Preston, the Vanisher MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Rabbit Wizard
Released	2022-12-02
Set symbol
Set name	Jumpstart 2022
Set code	J22
Power	2
Toughness	5
Number	8
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Christina Kraus

Key Takeaways

Preston enables card advantage by swapping creatures at critical moments to destabilize opponents.
Resource acceleration is significant, letting players unleash high-cost creatures ahead of time.
Preston’s instant-speed play offers tactical flexibility, surprising opponents and dictating battles.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Preston, the Vanisher MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart 2022, 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 Preston, the Vanisher and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, if it wasn't cast, create a token that's a copy of that creature, except it's a 0/1 white Illusion. , Sacrifice five Illusions: Exile target nonland permanent.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Preston the Vanisher offers a unique mechanism that lets you swap it with another creature right from your hand. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategies while giving you exactly what you need for the current board state, increasing your card utility and presenting potential card advantage opportunities.

Resource Acceleration: By utilizing Preston’s ability, you can put high-cost creatures into play much earlier than normal, significantly accelerating your resource availability. This can be a game-changing move, allowing you to outpace your opponents with powerful creatures faster.

Instant Speed: The key to Preston’s power is his flash ability, which means you can play him at instant speed. This versatile timing can catch opponents off guard, especially during combat or in response to their actions, offering you tactical advantages when they least expect it.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Preston the Vanisher asks players to discard a card, potentially depleting hand advantages and strategic options available during later stages of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The requirement of blue mana to cast this spell indicates that it is not feasible for inclusion in decks that do not support blue or multicolored bases, thus limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to bring Preston the Vanisher into play may be seen as steep by some players, especially when there are alternative creatures or spells that could be more efficiently played with a similar mana investment.

Reasons to Include Preston the Vanisher in Your Collection

Versatility: Preston the Vanisher is a unique card that can seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Its ability to dodge removal spells and yet remain a consistent threat on the board allows for strategic depth in gameplay, fitting into control, aggro, and combo builds with ease.

Combo Potential: With Preston the Vanisher, innovative players can unearth synergies that pivot around its blink abilities. It can act as a catalyst for enter-the-battlefield (ETB) triggers, enhancing decks that capitalize on such mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the shifting landscape of competitive play, having a card that can adapt and prove potent against a wide range of strategies is crucial. Preston the Vanisher’s potential to outmaneuver opponent’s tactics makes it an asset in both local game nights and high-tier tournaments.

How to Beat Preston the Vanisher

Preston the Vanisher presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its elusive abilities. As a player facing this cunning card, the key to overcoming its tricks is targeting its weaknesses. Firstly, due to Preston’s intrinsic ability to dodge most spells, it’s crucial to employ cards that don’t specifically target a single creature, thus bypassing its evasion skills.

Board wipes, such as “Supreme Verdict” or “Wrath of God”, become essential tools in your arsenal when trying to clear the board of such ambiguous threats. These spells impact all creatures indiscriminately, ensuring Preston’s vanishing act comes to an abrupt end. Additionally, employing strategies involving graveyard manipulation can be equally effective. Utilizing cards that exile cards from the graveyard can prevent a rapid reappearance if Preston is using its ‘vanishing’ to hide away temporarily.

Therefore, by prioritizing non-targeted removal and thwarting graveyard strategies, you can dismantle the enigma that is Preston the Vanisher, paving the way to claim victory on your terms in the fascinating world of Magic: The Gathering.

BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of MTG is akin to a constant evolution of strategy and skill. With a card like Preston the Vanisher, you introduce new levels of complexity and surprise into your matches. Taking advantage of its flash ability for unexpected plays, leveraging creature swaps for optimal board presence, and even accelerating your resource pool can turn the tides in your favor. Every deck tells a story, and cards like Preston can add thrilling chapters. Embrace these insights and explore more strategic nuances that ensure your victory. Your journey to becoming an adept MTG player is ongoing – join us to advance further.

Cards like Preston, the Vanisher

Preston the Vanisher offers a unique twist on creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the functionalities of cards like Invisible Stalker, which is also elusive, thanks to hexproof and unblockable traits. However, Preston the Vanisher steps up the game by providing potential card advantage each time it damages an opponent. While Invisible Stalker maintains a low profile and steady damage output, Preston can potentially turn the tide by expanding your hand with each hit.

Comparatively, Looter il-Kor shares a similar “hit and draw” mechanism, striking the opponent and then drawing a card. Although both creatures encourage a tempo-paced tactic, Preston the Vanisher leads with increased versatility in deck building, given its added dimension of hand sculpting. Another peer, Shadowmage Infiltrator, offers card draw as well, but Preston’s conditional evasion can make it a harder target to block.

Ultimately, in the arena of utility creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Preston the Vanisher introduces a blend of aggression and reward that can appeal to players looking for a dynamic approach to combat and hand advantage.