Wand of Vertebrae MTG Card


Graveyard stocking with Wand of Vertebrae enables advantageous future plays for diverse deck strategies. Wand’s instant speed use provides flexibility, allowing players to respond to game developments efficiently. Despite its benefits, Wand of Vertebrae’s repetitive activation can become a costly mana sink.
Wand of Vertebrae - Guilds of Ravnica
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact
Abilities Mill
Released2018-10-05
Set symbol
Set nameGuilds of Ravnica
Set codeGRN
Number242
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byVolkan Baǵa

Text of card

: Put the top card of your library into your graveyard. , , Exile Wand of Vertebrae: Shuffle up to five target cards from your graveyard into your library.

Made by the mad for the work of the wicked.


Cards like Wand of Vertebrae

Wand of Vertebrae emerges as an intriguing utility artifact among its peers in Magic: The Gathering. Much like Perpetual Timepiece, Wand of Vertebrae allows players to manipulate their deck by milling cards. Both provide some degree of graveyard control, but the Wand shines with its ability to tuck any card from your graveyard back into your library, enhancing strategies that capitalize on specific card recursion.

Considering alternatives, we encounter Ghoulcaller’s Bell. It shares the milling aspect at the same mana cost but lacks the targeted recursion. Moreover, Wand of Vertebrae’s ability to shuffle five cards from the graveyard into the library at a mere cost of two mana and its tap ability adds a layer of flexibility missing from the Bell’s symmetrical effect.

Evaluating the Wand’s strategic significance, its use is not just confined to self-mill decks. It is particularly beneficial in formats like Commander, where selective retrieval from your graveyard can be a game-changing maneuver. While it may not be the most aggressive of milling artifacts, Wand of Vertebrae certainly carves a niche for itself in MTG, where graveyard synergy plays a pivotal role.

Perpetual Timepiece - MTG Card versions
Ghoulcaller's Bell - MTG Card versions
Perpetual Timepiece - MTG Card versions
Ghoulcaller's Bell - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Wand of Vertebrae by color, type and mana cost

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Glasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Wooden Sphere - MTG Card versions
Sol Ring - MTG Card versions
Iron Star - MTG Card versions
Black Vise - MTG Card versions
Urza's Chalice - MTG Card versions
Ivory Cup - MTG Card versions
Brass Man - MTG Card versions
Mana Vault - MTG Card versions
Soul Net - MTG Card versions
The Rack - MTG Card versions
Obelisk of Undoing - MTG Card versions
Feldon's Cane - MTG Card versions
Throne of Bone - MTG Card versions
Meekstone - MTG Card versions
Thran Foundry - MTG Card versions
Cursed Scroll - MTG Card versions
Candelabra of Tawnos - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Dreadnought - MTG Card versions
Signal Pest - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wand of Vertebrae offers consistent graveyard stocking. By placing the top card of your library into your graveyard at will, it fuels strategies that leverage graveyard synergies and can set up advantageous plays for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially milling over mana-producing cards, the Wand of Vertebrae may indirectly aid in reaching necessary resources quicker. Additionally, it can provide a form of selection, albeit indirectly, by filtering through cards that may not be immediately useful in a given game state.

Instant Speed: The ability to use the Wand of Vertebrae at instant speed ensures that you have flexibility in your play. You can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide whether to use it, allowing you to keep mana available for any surprise interactions or responses that might be more pressing than setting up your own graveyard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although the Wand of Vertebrae doesn’t require you to discard, it does necessitate frequent use of its mill ability to wield any significant influence, which could deplete your own deck if not managed properly.

Specific Mana Cost: It requires a colorless mana to cast, which may seem flexible, but the activation cost is specific to green. This requirement can restrict its integration exclusively to decks that run green mana sources or those with a diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The activation cost is one green mana, which can be quite steep for its marginal immediate effect. Considering the activation is necessary multiple times to gain substantial benefits, it becomes a persistent mana sink, potentially siphoning resources that could be spent on more impactful plays.


Reasons to Include Wand of Vertebrae in Your Collection

Versatility: Wand of Vertebrae is an adaptable piece for any MTG player’s collection. It can seamlessly fit into a diversity of decks, particularly those capitalizing on graveyard mechanics or needing a reliable method to cycle through cards.

Combo Potential: This artifact synergizes with strategies that play with the top of the library, or that benefit from self-mill. It can set up powerful graveyard combos, much appreciated in formats like Commander.

Meta-Relevance: In current metagames that favor long-term strategies or that hinge on graveyard utilization, the incremental advantage provided by the Wand of Vertebrae’s milling ability could prove to be a game-changer.


How to beat

Wand of Vertebrae brings a unique twist to deck manipulation in Magic: The Gathering, offering players the ability to rearrange the top few cards of their library. This can be quite the asset, particularly in decks focusing on graveyard strategies and retrieval tactics. To counter this artifact, consider employing targeted removal such as Disenchant to eliminate it directly from the battlefield. Another effective strategy is to apply graveyard disruption – cards like Tormod’s Crypt can exile the entire graveyard, negating the built-up advantage granted by Wand of Vertebrae.

Distracting the player using Wand of Vertebrae with immediate threats can also be a solid tactic. Pressuring opponents distracts from their strategic setup, compelling them to react to your plays instead of focusing on arranging their top deck advantage. Moreover, incorporating spells that shuffle either player’s library, such as Field of Ruin, can disrupt their meticulous planning. By removing the artifact and hindering their deck preparations, you essentially render the Wand of Vertebrae ineffective, maintaining the flow of the game in your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wand of Vertebrae MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Wand of Vertebrae and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wand of Vertebrae has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal