Unravel the Aether MTG Card


Unravel the Aether excels in disrupting opponent strategies by targeting key artifacts and enchantments. Instant speed allows flexibility and surprise plays, making it a valuable card for reactive strategies. Shuffling targeted cards into the library prevents graveyard retrieval, enhancing its strategic impact.
Unravel the Aether - Born of the Gods
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Released2014-02-07
Set symbol
Set nameBorn of the Gods
Set codeBNG
Number143
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJung Park

Text of card

Choose target artifact or enchantment. Its owner shuffles it into his or her library.

Thaumaturges of Theros have learned to weave their magic into the world around them, but it can be pulled apart strand by strand.


Cards like Unravel the Aether

Unravel the Aether stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a versatile removal solution. This card bears similarities to Naturalize, a staple in green decks for its ability to destroy target artifacts or enchantments. What makes Unravel the Aether unique is its shuffle effect, sending the target back into the owner’s library rather than the graveyard. This can be particularly disruptive against cards that thrive on graveyard interactions.

Comparatively, Deglamer offers the same cost and shuffle effect as Unravel the Aether. The key difference lies in Deglamer’s inability to target artifacts, limiting its versatility. Alternatively, looking at Krosan Grip, the ‘split second’ ability prevents opponents from responding, which can be crucial, albeit at a higher mana cost. This offers a trade-off between mana efficiency and strategic depth.

Analyzing these options shows that while there are many artifacts and enchantment removal cards in Magic: The Gathering, Unravel the Aether provides a unique middle ground with its cost-effective shuffle mechanism, making it a compelling choice for disrupting opponent strategies.

Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Deglamer - MTG Card versions
Krosan Grip - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Deglamer - MTG Card versions
Krosan Grip - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Unravel the Aether by color, type and mana cost

Tranquil Domain - MTG Card versions
Resuscitate - MTG Card versions
Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Urge - MTG Card versions
Tangle - MTG Card versions
Krosan Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Seedtime - MTG Card versions
Nourish - MTG Card versions
Wear Away - MTG Card versions
Vital Surge - MTG Card versions
Predator's Strike - MTG Card versions
Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions
Resize - MTG Card versions
Squall Line - MTG Card versions
Regenerate - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Defiance - MTG Card versions
Tribute to the Wild - MTG Card versions
Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Domain - MTG Card versions
Resuscitate - MTG Card versions
Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Urge - MTG Card versions
Tangle - MTG Card versions
Krosan Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Seedtime - MTG Card versions
Nourish - MTG Card versions
Wear Away - MTG Card versions
Vital Surge - MTG Card versions
Predator's Strike - MTG Card versions
Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions
Resize - MTG Card versions
Squall Line - MTG Card versions
Regenerate - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Defiance - MTG Card versions
Tribute to the Wild - MTG Card versions
Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Unravel the Aether presents a subtle form of card advantage by dealing with threats or problematic enchantments and artifacts that your opponents rely on. This disruption can lead to a net positive impact on your card efficacy compared to your opponent’s.

Resource Acceleration: This card might not directly accelerate your resources, but by removing key pieces from your opponent’s strategy, it can effectively slow them down, providing you an indirect form of acceleration as you maintain your pace while they scramble to rebuild.

Instant Speed: The strength of Unravel the Aether lies in its instant speed, granting you the flexibility to disrupt an opponent’s strategy during their turn or end step. This ensures that you can respond to threats immediately and retain the element of surprise, potentially saving your more powerful spells for the optimal moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unravel the Aether doesn’t make you discard cards, but it could put you at a card disadvantage as it only targets a single artifact or enchantment for removal, potentially leaving you open to other threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both green mana in its cost makes Unravel the Aether less flexible, locking it into decks that can produce green mana, and potentially becoming a dead card in hand if mana sources are compromised.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost not on the lower end for removal spells, some players might find that at two mana, this instant could be less efficient than other removal options available that might deal with a wider array of threats or provide additional benefits.


Reasons to Include Unravel the Aether in Your Collection

Versatility: Unravel the Aether provides a unique tool for disrupting opponents’ strategies, capable of targeting key artifacts or enchantments. This removal spell has the added benefit of shuffling the targeted card into its owner’s library, circumventing graveyard-based retrieval methods.

Combo Potential: This card is more than a simple removal; it can facilitate deck strategies revolving around manipulating the opponent’s deck. It’s also a low-cost instant, allowing you to hold up mana for interaction on your opponent’s turn and potentially interfere with their combos.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting meta that often sees powerful artifacts and enchantments, having Unravel the Aether at your disposal ensures you’re never left without an answer. Its ability to remove indestructible permanents can give you an edge in a tightly-contested game.


How to beat

Unravel the Aether is a versatile instant that targets the nuanced challenges of indestructible and enchantment-dependent strategies across Magic: The Gathering decks. To effectively navigate around this card, focus on strategies that either don’t rely heavily on key enchantments or artifacts or ones that have redundant pieces to lean on after a potential Unravel intervention. A resilient approach includes playing a diverse array of threats, making it difficult for Unravel the Aether to significantly disrupt your game plan. Additionally, consider cards with hexproof or protection from green to safeguard your most valuable noncreature permanents, as these qualities are outside the reach of Unravel the Aether’s grasp.

In considering your deck’s construction, cards that can swiftly recoup from an Unravel the Aether effect, such as recursive enchantments or artifacts that bounce back from the graveyard, can also pose a formidable resistance to this interruption. Keep in mind the importance of timing and the broader meta that contains this card. Capitalizing on moments when your opponent might be low on mana or has used their instant can provide a solid window to deploy your intricate game pieces, minimizing the impact Unravel the Aether could have on your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG means not only understanding the strengths of your cards but also the intricate interactions between them. Unravel the Aether offers a diverse range of opportunities for those looking to maintain control and edge out their opponents. With its capacity to handle indestructible artifacts and enchantments, it’s an essential tool in your arsenal. Its shuffle mechanism acts as a subtle linchpin that could sway the game in your favor. Ready to fine-tune your deck and optimize your gameplay? Dive deeper into the strategy and utility of Unravel the Aether with us and fortify your position in the ever-changing landscape of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unravel the Aether MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, 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 Unravel the Aether and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unravel the Aether has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Unravel the Aether card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2014-02-01 If the artifact or enchantment is a token, it will be shuffled into its owner’s library when Unravel the Aether resolves, then will cease to exist. For practical purposes, whatever item is representing the token should not actually be put into the library, though the library is still shuffled.
2014-02-01 If the artifact or enchantment is an illegal target as Unravel the Aether tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. No library will be shuffled.