Piercing Rays MTG Card
2021-06-18 - Number 24
2021-06-18 - Number 4
2021-06-18 - Number 4s
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Forecast |
Text of card
Exile target tapped creature. Forecast — , Reveal Piercing Rays from your hand: Tap target untapped creature. (Activate this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)
The forecast calls for pain.
Cards like Piercing Rays
Piercing Rays stands out in the realm of white removal spells in MTG. Its point of comparison often leads us to cards like Pacifism, which also neutrally disables creatures without destroying them. Each spell is effective at removing a threat from combat without directly causing its destruction. Yet, unlike Pacifism, Piercing Rays holds an additional advantage through its sunburst ability, offering the chance to permanently exile the enchanted creature by paying its mana cost again.
Another familiar spell is Bonds of Faith, which operates similarly by preventing a designated creature from attacking or blocking but also has the potential to be a boon for Human creatures by strengthening them instead. Furthermore, Piercing Rays shares its daylight functionality with cards like Banishing Light, which also exiles any nonland permanent until Banishing Light is removed from the field. This option demonstrates versatility but lacks the recurring utility provided by Piercing Rays’ sunburst feature.
By exploring these nuances, we appreciate Piercing Rays’ place among white control spells in MTG. Its dual capacity to neutralize threats initially, then offering an escape clause for a more permanent solution, lends it a strategic edge in various gameplay situations.
Cards similar to Piercing Rays by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Piercing Rays. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Boros Synthesizer | Pauper | Boros Synthesizer | Pauper League 2024-04-14 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Piercing Rays shines by enabling a selective lock on an opponent’s creature, this can deny them card utility and indirectly tip the scales in your favor. It forces opponents to waste turns and resources if they wish to untap the creature, effectively serving as both a deterrent and a means to stretch your advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, the ability to keep opposing threats at bay with Piercing Rays grants you the time and safety you need to develop your board and resources without immediate pressure, indirectly accelerating your game plan.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of this card truly comes into play with its instant speed. This allows savvy players to make strategic decisions on the fly and react to opponents’ actions during their turn. Whether it’s halting a surprise attacker or disabling a tactically important blocker, the instant speed of Piercing Rays offers a level of control that can be pivotal in tight situations.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Piercing Rays demands that you discard a card for its madness cost. This can be a setback when your hand is already running low and you’re in need of all the options you can retain.
Specific Mana Cost: The white mana requirement for Piercing Rays restricts its inclusion to decks that can generate that color. Decks that don’t align with this mana color might find the card incompatible with their strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a regular casting cost that might be seen as steep for its immediate impact on the game, Piercing Rays falls behind when pitted against other removal spells that could offer a lower mana investment for similar or even better outcomes.
Reasons to Include Piercing Rays in Your Collection
Versatility: Piercing Rays offers flexible removal options that can be suited for a variety of situations, controlling the board by either tapping down problematic creatures or exiling them if they are tapped already.
Combo Potential: It serves as a great piece in decks that capitalize on controlling combat phases or benefit from having opponents’ creatures in a tapped state, potentially synergizing with cards that punish tapped creatures or that track the number of creatures that are tapped or exiled.
Meta-Relevance: Particularly if the current metagame is creature-heavy, Piercing Rays can be a cost-effective solution to dealing with threats, offering strategic advantages in pacing the game or removing blockers and attackers in critical turns.
How to Beat Piercing Rays
Piercing Rays serves as an intriguing utility spell for control strategies in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering a way to neutralize threats without outright removal. This white sorcery forces a creature into a tapped position and prevents it from untapping during the next untap step – a temporary roadblock to an opponent’s plans.
However, as with every card, there are ways to work around its constraints. Consider cards with vigilance, which don’t need to tap to attack, thereby bypassing the Rays’ effect. Another tactful counter is leveraging instant-speed untap abilities or spells, like Vitalize or Benefactor’s Draught, that release your creatures from the Rays’ bind right away. Alternatively, proactive use of hexproof or protection from white can render a creature immune to Piercing Rays entirely.
Strategic deck building and play choices can effectively mitigate the setback Piercing Rays might pose in a match. Anticipate your opponent’s moves, shield your essential creatures, and maintain momentum to ensure that this spell doesn’t dim the brilliance of your strategy on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Piercing Rays // Piercing Rays 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 Piercing Rays // Piercing Rays 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
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Printings
The Piercing Rays // Piercing Rays Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-06-18. Illustrated by Bryan Sola.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modern Horizons 2 Art Series | AMH2 | 4 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Bryan Sola | ||
| 2 | Modern Horizons 2 Art Series | AMH2 | 4s | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Bryan Sola | ||
| 3 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 24 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bryan Sola |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Piercing Rays has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |