The Valeyard MTG Card
2023-10-13 - Number 165
2023-10-13 - Number 1041
2023-10-13 - Number 450
2023-10-13 - Number 770
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Time Lord Noble |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage, mana ramp, and instant speed actions for dynamic and adaptive gameplay.
- Requires careful hand management and specific mana, presenting deck building challenges.
- Despite its cost, The Valeyard’s versatility makes it a valuable asset in multiple strategies.
Text of card
If an opponent would face a villainous choice, they face that choice an additional time. (They can make the same or different choices.) While voting, you may vote an additional time.
"The most damning is still to come. And when I have finished, this court will demand your life!"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Valeyard offers a significant edge by enabling you to access more cards, thus keeping your hand filled with options and potential answers to your opponent’s moves.
Resource Acceleration: This card has the ability to ramp up your mana resources, giving you the ability to play higher-cost cards earlier in the game or multiple spells in a single turn for a strategic advantage.
Instant Speed: Being able to deploy The Valeyard at instant speed offers the flexibility to react swiftly to your opponent’s actions during their turn, potentially disrupting their strategy and tipping the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In order to activate The Valeyard’s abilities, the card necessitates players to discard other cards. This can often lead to strained resources, especially if your hand is already running low, ultimately putting you at a potential strategic disadvantage during crucial moments in the game.
Specific Mana Cost: The Valeyard comes with a mana cost that is highly specific, requiring a particular combination that might not be easily splashed into multi-color decks. This specificity can hinder the card’s versatility and restrict its inclusion to certain types of decks that can reliably generate the necessary mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although The Valeyard might offer potent abilities, its mana cost is on the higher side when held up against other options in the meta. This can slow down your game tempo, as by the time you’re able to cast The Valeyard, opponents may have already established a formidable board presence or set up their own defenses against high-cost threats.
Reasons to Include The Valeyard in Your Collection
Versatility: The Valeyard is a card that can slip seamlessly into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to affect the board irrespective of your strategy makes it a useful tool in many situations.
Combo Potential: For decks that capitalize on specific synergies, The Valeyard could serve as a linchpin, enabling the activation of chained reactions, or enhancing strategies reliant on certain card interactions.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the current state of the game, The Valeyard’s potential to swing the tide in a match shouldn’t be underestimated. Being tuned into the meta means recognizing cards like this that can adapt and provide an edge in various competitive environments.
How to beat The Valeyard
In the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering, cards like The Valeyard intrigue players with their unique abilities to challenge opponents. Dealing with this formidable card involves a strategy that combines foresight with tactical precision. The key is to disrupt the advantages The Valeyard provides to your opponent.
Control decks that limit your opponent’s actions are particularly effective. Cards that counter spells or force discards put a wrench in strategies reliant on The Valeyard. Efficient removal spells are also a must, ensuring The Valeyard is off the field before its abilities can turn the tide. Furthermore, building a sideboard with specific countermeasures against The Valeyard can significantly enhance your chances of victory, especially in tournament settings where you can anticipate and prepare for such encounters.
A well-constructed deck aware of The Valeyard’s strengths can maintain pace and even gain the upper hand. Thus, success lies not in merely playing cards but in crafting a coherent strategy that anticipates and nullifies The Valeyard’s influence on the game.
Cards like The Valeyard
The Valeyard is an intriguing card for players looking to integrate unique mechanics into their Magic: The Gathering decks. It shares similarities with cards like Evil Twin, which also allows you to copy a creature on the battlefield. The Valeyard, however, distinguishes itself by granting your copied creature an additional ability—a subtle yet impactful advantage over the copied entity.
Clone is another card that comes to mind, with the straightforward function of copying any creature on the field. Despite the simplicity, The Valeyard provides an upper hand by potentially transforming the tide of the game with its bonus ability. Phyrexian Metamorph offers a similar cloning effect with the flexibility to become an artifact in addition to a creature, yet it lacks the bonus ability which can be a game-changer for The Valeyard users.
In analyzing these comparisons, it’s evident that while there are various options for creature copying in Magic: The Gathering, The Valeyard stands out for its ability to not only mirror an opponent’s creature but also enhance it, potentially leading to dramatic shifts in board control and strategy.
Cards similar to The Valeyard by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Valeyard MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, 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 The Valeyard 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
Printings
The The Valeyard Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Tyukina Tatiana.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 165 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyukina Tatiana | |
| 2 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 1041 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyukina Tatiana | |
| 3 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 450 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyukina Tatiana | |
| 4 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 770 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyukina Tatiana |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where The Valeyard has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Valeyard card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-13 | If an effect instructs you to choose a creature type, you may choose Time Lord. |
| 2023-10-13 | Neither "Time" nor "Lord" are creature types. Some older cards were printed with the subtype "Lord," but all of those cards have updated Oracle card text that removed that type. |
| 2023-10-13 | Unlike other creature types in Magic that are each only one word, the two words "Time Lord" represent a single creature subtype. Time Lord is the only two-word creature type. |