Ydwen Efreet MTG Card

Arabian Nights (ARN)
1993-12-17 - Number 44

Masters Edition (ME1)
2007-09-10 - Number 112

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Efreet
Power	3
Toughness	6

Key Takeaways

Ydwen Efreet can potentially trade up, offering card advantage without direct draws.
It suits early play, pressuring opponents and accelerating your board state effectively.
Though without flash, Ydwen Efreet enhances instant speed strategies in MTG.

Text of card

If you choose to block with Ydwen Efreet, flip a coin immediately after defense is announced; opponent calls heads or tails while coin is in the air. If the flip ends up in opponent's favor, Ydwen Efreet cannot block this turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ydwen Efreet may not directly allow you to draw more cards, but it presents a significant threat that demands an answer from your opponent. This can lead to a card advantage as the Efreet can often trade with more than one of an opponent’s cards or force them to use premium removal spells.

Resource Acceleration: While Ydwen Efreet does not provide direct mana acceleration, its modest casting cost makes it a quick play. Dropping it early can put your opponent on the back foot, effectively accelerating your board state while they scramble to catch up.

Instant Speed: Though Ydwen Efreet itself doesn’t have flash, its potential in decks that operate at instant speed should not be overlooked. If you’re countering spells or playing with other instant speed threats or responses, Ydwen Efreet complements a strategy that keeps your opponent guessing.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ydwen Efreet shines with its unique abilities, it imposes a challenging condition: players must often discard other cards to leverage its full potential. This can leave you in a precarious position, particularly when you’re running low on hand options and need to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The efreet’s casting cost requires a heavy commitment to red mana, which can be restrictive. Decks that are not heavily red or those lacking a solid mana base might find it difficult to summon the efreet without compromising their overall strategy or slowing down their gameplay significantly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher end for its stats, Ydwen Efreet can be a tough call when building an efficient deck. Other creatures in the same mana range might offer more value or come with less restrictive conditions, leading players to evaluate their choices carefully when it comes to slotting this card into their builds.

Reasons to Include Ydwen Efreet in Your Collection

Versatility: Ydwen Efreet offers a unique mix of agility and potential disruption. Being a 3/6 creature for only three mana, it slots effortlessly into red-based aggressive decks that seek to maintain a strong board presence.

Combo Potential: This creature pairs well with strategies aimed at manipulating chance outcomes or benefiting from coin flips. It has synergy with cards that protect or leverage gamble abilities, enhancing playful and chance-focused builds.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that might lean towards creature-heavy formats, Ydwen Efreet finds its place as a substantial blocker that can handle a variety of threats, while also being a formidable force on the offensive end.

How to beat

Ydwen Efreet is a classic creature from the early days of Magic: The Gathering. With a formidable presence on the battlefield, this card brings an element of chance with its coin flip ability to avoid blockers. Navigating around this red creature’s unpredictability is key to dwindling your opponent’s defenses.

One effective method to counter Ydwen Efreet is by using removal spells that don’t require the creature to be declared as a blocker, such as Path to Exile or Murder. These spells can dispose of it regardless of the coin flip’s outcome. Another strategy is to employ cards that limit the ability to activate Ydwen Efreet’s effect, such as Pithing Needle or Phyrexian Revoker, naming Ydwen Efreet to prevent the activation of its coin flip ability.

Overall, while Ydwen Efreet can present a tricky challenge, with the right spells and strategic play, this creature can be swiftly and efficiently neutralized, mitigating its potential impact on the game and keeping your strategy on the path to victory.

Cards like Ydwen Efreet

Ydwen Efreet is a classic piece from the world of Magic: The Gathering, with a blend of nostalgia and unique mechanics. Much like other three-drop creatures, Ydwen Efreet provides a substantial presence on the battlefield. However, it stands apart with its coin flip chance for evasion, a feature hard to find in red creatures of similar mana cost. An analogous creature in terms of randomness and potential for evasion would be Goblin Psychopath, though Ydwen Efreet offers a more immediate and less costly effect.

Exploring further, Raging River is a spell that introduces a layer of unpredictability to combat, similar to Ydwen Efreet’s evasion ability. While not a creature itself, Raging River alters the battlefield dynamics in a unique way, a trait shared with Ydwen Efreet’s coin flipping mechanism. There’s also Mijae Djinn, which carries a similar coin-based decision-making process that can alter the course of combat. However, the Djinn offers these effects at a lower overall statistical power level than Ydwen Efreet.

When compared with its peers, Ydwen Efreet’s blend of power, cost-effectiveness, and the engaging coin flip mechanic makes it a distinctive choice for players seeking an unpredictable yet potentially game-altering red creature.

Cards similar to Ydwen Efreet by color, type and mana cost

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Shinen of Fury's Fire - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ydwen Efreet MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Masters Edition, 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 Ydwen Efreet and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Ydwen Efreet Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by Drew Tucker.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1993-12-17	Arabian Nights	ARN		44	1993	Normal	Black	Drew Tucker
2	2007-09-10	Masters Edition	ME1		112	1997	Normal	Black	Drew Tucker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ydwen Efreet has restrictions

Format	Legality
Oldschool	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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