Papercraft Decoy MTG Card

Papercraft Decoy, a strategic choice, provides card advantage by misdirecting opponent removal strategies. While not mana acceleration, it influences game pace, giving players a more decisive resource management. With instant-speed synergy, the decoy maximizes surprise, crucial for combat and protection measures.

Papercraft Decoy - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Frog
Released	2022-02-18
Set symbol
Set name	Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Set code	NEO
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	253
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Brian Valeza

Text of card

When Papercraft Decoy leaves the battlefield, you may pay . If you do, draw a card.

"And what, precisely, was so important that you left the entrance unguarded?" —Fumika, Imperial enforcer

Cards like Papercraft Decoy

Papercraft Decoy is an intriguing blue creature card that adds a unique tactical twist to Magic: The Gathering gameplay. In terms of nuanced play, Unsummon is a card that comes to mind, offering the ability to return a creature to its owner’s hand, albeit without the disposable token element of Papercraft Decoy. While Unsummon is a straightforward bounce spell with a low mana cost, Papercraft Decoy provides a temporary blocker that can also trigger leave-the-battlefield effects.

Looking at another related card, Frost Lynx shares a kinship with the Decoy by impacting the tempo of the game. Frost Lynx enters the battlefield and taps down an opponent’s creature, similar to how the Decoy’s token can be strategically sacrificed to disrupt an opponent’s attack. However, unlike Papercraft Decoy, Frost Lynx doesn’t require a token sacrifice to exert its influence on the board state.

In the broader conversation of control tools in Magic: The Gathering, Papercraft Decoy holds its ground with its ability to manipulate combat, albeit through a nuanced token-based mechanic. For players seeking strategic depth and versatility in gameplay, this card offers a compelling option to consider.

Cards similar to Papercraft Decoy by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: By functioning as both a creature and a potent distraction for your opponents’ removal spells, Papercraft Decoy can serve as a valuable source of card advantage. Engaging opponents with decisions can often lead them to misallocate their resources, which translates into gains for you on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of resource acceleration, the decoy can indirectly influence the pace of your game. By drawing out removal spells or causing opponents to overcommit, it has the potential to save your critical resources for more decisive moments in the match.

Instant Speed: Though Papercraft Decoy isn’t an instant itself, its various synergies with cards that can be played at instant speed can be invaluable. The element of surprise works in your favor, enabling you to maximize the timing of deploying your decoy, often during the combat phase or in response to an opponent targeting your more valuable creatures.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To cast Papercraft Decoy, you may find the need to discard another card, which can put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already depleting or the card quality is too valuable to lose.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise allocation of mana, including at least one blue. It’s tailored for a blue deck, potentially narrowing its versatility and excluding it from many other deck types without sufficient mana-fixing capabilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Papercraft Decoy offers a unique ability, its mana cost is on the higher side when assessed against other creatures or spells with similar roles in a game. This can reduce its overall efficiency and impact during crucial game phases where mana economy is vital.

Reasons to Include Papercraft Decoy in Your Collection

Versatility: Papercraft Decoy can slip into a variety of decks, adept at serving both offensive and defensive roles. Its utility shines in cases where you need a reliable blocker or a creature that can become unblockable to sneak in crucial damage.

Combo Potential: This card has synergies in decks that capitalize on enter-the-battlefield triggers or those that manipulate creature stats. It can be instrumental in executing combos that involve switching power and toughness or benefiting from temporary creature abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s capability to adapt to different board states, it can prove itself worthy in a shifting meta. If creature-based strategies are dominant, having a Papercraft Decoy could provide the needed edge to outmaneuver opponents with its transformative gameplay implications.

How to beat

Papercraft Decoy may seem like a simple creature card in Magic: The Gathering, but its quirky ability to force opponents to attack you can influence the battlefield in unexpected ways. This compelling card is a Gearhulk that, when on the board, ensures all enemy creatures have to swing at you if able. It’s like a magnet pulling aggression to itself; hence, a clever play is to plan for this influx of combat.

In dealing with this crafty construct, keeping removal spells in your hand is crucial. Direct removal such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can easily dispatch the decoy, giving you control over your opponents’ attack phases once again. Sweepers like Wrath of God also work well to reset the playing field, removing the Decoy along with other potential threats.

Additionally, playing cards that grant you life for each creature attacking you, like Righteous Cause, can turn the tables by capitalizing on your opponent’s forced aggression. With the right strategy, Papercraft Decoy becomes less of a nuisance and more of a stepping stone to cementing your victory on the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Papercraft Decoy MTG card by a specific set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, 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 Papercraft Decoy and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Papercraft Decoy has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal