Trail of Mystery MTG Card
2014-09-26 - Number 154
2014-09-26 - Number 154s
2019-08-23 - Number 186
2024-02-09 - Number 192
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
Whenever a face-down creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. Whenever a permanent you control is turned face up, if it's a creature, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Cards like Trail of Mystery
Trail of Mystery is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that enhances the power of face-down creature spells. Woven with mechanics similar to Secret Plans and Aphetto Runecaster, Trail of Mystery bolsters morph strategies by granting stat boosts and land tutoring when a morph creature is turned face-up, setting it apart from its counterparts. While Secret Plans allows for extra card draw which is crucial in maintaining hand advantage, it does not provide the tactical land tutoring that Trail of Mystery offers, nor the power and toughness increase.
Comparably, Aphetto Runecaster focuses on the card draw aspect as well but solely when a creature is turned face-up, lacking the immediate board presence improvement that comes with Trail of Mystery. Both are essential in a morph deck however Trail of Mystery has an edge in terms of land ramping, an aspect vital for mana curve optimization and overall game tempo.
Ultimately, for players weaving a tapestry of hidden creatures and surprise tactics, Trail of Mystery carves its niche. It effectively intertwines enhancement of creature potency and land acceleration, thereby holding an esteemed place in decks that favor the element of surprise and gradual power build-up.
Cards similar to Trail of Mystery by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Trail of Mystery offers a unique form of card advantage for those using creature-based strategies, ensuring you consistently find the lands to cast the creatures that fuel your game plan. It also synergizes with Morph cards, turning every facedown creature into a potential land tutor and subtle threat assessor.
Resource Acceleration: By guaranteeing a land drop every time you play a Morph creature, Trail of Mystery supports your mana development, which is crucial for executing your strategy efficiently. This acceleration is especially beneficial in decks that play numerous Morph cards, smoothly transitioning from early to mid-game.
Instant Speed: Although Trail of Mystery doesn’t operate at instant speed itself, it incentivizes playing Morphs, which can be turned face up any time you could cast an instant. This interaction introduces a layer of complexity and unpredictability for opponents, offering strategic depth in your play patterns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike other enchantments that offer a bonus without additional costs, Trail of Mystery requires you to discard another card to fully utilize its morph-related benefits. This may not be ideal for players wanting to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Trail of Mystery has a specific mana cost requiring both green mana and generic mana, potentially limiting its integration into multi-colored decks that are not focused on green mana or land-based strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, including one green, Trail of Mystery may compete with other two-drop plays within a deck. Its dependent mechanic on casting creatures face down can restrict options in early gameplay, where the mana investment might not provide immediate board presence or advantage.
Reasons to Include Trail of Mystery in Your Collection
Versatility: Trail of Mystery offers significant deck-building flexibility with its ability to bolster land-based strategies. As it grants a power boost and fetches land when morph creatures are turned face up, it fits seamlessly into decks that capitalize on the morph mechanic.
Combo Potential: The card thrives in synergy with morph cards, enabling clever combos that can outpace adversaries by searching for the exact lands you need while empowering your creatures in the process.
Meta-Relevance: In a game that constantly sees fluctuating metas, Trail of Mystery holds its ground by supporting an underrepresented strategy. This can give players an edge in environments where opponents might not be anticipating the unique angle that a morph-focused deck provides.
How to beat
Trail of Mystery is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that offers a significant advantage to players using creatures with the morph mechanic. As it increases the power of your morphed creatures and helps you fix your mana by fetching basic lands, it can be quite the puzzle to dismantle an opponent’s strategy built around it.
To effectively counteract Trail of Mystery, it’s essential to manage the game pace and limit the value derived from morph activations. Cards that deny land searching, such as Ashiok, Dream Render, or Leonin Arbiter, can suppress its land-fetching ability. Additionally, since morph creatures are reliant on the element of surprise, instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be a thorn in your opponent’s side, disrupting their plays before they can evolve their face-down creatures.
Another strategy involves employing board wipes—cards such as Wrath of God or Damnation—to reset the board and wipe out all creatures, nullifying any advantage gained from Trail of Mystery. By combining disruption with timely removal, one can curb the potential of Trail of Mystery and steer the game in their favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Trail of Mystery MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir and Khans of Tarkir Promos, 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 Trail of Mystery 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 Trail of Mystery Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Raymond Swanland.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir | KTK | 154 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 2 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir Promos | PKTK | 154s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 3 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 186 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 4 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 192 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Trail of Mystery has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |