Faerie Duelist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Faerie Rogue
Abilities	Flying, Flash
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	39
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Yongjae Choi

Key Takeaways

With flash ability, the Duoelist surprises foes and swings combat dynamics favorably.
Its dual mana requirement can complicate casting in multicolored MTG decks.
Versatility makes it a strong addition to any MTG player’s collection.

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash Flying When Faerie Duelist enters the battlefield, target creature an opponent controls gets -2/-0 until end of turn.

Faeries are easily offended and quick to exact a quirky revenge.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Faerie Duelist can be a subtle contributor to card advantage in gameplay. By trading with an opponent’s X/2 creature, or deterring an attack due to its flash ability, it can help maintain board control without losing card economy.

Resource Acceleration: While the Faerie Duelist itself does not directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost aids in keeping mana available. This permits players to play other spells or hold up defensive mana more efficiently, ensuring a more fluid control of the game’s pace.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Faerie Duelist at instant speed provides a strategic advantage. It can surprise opponents by flashing in to block or to temporarily shrink an attacking or blocking creature, potentially altering the combat outcome without warning.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Faerie Duelist, you might face the situation where the card doesn’t align well with your hand management strategies. Unlike utility cards that play directly from your hand, Faerie Duelist doesn’t provide an immediate impact without another card to pair with it, potentially leading to discarded card disadvantage in crucial gameplay moments.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Faerie Duelist requires both blue and generic mana. This specificity can be a minor inconvenience for multi-colored decks that might experience mana strain, making it harder to summon the Duelist at the optimal moment during the game. Players must have the right mana balance to leverage Faerie Duelist’s capabilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature with only two power, Faerie Duelist’s total mana cost might seem steep, especially in decks where mana efficiency is key. In fast-paced games or when facing opponents with low-cost creatures, having a Faerie Duelist in hand might not be as advantageous compared to other creatures or spells with comparable costs that offer greater board presence or stronger abilities.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Faerie Duelist has a place in various deck styles due to its flash ability, allowing for surprise blocks or end-of-turn play. It can adapt to both aggressive and control strategies.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well in decks that capitalize on creatures with flying. When paired with cards that benefit from targeting your own creatures, its ability to reduce opponent creature power can also be a tactical advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive creatures are commonplace, Faerie Duelist can serve as a relevant tool to disrupt opponent attacks and shift combat outcomes in your favor.

How to beat

Faerie Duelist is a nimble entity in the plane of Ravnica, offering tactical advantages in combat with its unique flash and flying features. By enabling players to cast it unexpectedly, it can thwart the mightiest of attackers by reducing their power. However, like all creatures in the multiverse, it can be neutralized. Employing removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their flying ability, such as Fatal Push or Doom Blade, immediately renders the Faerie’s prowess null.

Another effective strategy is to utilize spells that can negate the casting of creatures or counter abilities on the stack. Cards like Essence Scatter, when timed correctly, can prevent the Faerie Duelist from ever entering the battlefield. Additionally, considering the Faerie’s modest stats, simply having creatures with higher toughness can dull its impact, turning the duel into a futile effort for your opponent. As such, strategizing around these methods can assure that the Faerie Duelist’s effect on the battle is nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

Understanding counterplay and staying one step ahead of your foe’s tricks is crucial in Magic: The Gathering. Harnessing the power of the right spells and maintaining composure amidst surprise attacks will often lead to mastery over the mystic duels and the Faeries that inhabit them.

Cards like Faerie Duelist

Faerie Duelist shines in the realm of flash creatures within Magic: The Gathering. This fae creature mirrors the traits of cards such as Pestermite, which also carries the flash attribute allowing you to play it on your opponent’s turn. However, Faerie Duelist brings a unique twist to the battlefield with its ability to temporarily weaken an opposing creature, potentially disrupting combat tactics.

Comparatively, the card Mistblade Shinobi shares the skirmishing spirit but differs in its ninjutsu ability, offering surprise attacks instead of Faerie Duelist’s on-the-fly defense. While the Duelist can be a surprise play to alter combat results, Mistblade Shinobi bounces an opponent’s creature to their hand after combat damage, altering the board state.

Finally, Cloudkin Seer provides a parallel in terms of offering additional value upon entering the battlefield. Though it lacks the instant speed and combat trickery of Faerie Duelist, it draws you a card, promising continued advantage over time. Assessing these various creatures helps underline the Faerie Duelist’s role as a tactical piece in player arsenals, versatile in its capacity to serve as both a combat trick and a threatening body in the sky.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Faerie Duelist MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Faerie Duelist and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Faerie Duelist has restrictions

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