Troublesome Spirit MTG Card


Provides card advantage through its ability to disrupt the opponent’s tactics. Contributes to overall strategy with instant speed interactions and versatility. Demands careful resource management and strategic deck building to utilize effectively.
Troublesome Spirit - Prophecy
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Flying
Released2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set nameProphecy
Set codePCY
Power 3
Toughness 4
Number52
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byAdam Rex

Text of card

Flying At the end of your turn, tap all lands you control.

As erratic and turbulent as a summer squall.


Cards like Troublesome Spirit

Troublesome Spirit offers a unique dynamic to gameplay with its evasion abilities in Magic: The Gathering. This blue creature bears resemblance to cards like Rishadan Airship with its flying skill, enabling it to soar over ground-based defenses. Yet, Troublesome Spirit’s distinct bouncing mechanism at the end of turns where you haven’t played a land, presents both a challenge and opportunity, unlike the Airship, which stays on the battlefield.

A closer comparison might be the Dream Thrush, which also holds a tie to the land you control, but instead permits the manipulation of land types rather than affecting the battlefield presence. Then we have the Skywing Aven found in similar decks, a feathered companion sharing the same mana cost yet allowing more control over its flight pattern, balancing on-board strategy.

Assessing the parallels, Troublesome Spirit remains a wildcard. While it doesn’t have the same level of board manipulation as Dream Thrush or the permanence of Rishadan Airship and Skywing Aven, it encourages strategic land play to maintain its aerial assault. Its unique blend of unpredictability and tactical advantage carves its niche within Magic: The Gathering’s diverse array of flying creatures.

Rishadan Airship - MTG Card versions
Dream Thrush - MTG Card versions
Skywing Aven - MTG Card versions
Rishadan Airship - MTG Card versions
Dream Thrush - MTG Card versions
Skywing Aven - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Troublesome Spirit by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Troublesome Spirit’s ability to disrupt the opponent’s play can indirectly lead to gaining card advantage as it forces opponents to play around it, often at the cost of using their cards less efficiently.

Resource Acceleration: While Troublesome Spirit itself doesn’t produce mana, it can be a cog in strategies that aim to choke the opponents’ resources, making your own resource acceleration more impactful relative to theirs.

Instant Speed: Troublesome Spirit’s flying ability offers a significant advantage, enabling you to keep your defenses up and only commit to attacking when it’s most advantageous. Additionally, its instant speed interactions pair well with flash-enabling cards, which can further optimize your tempo and keep opponents on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Troublesome Spirit demands a card discard to keep it on the field, which can deplete your hand and reduce strategic options over time.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of this card is color-specific, requiring both blue and white mana, which may not be readily available in every deck’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep for its effects, there are alternative spirits or creatures that could provide a more cost-effective impact on gameplay.


Reasons to Include Troublesome Spirit in Your Collection

Versatility: Troublesome Spirit offers great flexibility in deck building. This card can easily slip into blue-based control decks or aggressive fliers decks, serving as a reliable creature that can apply pressure or defend when needed.

Combo Potential: With its ability to remain untapped, this creature poses a consistent threat. In conjunction with tap and untap synergies, it can become a linchpin in a combo strategy, providing substantial value as both an attacker and enabler.

Meta-Relevance: As the game ebbs and flows with new sets and strategies, a card like Troublesome Spirit can become a strategic asset. Its persistent presence on the battlefield makes it a valuable tool against decks that are susceptible to flying creatures and continuous attacks.


How to beat

The Troublesome Spirit is a unique card in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, posing a distinct challenge with its flying ability and the hindrance it places on untapped lands. This card forces players to rethink their typical strategies, especially when it comes to managing lands during the untap step. To navigate around this spectral nuisance, players should consider land untapping strategies or cards that allow lands to be untapped at will, thereby mitigating the spirit’s disruptive effect.

Employing instant-speed spells can also be an effective tactic. Such spells don’t require the player to keep lands untapped on their opponent’s turn, thereby lessening the impact of the spirit’s ability. Additionally, using creatures with reach or other flying blockers can nullify the spirit’s attacks, while removal spells that bypass the troublesome hexproof or protection abilities can directly deal with the spirit. Board wipes are also a strong option, as they can clear the spirit along with other potential threats on the board at once. Smart deck building and strategic plays are essential to overcoming the challenges posed by Troublesome Spirit.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Troublesome Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Troublesome Spirit and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Troublesome Spirit has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal