Phantom Monster MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 69
1993-10-04 - Number 70
1993-12-01 - Number 70
1993-12-10 - Number 70
1993-12-10 - Number 70
1994-04-01 - Number 71
1994-04-01 - Number 71
1994-06-21 - Number 71
1995-04-01 - Number 90
1995-04-01 - Number 90
1996-12-31 - Number 11
1997-03-24 - Number 108
2007-09-10 - Number 43
2016-06-10 - Number 65
2017-11-17 - Number 69
2022-11-28 - Number 69
2022-11-28 - Number 366
| Card sets | Released in 17 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Illusion |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying
"While, like a ghastly rapid river, Through the pale door, A hideous throng rush out forever, And laugh—but smile no more." —Edgar Allan Poe, "The Haunted Palace"
Cards like Phantom Monster
Phantom Monster, a notable creature in the Magic: The Gathering universe, shares space with other four-mana cost blue creatures that offer strategic advantages in gameplay. It bears comparison to Air Elemental, which boasts a stronger presence with a 4/4 stat line. However, Phantom Monster, with its 3/3 stats, has the distinction of flying as soon as it hits the battlefield, providing immediate aerial defense or pressure.
Cloud Elemental is another peer, though it costs less at three mana. This makes Cloud Elemental a quicker play, but it is markedly less sturdy with a 2/3 build and has the additional restriction of being able to block only creatures with flying. Comparatively, Phantom Monster has no such limitations, granting greater flexibility in combat scenarios.
To sum up, Phantom Monster’s balance of cost, offensive capability, and preemptive block potential positions it as a solid choice amongst midrange flying creatures. Its straightforward power and lack of complicated conditions make it an enduring creature card for players valuing immediate board impact and defensive reliability.
Cards similar to Phantom Monster by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Phantom Monster card provides a significant presence in the sky with its flying ability, which can enable players to consistently apply pressure and potentially bypass opponents’ ground defenses. This flying threat often demands an answer, potentially providing indirect card advantage by exhausting the opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Phantom Monster itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, its four power in the air can quickly shorten the game, accelerating the path to victory. In blue-centric decks focused on control or tempo, reducing the number of turns needed to win can be a form of accelerating the game’s pace in your favor.
Instant Speed: Although Phantom Monster is not an instant, its inclusion in decks with counter magic or other instant-speed interactions can be strategic. Its casting cost requires a commitment of four mana, but once on the battlefield, it allows players to confidently pass turns with mana open for instant-speed responses, knowing they have a steadfast threat already in play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Phantom Monster demands precise deck building and strategy to ensure you can meet its requirements without depleting critical hand resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring two blue mana, the card has a restrictive cost that can be challenging to fulfil in multi-colored or color-intensive decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its cost at four mana, including two blue, there may be alternative creatures or spells that provide better value or versatility for the same or lower investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Phantom Monster provides a solid body in the air as a flying creature. This ability allows it to fit well into various blue-based decks, particularly those that need a reliable four-drop that can apply pressure or act as a defender against other creatures with flying.
Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that manipulate the power and toughness of creatures. Being a creature with flying, it partners effectively with cards that capitalize on creatures with a certain type or ability, making it a versatile combo piece in many strategies.
Meta-Relevance: With the continuous evolution of the meta-game, Phantom Monster remains a pertinent choice in environments where flying creatures are essential for breaking stalemates or evading ground-based strategies. Its straightforward design and compatibility with numerous blue-focused strategies make it a potentially valuable addition in the current meta.
How to beat
The Phantom Monster card poses an interesting challenge in the world of MTG due to its reliable presence in the air space as a 3/3 flying creature. Dealing with this elusive threat can require strategic adjustments. In a game where board control is paramount, effectively managing flying creatures becomes crucial. Cards such as Grasp of Darkness or Murder are straightforward solutions, offering the ability to remove creatures regardless of their flight capability.
Counteractive measures can range from prevention to direct removal. For instance, a preemptive approach includes using counterspells like Cancel or Mana Leak to neutralize Phantom Monster before it even hits the battlefield. However, if the creature has successfully been cast, instant removal spells that target flying creatures, such as Plummet or Winds of Rebuke, provide efficient ways to clear the skies.
Ultimately, adjusting your strategy to include these types of answers within your deck will enhance your resilience against flying threats like Phantom Monster, allowing you to maintain control of the match and navigate toward victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phantom Monster MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Phantom Monster 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Phantom Monster Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 69 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 70 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 70 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 70 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 70 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 71 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 71 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 71 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 90 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 90 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 11 | 1996-12-31 | Introductory Two-Player Set | ITP | 11 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 12 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 108 | 1997 | Normal | White | Rebecca Guay | |
| 13 | 2007-09-10 | Masters Edition | ME1 | 43 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 14 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 65 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Richard Wright | |
| 15 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 69 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Richard Wright | |
| 16 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 69 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 17 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 366 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phantom Monster has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |