Vectis Silencers MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Human Rogue |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 62 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Steven Belledin |
Key Takeaways
- Vectis Silencers can disrupt opponents while offering card advantage and valuable game information.
- The card is versatile and can be a combo enabler, but requires careful hand and mana management.
- Strategic deck building and in-game play are key to overcoming Vectis Silencers’ control mechanisms.
Text of card
: Vectis Silencers gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Whenever it deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.)
Even on Esper, there are those who eschew the use of magic in favor of simpler methods.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vectis Silencers enables you to disrupt your opponent’s strategy while replenishing your own hand. By allowing you to peek at an opponent’s hand and choosing a card to exile, you not only gain information but also indirectly increase your card quality compared to your opponent’s.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, Vectis Silencers plays a significant role in resource acceleration by efficiently utilizing mana. The ability to cast it at a reasonable cost and affect the board state or an opponent’s hand creates opportunities for you to maximize mana use in subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Vectis Silencers provides the flexibility to adapt to the evolving board state. By allowing you to act during your opponent’s turn, it adds a layer of complexity to your interaction, forcing opponents to play around potential disruptions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks when playing Vectis Silencers is the mandatory discard to trigger its ability. This can be particularly taxing when your hand is already stretched thin, forcing difficult decisions about resource management.
Specific Mana Cost: Vectis Silencers demands an exacting mana configuration to cast—requiring not just colorless but also black mana. This specificity potentially restricts deck-building flexibility and its inclusion in multi-color decks that may not support the color scheme as effortlessly.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that’s on the higher end for its effect, Vectis Silencers may not be the most mana-efficient choice available. Players need to consider if the discard-effect balance is worth the investment, particularly when other cards in the mana range may provide superior board presence or strategic advantage.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Vectis Silencers can seamlessly adapt to various deck builds, making them a solid choice for players who enjoy tweaking and optimizing their strategies. Its unique ability to neutralize opponent’s creatures positions it as a valuable asset across multiple gameplay scenarios.
Combo Potential: These silencers work well within intricate combos, particularly in decks that exploit abilities or card interactions involving the tap and untap mechanics. Harnessing this potential can lead to a significant tactical advantage over your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creature-based strategies are prevalent, the ability of Vectis Silencers to disrupt and control the battlefield makes them a key contender. Their presence can tip the scales in your favor by impeding your opponents’ plans and maintaining the tempo of the game.
How to Defeat Vectis Silencers
Vectis Silencers emerge as a unique piece within the stealth strategy of a MTG player’s deck. They allow a crafty control of the battlefield, discouraging opponents from attacking by threatening hand disruption. To effectively counter this, smart deck construction and game tactics are paramount. You might consider incorporating cards that protect your hand or focus on deploying cheaper creatures to avoid significant hits from the Vectis Silencers’ ability. Spell-based control decks may also fare well, as they sidestep the Silencers’ creature-based focus.
Using redundant effects can mitigate the impact of losing a card or looking for ways to gain card advantage elsewhere is essential. Countermeasures such as instant-speed removal or having your creatures enter the battlefield under protective spells liks “Swiftfoot Boots” or “Lightning Greaves” can also help. Moreover, employing your removal options conservatively ensures that Vectis Silencers are dealt with before they can tilt the balance of the game. Understanding your meta and preparing sideboard strategies can substantially increase your chances of succeeding against this disruptive adversary.
Ultimately, facing Vectis Silencers requires tactical adaptation and a composed, forward-thinking approach to secure victory on the battlefield. Players adept in predicting opponent’s moves and adjusting their playstyle on the fly will find themselves well-equipped to nullify the threat posed by Vectis Silencers.
Cards like Vectis Silencers
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Vectis Silencers stand out for their unique attributes. Comparable to cards like Tidehollow Strix, which also boasts a combination of deathtouch and flying, Vectis Silencers bring a different dimension to the battlefield. While Tidehollow Strix offers a straightforward combat advantage, Vectis Silencers add a layer of complexity with their ability to silence activated abilities upon dealing combat damage to a player.
Another similar card is Baleful Strix, which provides card draw in addition to deathtouch and flying. Although Baleful Strix doesn’t inhibit opponents’ abilities like Vectis Silencers, it can set players up for future gameplay with the extra card in hand. Then there is Vampire Nighthawk, a card that offers not only deathtouch and flying but lifelink as well. It sacrifices the silencing ability for a different kind of staying power, bolstering the player’s life total with each attack. This makes Vampire Nighthawk a noteworthy alternative for those seeking resilience over control.
When comparing these cards, Vectis Silencers hold a unique position, providing a strategic control element that can significantly disrupt an opponent’s game plan. This ability to hinder key abilities on the battlefield gives Vectis Silencers potential as a tactical choice in Magic: The Gathering decks focused on maintaining control.
Cards similar to Vectis Silencers by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vectis Silencers MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Vectis Silencers 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 Vectis Silencers 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 Vectis Silencers card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager. |
| 2009-10-01 | If you activate the ability multiple times during the same turn, Vectis Silencers will gain multiple instances of deathtouch; however, multiple instances of deathtouch are redundant. A creature dealt damage by a source with deathtouch is destroyed as a state-based action the next time they are checked, so a single regeneration effect will save it regardless of how many instances of deathtouch the source had at the time damage was dealt. |
