Lyna MTG Card


Lyna - Vanguard Series
RarityRare
TypeVanguard
Released1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set nameVanguard Series
Set codePVAN
Number302
Frame1993
Layoutvanguard
Borderblack
Illustred byAdam Rex

Key Takeaways

  1. Lyna ensures resourcefulness, granting extra card draws to maintain hand advantage over opponents.
  2. Increases mana pool swiftly for earlier threats or multiple spell casting in turn, overwhelming foes.
  3. Flexible instant-speed offers dynamic defensive capabilities and strategic gameplay disruption.

Text of card

All creatures you control gain shadow. (Those creatures can block and be blocked only by creatures with shadow.)

One of the few Soltari who can cross the shadow barrier, Lyna serves as an emissary to the outside world. A quick thinker and convincing speaker, she does whatever she can to lead her people out of the shadows and into substance.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Lyna card grants access to additional draws, optimizing your hand by ensuring you are never too far behind on resources. This aspect is critical in games where keeping a healthy number of options in hand can dictate the pace and outcome.

Resource Acceleration: This card excels at increasing your mana pool, enabling you to deploy threats earlier than usual or to have enough resources to cast multiple spells in a single turn. The increased speed can often leave opponents struggling to keep up.

Instant Speed: Instant speed spells like Lyna offer flexibility, allowing you to adapt to the flow of the game. Reactivity is key to maintaining a robust defense and seizing the opportunity to disrupt your opponent’s strategies at the most opportune moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lyna requires the discarding of another card as part of its casting cost which poses a challenge when your hand size is minimal or the cards in hand are too valuable to dispose of.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that demands both colorless and specific mana, Lyna may not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks, potentially limiting her inclusion to mono or dual-colored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Lyna’s mana requirements are on the higher end for her ability set, leading players to consider other creatures or spells that offer a more cost-effective ratio of mana to performance.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lyna offers flexibility in deck building, fitting seamlessly into a variety of strategies. Her ability to adapt to different roles makes her a valuable addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: Lyna’s skill set is ripe for creating powerful interactions with other cards. Her unique abilities can unlock new combos, enhancing your deck’s synergy and potential for victory.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-shifting game environment, Lyna remains a competitive choice. Her relevance in various meta scenarios ensures that she can often offer an edge against a range of popular decks.


How to beat

The Lyna card in Magic: The Gathering commands attention with its striking abilities that echo through the game. It demands a strategy that can handle its imposing presence on the battlefield. Understanding its strengths and weaknesses is crucial to overcoming this magical force. Cards like Lyna, that potentially generate a significant advantage, typically have mechanics that can be exploited with precision.

To turn the tides against Lyna, consider cards that restrict spell casting or abilities. This can hamstring the card’s ability to dominate by neutralizing its most threatening aspects. Direct removal spells are also highly effective, as they offer a clean and immediate answer. It’s essential to have an answer ready in your deck, as facing a Lyna without preparations could mean a swift defeat. Every MTG player should be familiar with the plethora of options available to dismantle powerful cards like Lyna — from counterspells and direct damage to versatile destruction spells and board wipes.

Ultimately, prevailing against a powerhouse like Lyna boils down to a well-structured deck, complete with robust answers and a keen sense of timing. Keeping these solutions handy and understanding when to deploy them could very well be the difference between victory and defeat against the enchanting might of a Lyna card.


Cards like Lyna

Lyna offers a distinctive twist to the array of creature spells in MTG. Her abilities align closely with creatures like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, which also imposes restrictions on opponent’s spells. Thalia makes noncreature spells cost more to cast, similar to Lyna’s ability to increase the casting cost of opponent spells during their turn. Yet, Lyna diverges with her focus on spell timing rather than type, potentially thwarting opponent strategies that rely heavily on instant speed interactions.

Another related card is Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, which also taxes opponents by making their spells more expensive. However, Grand Arbiter has a global effect that lowers the casting cost of the controller’s white and blue spells, unlike Lyna’s selective targeting. This makes Grand Arbiter more suited for players aiming for a wide-ranging control strategy.

Evaluating Lyna’s specialized abilities, she carves out her own niche in the control archetype of MTG. Comparable cards demonstrate the range of taxing effects available, but Lyna’s specific turn-based hindrance and creature type synergies allow for tactical plays that can subtly tilt the battlefield in her player’s favor.

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - MTG Card versions
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - MTG Card versions
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - Dissension (DIS)

Cards similar to Lyna by color, type and mana cost

Maraxus - MTG Card versions
Takara - MTG Card versions
Sidar Kondo - MTG Card versions
Urza - MTG Card versions
Barrin - MTG Card versions
Mishra - MTG Card versions
Gix - MTG Card versions
Hanna - MTG Card versions
Karn - MTG Card versions
Starke - MTG Card versions
Gerrard - MTG Card versions
Rofellos - MTG Card versions
Squee - MTG Card versions
Eladamri - MTG Card versions
Crovax - MTG Card versions
Titania - MTG Card versions
Orim - MTG Card versions
Multani - MTG Card versions
Oracle - MTG Card versions
Volrath - MTG Card versions
Maraxus - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Takara - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Sidar Kondo - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Urza - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Barrin - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Mishra - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Gix - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Hanna - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Karn - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Starke - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Gerrard - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Rofellos - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Squee - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Eladamri - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Crovax - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Titania - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Orim - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Multani - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Oracle - Vanguard Series (PVAN)
Volrath - Vanguard Series (PVAN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lyna MTG card by a specific set like Vanguard Series, 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 Lyna and other MTG cards:

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