Restless Apparition MTG Card


Restless Apparition presents an enduring board presence, resisting removal and demanding continuous opponent resources. Adjusting mana expenditure to support its abilities can prove intense but rewards you with a tenacious defender or attacker. Its specific mana needs might limit deck construction, yet its recurring nature makes it a valuable meta contender.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Persist
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

{WB}{WB}{WB}: Restless Apparition gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Persist (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to play under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)


Cards like Restless Apparition

Restless Apparition holds a unique position among spirit creatures in Magic: The Gathering. One card it can be closely compared to is Drogskol Captain, a fellow spirit that also offers a buffs to spirit creatures and grants them hexproof. However, what sets Restless Apparition apart is its ability to persist, coming back to play with a -1/-1 counter when it dies, if it had no -1/-1 counter on it already.

Analogous in some ways to Twilight Drover, both creatures flourish from death-triggered effects. But unlike the Drover, which generates spirit tokens when a creature token leaves the battlefield, Restless Apparition self-strengthens directly by using mana to increase its power and toughness, making it a potentially endless threat. Then there is Ghost Council of Orzhova, another spirit creature that can evade death by sacrificing another creature and returning to the battlefield. Yet, Restless Apparition does not require such a sacrifice, making it simpler to sustain as a recurring board presence.

Delving into the attributes and strategic utilities of these similar cards, Restless Apparition offers a blend of resilience and power-enhancement, carving its own niche in the MTG realm of spirit-themed decks.

Drogskol Captain - MTG Card versions
Twilight Drover - MTG Card versions
Ghost Council of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Drogskol Captain - MTG Card versions
Twilight Drover - MTG Card versions
Ghost Council of Orzhova - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Restless Apparition by color, type and mana cost

Breena, the Demagogue - MTG Card versions
Sin Collector - MTG Card versions
Kunoros, Hound of Athreos - MTG Card versions
Greasefang, Okiba Boss - MTG Card versions
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Teysa, Orzhov Scion - MTG Card versions
Souls of the Faultless - MTG Card versions
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Necrotic Sliver - MTG Card versions
Stillmoon Cavalier - MTG Card versions
Gwyllion Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Scholar of Athreos - MTG Card versions
Blood-Cursed Knight - MTG Card versions
Drana's Emissary - MTG Card versions
Daxos the Returned - MTG Card versions
Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple - MTG Card versions
Kambal, Consul of Allocation - MTG Card versions
Tymna the Weaver - MTG Card versions
Unraveling Mummy - MTG Card versions
Vizkopa Vampire - MTG Card versions
Breena, the Demagogue - MTG Card versions
Sin Collector - MTG Card versions
Kunoros, Hound of Athreos - MTG Card versions
Greasefang, Okiba Boss - MTG Card versions
Edgewalker - MTG Card versions
Teysa, Orzhov Scion - MTG Card versions
Souls of the Faultless - MTG Card versions
Orzhov Pontiff - MTG Card versions
Necrotic Sliver - MTG Card versions
Stillmoon Cavalier - MTG Card versions
Gwyllion Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Scholar of Athreos - MTG Card versions
Blood-Cursed Knight - MTG Card versions
Drana's Emissary - MTG Card versions
Daxos the Returned - MTG Card versions
Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple - MTG Card versions
Kambal, Consul of Allocation - MTG Card versions
Tymna the Weaver - MTG Card versions
Unraveling Mummy - MTG Card versions
Vizkopa Vampire - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though not directly providing card draw, Restless Apparition can effectively become a recurring threat on the board. Each time it is targeted and would be put into the graveyard, you can spend mana to return it to play, maintaining your board presence and demanding additional answers from your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Restless Apparition doesn’t inherently accelerate resources in the form of mana or treasure tokens. However, by persistently staying in play, it allows you to utilize your mana efficiently on developing your board rather than recasting creatures.

Instant Speed: The ability to pump Restless Apparition at instant speed adds a layer of complexity for your opponents during combat. This makes it a formidable blocker or an aggressive attacker that can surprise an unprepared adversary, providing you with tactical advantages during the heat of battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Restless Apparition doesn’t require an actual discard, it demands persistent mana investment to maintain its presence on the battlefield. This can be a setback, especially when you’re vying for resources to support other aspects of your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Restless Apparition requires both white and black mana for its casting and abilities. This specificity can restrict deck flexibility, making it less ideal for multicolored decks that lack consistent access to both colors of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial casting cost and subsequent mana required to leverage its strength-enhancing ability may seem steep when compared to other creatures in the same mana range. This can make Restless Apparition less attractive when building an efficient mana curve in your deck.


Reasons to Include Restless Apparition in Your Collection

Versatility: Restless Apparition is a powerful card that thrives in any deck built around +1/+1 counters. Its ability to grow and become a formidable force on the battlefield provides flexibility in both offensive and defensive roles.

Combo Potential: With sacrifice outlets or cards that utilize counters, Restless Apparition becomes a recurring threat. It synergizes particularly well with mechanics like proliferate, making it a potentially endless source of board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame with a prevalence of removal spells, Restless Apparition stands out. Its persist ability ensures it comes back to life, making it an enduring asset against decks that focus on controlling the board.


How to beat Restless Apparition

Restless Apparition, with its persistent nature and the ability to scale up through its haunt ability, can certainly be a thorn in an opponent’s side. However, overcoming this spectral adversary can be simpler than it appears. Primarily, exiling effects or spells that prevent card abilities from triggering can neutralize the Apparition effectively. Specifically, cards such as Path to Exile or Silent Gravestone can ensure that the Apparition doesn’t return to haunt your board state. Besides, utilizing graveyard manipulation spells to exile cards directly from the graveyard can disrupt its haunt ability, leaving the Apparition without a vessel to cling to.

Moreover, players could employ strategies that limit the opponent’s ability to use mana or creatures, stymieing the Apparition’s growth before it becomes too strong. It’s often about timing and managing your spells wisely to address threats like Restless Apparition before their power can spiral out of control. In doing so, you can maintain control of the game and mitigate the challenges this unique card presents.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Restless Apparition MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Restless Apparition and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Restless Apparition Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by Jeff Easley.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-07-25EventideEVE 942003NormalBlackJeff Easley
22015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 1962015NormalBlackJeff Easley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Restless Apparition has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Restless Apparition card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2013-06-07 If a creature with persist stops being a creature, persist will still work.
2013-06-07 If a creature with persist that has +1/+1 counters on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to cause it to be destroyed by lethal damage or put into its owner’s graveyard for having 0 or less toughness, persist won’t trigger and the card won’t return to the battlefield. That’s because persist checks the creature’s existence just before it leaves the battlefield, and it still has all those counters on it at that point.
2013-06-07 If a permanent has multiple instances of persist, they’ll each trigger separately, but the redundant instances will have no effect. If one instance returns the card to the battlefield, the next to resolve will do nothing.
2013-06-07 If a token with no -1/-1 counters on it has persist, the ability will trigger when the token is put into the graveyard. However, the token will cease to exist and can’t return to the battlefield.
2013-06-07 If multiple creatures with persist are put into the graveyard at the same time (due to combat damage or a spell that destroys all creatures, for example), the active player (the player whose turn it is) puts all of their persist triggers on the stack in any order, then each other player in turn order does the same. The last trigger put on the stack is the first one that resolves. That means that in a two-player game, the nonactive player’s persist creatures will return to the battlefield first, then the active player’s persist creatures do the same. The creatures return to the battlefield one at a time.
2013-06-07 The persist ability triggers when the permanent is put into a graveyard. Its last known information (that is, how the creature last existed on the battlefield) is used to determine whether it had a -1/-1 counter on it.
2013-06-07 When a permanent with persist returns to the battlefield, it’s a new object with no memory of or connection to its previous existence.