Eyeless Watcher MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Eldrazi Drone |
| Abilities | Devoid |
| Released | 2015-10-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Battle for Zendikar |
| Set code | BFZ |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 166 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Yohann Schepacz |
Key Takeaways
- Elevates creature count and resource management by generating Eldrazi Scion tokens with multiple uses.
- Offers both an immediate board state impact and potential for intricate combo plays in game.
- Demands a specific mana arrangement, which can limit flexibility in some deck builds.
Text of card
Devoid (This card has no color.) When Eyeless Watcher enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 colorless Eldrazi Scion creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have "Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool."
Every Eldrazi in Ulamog's lineage is an extension of the titan's will.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When summoning Eyeless Watcher onto the battlefield, it brings along two Eldrazi Scion creatures. Not only does this bolster your creature count, but these token creatures can be sacrificed to draw cards or manifest other benefits, contributing to your overall card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: The Eldrazi Scions that accompany Eyeless Watcher are not just simple creatures; they serve a higher purpose. Each can be sacrificed for an additional colorless mana, effectively ramping up your mana resources to deploy more daunting threats earlier in the game or activating key abilities that could tip the scales in your favor.
Instant Speed: Although Eyeless Watcher itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the flexibility offered by its Eldrazi Scion tokens provides reactive capabilities. These tokens can be sacrificed at instant speed, which means you can seamlessly convert them into mana or utilize their sacrifice for other effects in response to your opponent’s moves, keeping you one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike other eldrazi who allow you to reap benefits without additional costs, Eyeless Watcher doesn’t provide the same level of efficiency. Discarding a card to fulfill its cost can be particularly punishing when your hand is already depleted or when every card is crucial to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirement for Eyeless Watcher might seem flexible with its colorless demand, but it also requires a precise combination of one green and three other mana. This can be restrictive for decks that need to maintain a stable mana curve or for players who might not always have the right mana sources available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Four mana for a creature that predominantly acts as a token generator may be on the higher side. In a game where pace can be a decisive factor, dedicating this amount of mana to summon Eyeless Watcher can set you back, especially compared to other cards in MTG that can generate tokens or offer board presence at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Eyeless Watcher offers flexibility to various deck builds with its ability to provide both board presence and ramp. This makes it especially handy in decks that thrive on creature count or mana acceleration.
Combo Potential: Thanks to the Scion tokens it creates, this card is a springboard for combos, empowering strategies around sacrifice mechanics or using the tokens as fodder for other synergistic plays.
Meta-Relevance: With a shifting MTG landscape, Eyeless Watcher’s value fluctuates. However, in metas where reaching critical board state quickly is key, the extra bodies and mana acceleration may prove invaluable.
How to Beat
Confronting the Eyeless Watcher on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategic approach. This creature can be quite the nuisance due to its ability to swell your opponent’s side with Eldrazi Scion tokens, potentially ramping them into larger threats quicker than usual. That said, there are effective tactics to ensure this card doesn’t overpower you.
One efficient method is using board clear spells to eliminate the Watcher and its spawned tokens simultaneously. Spells like “Languish” or “Pyroclasm” can sweep away the Scions before they can be used for mana acceleration. Alternatively, you can employ targeted removal such as “Doom Blade” or “Path to Exile” to deal specifically with the Eyeless Watcher before it can become a larger problem. You can also take advantage of its lack of offensive power. Since the Watcher doesn’t pose a direct threat with high attack damage, prioritize threats and apply pressure to your opponent to force them to use their tokens defensively.
Effectively countering the Eyeless Watcher comes down to recognizing the right moment to strike and having board control measures at the ready. By keeping its token generation in check, you can maintain the Upper hand and nullify the advantage this card is designed to provide.
Cards like Eyeless Watcher
Eyeless Watcher finds its unique spot within the swathes of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shares common ground with other creature spells that deliver Scion tokens upon entering the battlefield – such as Brood Monitor, which not only creates Scion tokens but provides a larger body on the board. However, what sets Eyeless Watcher apart is its blend of affordability and efficiency for its mana cost.
Lastingly, we see Sifter of Skulls as a compelling parallel. Also generating Scion tokens, Sifter of Skulls’s ability triggers upon the death of another nontoken creature you control, giving a persistent potential for token creation. In contrast, the Watcher’s once-off ability might seem limited, but it offers immediate board presence with multiple bodies.
Comparing these cards, Eyeless Watcher may not match the continuous token generation of Sifter of Skulls or the robust presence of Brood Monitor, but it strikes a balance between cost and immediate impact, making it an efficient choice for decks looking to ramp up quickly.
Cards similar to Eyeless Watcher by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Eyeless Watcher MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar, 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 Eyeless Watcher and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Eyeless Watcher has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Eyeless Watcher card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | A card with devoid is just colorless. It’s not colorless and the colors of mana in its mana cost. |
| 2015-08-25 | Cards with devoid use frames that are variations of the transparent frame traditionally used for Eldrazi. The top part of the card features some color over a background based on the texture of the hedrons that once imprisoned the Eldrazi. This coloration is intended to aid deckbuilding and game play. |
| 2015-08-25 | Devoid works in all zones, not just on the battlefield. |
| 2015-08-25 | Eldrazi Scions are similar to Eldrazi Spawn, seen in the Zendikar block. Note that Eldrazi Scions are 1/1, not 0/1. |
| 2015-08-25 | Eldrazi and Scion are each separate creature types. Anything that affects Eldrazi will affect these tokens, for example. |
| 2015-08-25 | If a card loses devoid, it will still be colorless. This is because effects that change an object’s color (like the one created by devoid) are considered before the object loses devoid. |
| 2015-08-25 | Other cards and abilities can give a card with devoid color. If that happens, it’s just the new color, not that color and colorless. |
| 2015-08-25 | Sacrificing an Eldrazi Scion creature token to add to your mana pool is a mana ability. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to. |
| 2015-08-25 | Some instants and sorceries that create Eldrazi Scions require targets. If all targets for such a spell have become illegal by the time that spell tries to resolve, the spell won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t get any Eldrazi Scions. |
