate blue mana sources reliably.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side for its effect, Mystic Veil may not be the most mana-efficient option available. Players may find other cards within the same mana range that offer more impactful or versatile effects, making the cost of casting Mystic Veil seem steep by comparison.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mystic Veil has the capability to adapt to various playstyles, offering enchantment options for creatures that fit within an array of deck types. Its ability to turn a creature into a more formidable threat allows for dynamic plays across multiple game scenarios.

Combo Potential: As a card with an aura-like effect, Mystic Veil can be a key component in strategies that revolve around empowering creatures. It synergizes with decks that capitalize on enchantment-related triggers, setting the stage for potentially game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where targeted removal is prevalent, Mystic Veil’s ability to grant hexproof until end of turn not only protects your key creatures but also can catch opponents off guard, disrupting their planned plays. This can tilt the odds in your favor, making it a strategic addition to decks aiming to outmaneuver oppponents.


How to beat

Mystic Veil is a unique enchantment in the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering, and overcoming it requires specific strategy. This Aura card is distinct for the layer of protection it confers to creatures, making them nearly invulnerable to targeted spells or abilities. Sideboarding cards that force an opponent to sacrifice creatures can be effective, as these don’t target and thus circumvent the protection offered by Mystic Veil.

Another tactic is to use board wipes, which impact all creatures globally and are not hindered by enchantment-based protection. Cards like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the board regardless of Mystic Veil’s presence. Enchantment removal spells, including Disenchant or Naturalize, directly remove Mystic Veil from the battlefield, stripping away its safeguarding veil and leaving the enchanted creatures vulnerable once again to your targeted removal or control strategies.

In essence, while Mystic Veil presents a challenge, there are various methods within MTG that can efficiently dismantle the protective barrier it provides. Incorporating these answers into your deck allows you to anticipate and neutralize the resilience granted by such enchantments, maintaining the upper hand in your matches.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mystic Veil MTG card by a specific set like Visions, 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 Mystic Veil and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mystic Veil has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2005-08-01 Does not destroy Auras which are already on the creature.
2009-10-01 The sacrifice occurs only if you cast it using its own ability. If you cast it using some other effect (for instance, if it gained flash from Vedalken Orrery), then it won’t be sacrificed.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.