Netherese Puzzle-Ward MTG Card

Enhances decks by allowing players to sift cards and prepare responses at just the right moments. Provides an edge with increased resource speed, vital for taking control of the game’s pace. Demands tactical play, as its instant-speed activation introduces a layer of depth to strategy.

Netherese Puzzle-Ward - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)

Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
2021-07-23 - Number 17

Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
2021-07-23 - Number 286

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Scry

Text of card

Focus Beam — At the beginning of your upkeep, roll a d4. Scry X, where X is the result. Perfect Illumination — Whenever you roll a die's highest natural result, draw a card.

Each configuration reveals a potential future.

Cards like Netherese Puzzle-Ward

Netherese Puzzle-Ward adds a distinct flavor to the world of enchantment cards within Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to counter spells unless their caster pays an additional two mana echoes the functionality of classic cards like Mana Leak, which similarly taxes a caster’s resources. However, Netherese Puzzle-Ward’s ongoing effect gives it a persistent board presence, unlike the one-time use of Mana Leak.

Another comparable card is Nether Void, with its more oppressive global effect that counters any spell unless its caster pays an additional three mana. While Nether Void impacts the game heavily, it also comes with a significantly higher casting cost than Netherese Puzzle-Ward. Conversely, Mystic Remora offers a different approach by drawing cards whenever an opponent casts a non-creature spell, unless they pay four. This card rewards the controller for the opponents’ actions rather than disrupting them.

Ultimately, Netherese Puzzle-Ward offers a unique balance of disruption and affordability. It acts as a deterrent, shaping how opponents spend their mana each turn, which can be a pivotal adjustment in a MTG player’s strategy.

Cards similar to Netherese Puzzle-Ward by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Netherese Puzzle-Ward is a unique addition to MTG collections, offering a suite of benefits that can significantly enhance gameplay for those who wield it. Below, we’ll explore the pros of this intriguing card and how it can impact your matches.

Card Advantage: One of the standout characteristics of Netherese Puzzle-Ward is its ability to create card advantage. By allowing you to sift through your deck and manipulate your draws, it ensures you have the right resources at the right time. This not only keeps your hand filled with options but also thwarts your opponent’s strategies by disrupting their plans.

Resource Acceleration: This card also excels in resource acceleration. Activating its ability can provide you with additional lands or resources, propelling your board state ahead of your adversary. The speed at which you develop your resources could very well dictate the pace of the game and lead you to a swift victory.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Netherese Puzzle-Ward is further enhanced by its instant speed. This allows for strategic depth and unpredictability, keeping your adversaries on their toes. With the ability to react swiftly to changes in the battlefield, this card ensures that you’re always one step ahead, making it a formidable tool in any MTG arsenal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Netherese Puzzle-Ward demands a player to discard in order to trigger its ability. This condition could backfire during gameplay, especially when your hand is already running low and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The Puzzle-Ward requires a mix of colorless and blue mana. This specific mana combination might not always align seamlessly with your deck’s mana base, potentially causing delays or casting issues in non-blue-centric builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that’s on the higher side for its effect type, players might question its efficiency. In the fast-paced flow of the game, there could be alternative spells that achieve similar or better results without such a significant mana investment.

Reasons to Include Netherese Puzzle-Ward in Your Collection

Versatility: The Netherese Puzzle-Ward can be a fitting addition to a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to manipulate the stack and protect your spells offers flexibility in both aggressive and control strategies.

Combo Potential: This card is a potential linchpin in decks that aim to craft intricate combos. It can serve as a safeguard, ensuring your key spells resolve by controlling interactions on the stack.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment where instant-speed interaction and stack wars are prevalent, Netherese Puzzle-Ward becomes a significant tool. It can give your deck an edge against opponents by skillfully navigating through counter-spells and other instant-speed disruptions.

How to beat

Netherese Puzzle-Ward is a deceptively challenging enchantment to tackle in MTG dealings. Its capability to counter the first spell a player casts each turn can disrupt strategies and force opponents into unwanted timing plays. To navigate around this ward, savvy players often bait out its effect with a less critical spell, effectively clearing the way for more essential or high-impact spells to be played without obstruction.

Furthermore, playing spells during your opponent’s turn can take advantage of the Puzzle-Ward’s once-per-turn restriction. Holding onto instant-speed removal or bounce spells can remove the ward outside your turn, thus freeing your spells from being countered. In this light, cards like Disenchant or Blink of an Eye that can target enchantments directly provide flexibility and timing advantage.

Long-term, adapting a deck to include versatile, low-cost spells can minimize the disruptions caused by Netherese Puzzle-Ward. When playing against this card, strategic hand management, and understanding the importance of spell timing can transform this obstacle into a mere speed bump on the route to victory.

BurnMana Recommendations

If you’ve been captivated by the strategic depth offered by Netherese Puzzle-Ward, we invite you to delve deeper. In MTG, every card can be a game-changer, and Netherese Puzzle-Ward’s ability to disrupt and control gameplay places it among the intriguing must-haves for your collection. Whether you’re seeking to craft a winning deck or simply enhance your MTG experience, understanding the nuances of each card is key. We encourage you to explore further with us, learn advanced strategies, and discover how Netherese Puzzle-Ward can align with your deck’s architecture. Join our MTG community to enhance your gameplay and collection.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Netherese Puzzle-Ward MTG card by a specific set like Forgotten Realms Commander and Forgotten Realms 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 Netherese Puzzle-Ward and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Netherese Puzzle-Ward Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by Ralph Horsley.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2021-07-23	Forgotten Realms Commander	AFC		17	2015	Normal	Black	Ralph Horsley
2	2021-07-23	Forgotten Realms Commander	AFC		286	2015	Normal	Black	Ralph Horsley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Netherese Puzzle-Ward has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-07-23	An ability that tells you to roll a die will also specify what to do with the result of that roll. Most often, this is in the form of a “results table” in the card text.
2021-07-23	An effect that says “choose a target, then roll a d20” or similar still uses the normal process of putting an ability on the stack and resolving it. Choosing targets is part of putting the ability on the stack and rolling the d20 happens later, as the ability resolves.
2021-07-23	Any die roll that is ignored, such as from Pixie Guide's effect, will not cause the Perfect Illumination ability to trigger.
2021-07-23	Dice are identified by the number of faces each one has. For example, a d20 is a twenty-sided die.
2021-07-23	Dice used must have equally likely outcomes and the roll must be fair. Although physical dice are recommended, digital substitutes are allowed, provided they have the same number of equally likely outcomes as specified in the original roll instruction.
2021-07-23	If you roll a natural 4 while resolving the Focus Beam ability, you will scry before you draw a card for the Perfect Illumination ability.
2021-07-23	If you're instructed to roll multiple dice (with one exception, see below) and more than one shows the highest natural result, the Perfect Illumination ability will trigger that many times.
2021-07-23	Some abilities, like that of Pixie Guide and Barbarian Class, replace rolling a die with rolling extra dice and ignoring the lowest roll. The ignored rolls are not considered for the effect that instructed you to roll a die, and do not cause abilities to trigger. For all intents and purposes, once you determine which dice count, any extra dice were never rolled.
2021-07-23	Some effects instruct you to roll again. This uses the same number and type of dice as the original roll, and that roll will use the same set of possible outcomes.
2021-07-23	Some effects may modify the result of a die roll. This may be part of the instruction to roll a die or it may come from other cards. Anything that references the “result” of a die roll is looking for the result after these modifications. Anything that is looking for the “natural result” is looking for the number shown on the face of the die before these modifications.
2021-07-23	The instruction to roll a die and the effect that occurs because of the result are all part of the same ability. Players do not get the chance to respond to the ability after knowing the result of the roll.
2021-07-23	Tournament events have more specific rules regarding dice and die-rolling. For more information, please see the most recent version of the Magic Tournament Rules at https://wpn.wizards.com/en/document/magic-gathering-tournament-rules.
2021-07-23	While playing Planechase, rolling the planar die will cause any ability that triggers whenever a player rolls one or more dice to trigger. However, any effect that refers to a numerical result will ignore the rolling of the planar die.