Pendrell Mists MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	1997-06-09
Set symbol
Set name	Weatherlight
Set code	WTH
Number	47
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Andrew Robinson

Key Takeaways

Pendrell Mists skews card advantage by taxing opponents’ creatures, forcing tough resource decisions.
Indirect resource acceleration occurs as opponents’ mana is drained by upkeep costs.
Constant pressure mimics instant-speed disruption, compelling mana or creature sacrifices each turn.

Text of card

Each creature gains "During your upkeep, pay o1 or bury this creature."

As insubstantial—and as insistent—as appetite.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pendrell Mists is a strategic addition to your deck, primarily for its ability to restrict opponents’ ability to maintain a wide board presence without incurring costs. By effectively taxing each creature, Pendrell Mists can force your opponent to make tough decisions about their resources, potentially leading to advantageous trades or suboptimal plays for them, tipping card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly serving as a resource acceleration tool, Pendrell Mists can indirectly accelerate your resources by hampering your opponent’s development. This can force an opponent to spend additional mana every turn to keep their creatures on the battlefield, which can lead to you having more resources in comparison as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: Pendrell Mists operates at enchantment speed, and though it isn’t cast at instant speed, the continuous effect it has on the board can be as disruptive as a well-timed instant. By having this enchantment active, it’s as though you are casting a hypothetical instant every upkeep, demanding mana or sacrificing a creature from your opponent, thus exerting pressure consistently every turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pendrell Mists compels players to pay an upkeep for each creature they control. If players can’t afford the mana, they must discard the creature to their graveyard, which can be a steep price in creature-heavy decks.

Specific Mana Cost: As an enchantment with a double blue mana cost, Pendrell Mists requires a solid commitment to blue mana resources, potentially restricting it to mono-blue or blue-heavy decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of three colorless and one blue mana, plus the ongoing creature upkeep costs, Pendrell Mists can strain mana resources compared to other control options in the game.

Reasons to Include Pendrell Mists in Your Collection

Versatility: Pendrell Mists is an enchantment that can be seamlessly incorporated into various control decks. Its ability to tax creatures aligns with strategies aiming to constrict opponents’ resources and dictate the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: This card is a linchpin in combos that aim to lock down the board. When paired with cards that prevent or punish paying mana costs, Pendrell Mists transforms from a hindrance to a potentially game-winning threat.

Meta-Relevance: It shines in environments where creature-heavy decks dominate. As a classic card with potent effects, it remains relevant by keeping swathes of creature strategies in check, making it a valuable asset for players ready to adapt to shifting metas.

How to beat

Pendrell Mists is an intriguing enchantment in MTG that can create a challenging environment for players relying on creature strategies. Its ability to charge a mana fee for each creature during upkeep forces players to reassess how they manage their resources. To effectively navigate this obstacle, often the simplest tactic is employing non-creature strategies that circumvent the tax entirely. Spells with substantial impact, direct damage, or planeswalkers can change the dynamic of the game without giving Pendrell Mists the power to drain your resources.

Another strategy is to utilize cards capable of removing enchantments. Green and white are particularly proficient in this aspect with options like Naturalize or Disenchant, which dispose of troublesome enchantments efficiently. Lastly, one could opt for the use of creatures with abilities that trigger upon entering or leaving the battlefield. In this way, even if the creature does not stay in play for long, its effect would have already contributed to your strategy, lessening the sting of the Pendrell Mists’ tax.

By understanding the nuances of this card and building a deck prepared to counter its effects or by employing tactics that sidestep its influence, players can mitigate the disruption Pendrell Mists brings to the table.

Cards like Pendrell Mists

Pendrell Mists is an intriguing enchantment card in Magic: The Gathering that imposes a cost upon creature control. Comparable to the more renowned Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Pendrell Mists requires players to pay for each creature they possess during their upkeep. While the effect mimics that of the Tabernacle’s, Pendrell Mists is part of the actual battlefield as an enchantment, rather than a land that avoids most direct removal.

Another card that echoes this effect is Magus of the Tabernacle, a creature that brings a similar upkeep cost to the table. The subtle difference lies in the fact that Magus can be easily dealt with compared to the static enchantment of Pendrell Mists. Furthermore, we observe the influence of creatures like Vile Redeemer, which can bypass such upkeep costs by generating additional value when creatures are sacrificed. This interaction highlights the strategic considerations required when dealing with upkeep-cost-demanding spells.

Pendrell Mists thus stands a strong candidate in decks aiming to control the game by taxing creature-heavy strategies, offering a less expensive alternative to the Tabernacle, and requiring opponents to adapt their tactics or face potential devastation from the accumulating costs.

Magus of the Tabernacle - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Pendrell Mists by color, type and mana cost

Collective Restraint - MTG Card versions

Delusions of Mediocrity - MTG Card versions

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pendrell Mists MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight, 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 Pendrell Mists and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pendrell Mists has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-04-01	If the creature is no longer on the battlefield when the ability resolves, you may still perform the action if you want.
2008-04-01	When the ability resolves, you choose whether to sacrifice the creature or perform the other action. If you can’t perform the other action, then you must sacrifice the creature.