Opal Caryatid MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Number	24
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Berry

Key Takeaways

Enables card advantage and mana acceleration, advancing gameplay by allowing the casting of more spells earlier.
Instant speed capabilities of Opal Caryatid grant players strategic flexibility and adaptability during matches.
Demands precise mana and involves a discard, which could constrain flexibility and hand size for the player.

Text of card

When one of your opponents successfully casts a creature spell, if Opal Caryatid is an enchantment, Opal Caryatid becomes a 2/2 creature that counts as a Soldier.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Opal Caryatid has the potential to provide a consistent flow of card advantage to your hand. This can be crucial in outpacing your opponent and ensuring you have the right tools at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: This card serves as an excellent tool for resource acceleration by potentially supplying you with an extra mana source. It effectively lets you cast more spells or deploy heavier threats ahead of the usual curve.

Instant Speed: The ability to leverage the effects of Opal Caryatid at instant speed offers tactical flexibility during gameplay. This means you can adapt to changing situations on the battlefield without committing to a set strategy prematurely.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Opal Caryatid comes with the drawback of needing to discard a card to capitalize on its mana-generating ability. For players not holding a surplus of expendable cards, this may put them at a significant disadvantage, diminishing their hand and limiting choices as the game progresses.

Specific Mana Cost: Another limitation lies in its specific mana cost requirement. Opal Caryatid demands a precise combination of mana to hit the board. This specificity can prove to be restrictive, particularly for decks that thrive on a diverse mana base or those that are not tailored to include the exact mana needed for this card.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Opal Caryatid can be a useful ramp card, its relatively high mana cost can be a deterrent. Players might find more mana-efficient creatures or spells that offer similar or better utility without such a steep investment. In a game where speed and efficiency can be critical, this could put Opal Caryatid at a disadvantage when deckbuilding or during actual play.

Reasons to Include Opal Caryatid in Your Collection

Versatility: This card’s ability to provide mana of any color makes it an asset in multi-colored decks. Such flexibility allows for smoother gameplay and supports a diverse mana base, essential for casting a wide range of spells.

Combo Potential: Opal Caryatid has synergy with decks that capitalize on mana acceleration and cards that benefit from the presence of a high variety of colors. It’s a key piece in enabling faster execution of game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where adapting to the ever-changing competitive landscape is crucial, this card can help players keep up with the demands of various meta-games. Its adaptability makes it a consistent choice in decks looking to outpace and outmaneuver opponents.

How to Beat

Opal Caryatid introduces a unique dimension to Magic: The Gathering as a buffing wall with an essential ability to generate mana of any color when it’s untapped. This echoes the functionality seen in cards like Birds of Paradise, yet Opal Caryatid provides an additional defensive safeguard for your life total. Birds of Paradise offers flying as a form of protection, whereas Opal Caryatid, being a defender, can block incoming threats.

Removal spells are a traditional method to handle such creatures, with options like Path to Exile effectively exiling the card without leaving additional resources. Counterspells serve as another effective strategy, ensuring the Caryatid never enters the battlefield to begin with. While being multifaceted, its effectiveness is contingent upon not facing direct counters or removal. Hence, including versatile removal or counter strategies in your deck can serve as a preemptive measure against the diverse utilities that Opal Caryatid offers.

When comparing with other mana dorks, Opal Caryatid stands out for its ability to resist damage and persist on the battlefield. However, this resilience can be turned moot if handled promptly and strategically with the right spells. As a result, ensuring your deck is equipped with answers to such utility creatures can mitigate the impact and advantage Opal Caryatid provides to an opponent.

Understanding the Appeal of Opal Caryatid

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, the card Opal Caryatid stands out for its utility in mana acceleration. Comparable to Llanowar Elves, it serves a similar purpose by offering an additional mana each turn. However, Opal Caryatid provides an added layer of versatility by supplying mana of any color, which is a notable advantage over the Elves’ single color limitation.

Cards like Opal Caryatid

Opal Caryatid can be likened to Birds of Paradise, another celebrated mana dork that also taps for mana of any color. Whereas Opal Caryatid calls for one green mana to cast, Birds of Paradise costs a single generic mana, making it fit seamlessly into various deck archetypes. Additionally, the Caryatid has a place beside the card Sylvan Caryatid, which also taps for mana of any color. Sylvan Caryatid exceeds in resilience due to hexproof, establishing a gap in protection compared to its Opal counterpart.

Through evaluating these mana facilitators, it’s clear that Opal Caryatid has carved out a spot among Magic’s valuable accelerants. Its provision of color flexibility may appeal to players crafting multi-color decks in need of consistent and diverse mana sources.

Cards similar to Opal Caryatid by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Opal Caryatid MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Opal Caryatid and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Opal Caryatid has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	It changes into a creature even if the spell is countered.
2004-10-04	It triggers when the spell is cast, which means it becomes a creature before that spell resolves.
2004-10-04	When it turns into a creature, it is no longer an enchantment.
2008-04-01	A “creature spell” is any spell with the type Creature, even if it has other types such as Artifact or Enchantment. Older cards of type Summon are also Creature spells.
2008-08-01	A noncreature permanent that turns into a creature can attack, and its abilities can be activated, only if its controller has continuously controlled that permanent since the beginning of their most recent turn. It doesn’t matter how long the permanent has been a creature.