Vault Skyward MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2010-10-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Scars of Mirrodin |
| Set code | SOM |
| Number | 51 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dan Scott |
Key Takeaways
- Instant speed allows surprise maneuvers and increased flexibility during opponent’s turns.
- Untapping artifacts rapidly amplifies your resources, enabling more powerful plays.
- Vault Skyward grants creature flying, essential for overcoming ground defenses.
Text of card
Target creature gains flying until end of turn. Untap it.
"The edges of the Quicksilver Sea run dark with the spread of the Mephidross. Two more aerial passes before I can be sure what I'm seeing . . ." —Lafarius, Neurok sky agent
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vault Skyward can offer a significant edge by providing card advantage. This often means you end up with more options and resources than your opponent, keeping you one step ahead in the match.
Resource Acceleration: By untapping all your artifacts, Vault Skyward can lead to a swift escalation in resources, enabling you to execute more powerful plays and establish a dominant board presence much quicker than usual.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Vault Skyward at instant speed grants the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves or make unexpected plays during their turn, keeping them guessing and forcing them to play around your open mana.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Vault Skyward mandates players to discard a card to activate its effect. This condition can be cumbersome, especially if the card in hand is critical for your strategy or if you’re struggling to maintain a substantial hand size.
Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost necessitates blue mana, making it less versatile for decks that don’t heavily invest in blue mana sources or multi-colored decks that might struggle with color fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana value, Vault Skyward can be a bit costly when compared to other options that might elevate a creature’s capabilities for less investment or cards that offer additional benefits.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Vault Skyward fits seamlessly into a wide array of deck archetypes. It’s a boon for decks that are heavy on air superiority, providing creatures with the crucial edge needed to swing over the opponent’s defenses.
Combo Potential: When paired with cards that thrive on flying or bouncing permanents, Vault Skyward’s ability to grant temporary flying status unlocks numerous synergies, enabling dynamic plays that can catch adversaries off-guard.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where ground-based creatures dominate, providing your forces with a way to bypass these entrenched lines can be game-changing. Vault Skyward, therefore, earns its place in metagames where reaching the skies translates to achieving victory.
How to beat
Vault Skyward is an intriguing strategy card that allows players to elevate their playing field by giving creatures flying until end of turn. This capability can catch an opponent off-guard and swing a game in your favor, leading to surprise victories or clutch defensive maneuvers. But like many strategies in Magic the Gathering, there are ways to thwart this elevated assault.
For players seeking to ground this airborne advantage, incorporating cards that strip away abilities or neutralize the buffs proves effective. Tactics involve deploying instant-speed removal spells that can target creatures in response to the Vault Skyward’s activation. Additionally, cards that prevent creatures from gaining any abilities or cards that can handle multiple creatures at once can keep your opponent’s skies clear. It’s also advisable to manage the board state preemptively, keeping in check the number of creatures that could potentially gain flight.
Ultimately, understanding and anticipating the timing of Vault Skyward is key. Being prepared to disrupt your opponent’s well-timed play or having a counterspell at the ready ensures that your foe’s hopes of taking to the skies are firmly clipped. By smartly navigating around this card, you ensure your strategies remain solidly rooted on the path to victory.
Cards like Vault Skyward
Vault Skyward is a unique spell that temporarily boosts the aerial potential of a creature, with its prime effect being to give flying until end of turn and untapping that creature. This resembles a card like Leap, which also grants flying for a turn and allows for a card draw to maintain hand advantage. Vault Skyward, however, focuses solely on the element of surprise and tactical repositioning without the card draw benefit.
Another analogous card in this space is Gust Walker. While Gust Walker is a creature that can become flying until end of turn, it requires exertion, meaning it won’t untap during the next untap step. In contrast, Vault Skyward frees the creature right away for defensive or offensive maneuvers without any downtime. Aerial Modification offers a more permanent alteration, turning a vehicle or creature into a flying threat, but lacks the untap flexibility and instant speed of Vault Skyward.
In summary, while several cards share DNA with Vault Skyward’s quick boost to flying, its unique ability to untap and its use as an instant offers a distinct tactical advantage in games that require immediate and unpredictable plays.
Cards similar to Vault Skyward by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vault Skyward MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Vault Skyward and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vault Skyward has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vault Skyward card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-01 | For flying to work as an evasion ability, Vault Skyward must be cast before the declare blockers step begins. Once a creature has become blocked, giving it flying won’t change that. |
| 2011-01-01 | Vault Skyward can target any creature, including one that already has flying or is already untapped. |
