Silent Departure MTG Card
2011-09-30 - Number 75
2016-06-10 - Number 72
2023-03-21 - Number 22
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Flashback |
Text of card
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Flashback (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
The same magic that lets geists pass through our realm can force them out of it.
Cards like Silent Departure
Silent Departure stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a utility player in the realm of bounce spells. This card echoes the essence of cards like Unsummon, which share the straightforward approach of returning creatures to their owner’s hand. The distinction arises in Silent Departure’s flashback ability, allowing a second use from the graveyard for an elevated mana cost. Unsummon doesn’t have this recyclability, potentially giving Silent Departure an edge in longer games.
Another peer is Voyage’s End, an intriguing comparison. This spell costs more but sweetens the deal with a scry, letting you sift through your deck for the next play. Though unlike Silent Departure, it only works its magic once. Then there’s Exclude, which also bounces but carries a specificity: it counters creature spells. This preemptive action carries a different strategic weight, presenting a more proactive defense compared to the reactive nature of Silent Departure.
Assessing the suite of similar offerings, Silent Departure manifests as a versatile option. It caters to players aiming for both immediate and delayed tactical plays, confirming its value in decks that thrive on tempo and cunning play.
Cards similar to Silent Departure by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Silent Departure provides utility by returning a target creature to its owner’s hand. This can effectively negate an opponent’s play, subtly shifting the balance of card presence to your favor without expending additional resources.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, the flexibility of rebounding creatures can stall opponents, giving you extra time to develop your board and access critical mana sources without immediate pressure.
Instant Speed: Though Silent Departure is a sorcery, its low casting cost enables strategic planning, allowing you to optimize your turn sequence by removing an opponent’s threats at a crucial moment, paving the way for swinging the game’s momentum.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with Silent Departure demands a keen understanding of your hand as it necessitates discarding a card when utilizing its flashback ability. This requirement could potentially place you at a disadvantage, particularly in scenarios where your card pool is already dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: Silent Departure’s efficiency is inherently tethered to a deck’s color scheme, as casting this spell needs the allocation of a blue mana. This requisite confines its use, predominantly aligning it with blue or blue-inclusive decks, therefore limiting its versatility in your strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The financial outlay to initiate Silent Departure is not negligible, especially when contemplating its return on investment. While its initial casting cost might seem reasonable, the flashback feature exacts a rather steep five mana, which in the economy of the game, could be directed towards deploying more influential and game-altering spells.
Reasons to Include Silent Departure in Your Collection
Versatility: Silent Departure offers exceptional flexibility, able to blend seamlessly into a variety of blue-based strategies. Its primary function of bouncing creatures back to an opponent’s hand can disrupt their board presence and tempo, making it a versatile tool in both aggressive and controlling decks.
Combo Potential: This card excels when combined with effects that capitalize on the return of creatures to the hand. Whether it’s reusing your own enter-the-battlefield effects or repetitively hindering your opponent’s plays with the flashback ability, Silent Departure can become a key piece in intricate combo setups.
Meta-Relevance: With fluctuating meta-games that sometimes favor creature-heavy strategies, Silent Departure maintains its relevance by offering a cost-effective way to deal with problematic creatures. In formats where tempo plays are crucial, having a way to repeatedly control the pace of the game makes this card a valuable asset for any collection.
How to beat
Silent Departure proves its worth in Magic: The Gathering by offering a flexible solution for tempo plays. It’s a blue sorcery card that returns a creature to its owner’s hand, letting you delay your opponent’s strategy for a crucial turn. With its flashback ability, you can cast it a second time from the graveyard, ensuring its effects can be utilized to full potential.
To effectively counter Silent Departure, one could consider cards like Leyline of Sanctity to prevent oneself from becoming the target of such spells. Alternatively, robust instant-speed spells that can counter sorceries, like Negate or Dispel, will nip the problem in the bud, denying Silent Departure’s initial cast and its flashback play. It’s also beneficial to use permanents that are beneficial when returned to hand, or those that can immediately be replayed at a low cost, diminishing the impact that Silent Departure has on your board presence.
Overall, recognizing and preparing for Silent Departure’s return-to-hand ability can turn the tide in your favor. By ensuring that your strategy includes answers to such tempo plays, you maintain control of the game rhythm and prevent your opponent from disrupting your plans.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Silent Departure MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Eternal Masters, 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 Silent Departure and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
Printings
The Silent Departure Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by John Avon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-09-30 | Innistrad | ISD | 75 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 2 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 72 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 3 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows of the Past | SIS | 22 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Silent Departure has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |