Scatter to the Winds MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Awaken

Key Takeaways

  1. Awaken transforms a land into a creature upon casting, expanding your capacity for aggression or defense.
  2. This card maintains its utility and relevance in various metas, especially in games that stretch over longer periods.
  3. To thwart this versatile counterspell, deploy spells cautiously, baiting it out, or utilizing uncounterable tactics.

Text of card

Counter target spell. Awaken 3— (If you cast this spell for , also put three +1/+1 counters on target land you control and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature with haste. It's still a land.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scatter to the Winds offers a unique twist on the conventional counterspell by providing the option to Awaken. If you have the mana available, not only do you counter a troublesome spell, but you also transform a land into a formidable creature, effectively adding another threat to your board and advancing your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Scatter to the Winds itself does not directly accelerate resources, the Awaken mechanic it features can turn a mere land into an asset that contributes to your offensive strategy. This dual utility ensures your mana investment isn’t solely focused on negation but also on future board impact, potentially saving you from having to commit additional resources to develop your battlefield later on.

Instant Speed: The power of Scatter to the Winds is greatly amplified by its instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react and adapt during your opponent’s turn. Not only can you disrupt their plans at a critical moment, but you can also choose the opportune moment to strengthen your position by Awakening and taking them by surprise with a sudden creature on the field.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Scatter to the Winds does not have a discard requirement, players must be wary of card advantage when considering counterspells. Using this spell eliminates a potential threat at the cost of one card from your hand, potentially putting you behind in the card advantage race.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one blue and two other mana to cast. The specific need for blue mana means it fits best in decks with a strong blue mana base, limiting its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, Scatter to the Winds competes with other spells in its mana range. In some situations, players might find other counterspells like “Mana Leak” or “Negate,” which are lower in casting cost and can provide more flexibility for a player’s mana during their turn.


Reasons to Include Scatter to the Winds in Your Collection

Versatility: Scatter to the Winds offers more than a mere counterspell. With its Awaken ability, it can transform a land into a creature, making it a dual-purpose card that fits in control decks and those seeking to have an extra attacker or blocker.

Combo Potential: As a counterspell with upside, it works well in decks that aim to control the game and gradually gain advantage. It can also synergize with decks that care about land creatures or elemental interactions, adding layers to your in-game strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its flexibility and strength as a disruption tool, Scatter to the Winds remains relevant in match-ups that lean towards longer games where countering key spells and establishing a board presence can dictate the pace and outcome of the game.


How to beat

Scatter to the Winds brings versatility and control to a player’s arsenal within Magic: The Gathering. As a counterspell with the added ability to awaken a land when its awaken cost is paid, it can pivot a game in your favor. Beating this card involves a strategic approach. It’s crucial to bait out the counterspell with less critical spells before casting your game-winning moves. Knowing your opponent’s mana pool is vital as well; capitalizing on moments when they’re tapped out or low on mana can make your spells more likely to resolve.

Alternatively, play cards that can’t be countered, ensuring your key spells aren’t vulnerable to such interference. Lastly, employing spells that grant hexproof to your spells or using spells that punish your opponent for casting noncreature spells can weaken the effectiveness of Scatter to the Winds. Winning against this card means thinking one step ahead and making each play with the potential of a counter in mind. It’s a dance of precision and prediction.

In essence, overcoming Scatter to the Winds is more about the mental game and timing than simply overpowering it. It requires careful consideration of each action taken during gameplay to ensure success in your match.


Cards like Scatter to the Winds

Scatter to the Winds is a versatile counter spell in Magic: The Gathering, occupying a unique position among its peers. It’s akin to classical spells like Cancel, which straightforwardly counters any spell for a cost of three mana. Scatter to the Winds takes this a notch higher with its awaken mechanic, giving players an additional option to turn a land into a creature with three +1/+1 counters for six mana. Comparatively, Cancel offers no extra upside beyond the initial counter.

Considering other similar spells, Dissolve comes to mind. It also counters any spell at the same mana cost, but it lets the player scry 1, refining their next draw. While the scrying ability is valuable, it lacks Scatter to the Winds’ potential to alter the battlefield state substantially. Then there’s Cryptic Command, offering even more flexibility with its four different modes. Nevertheless, its higher mana cost and specific color requirement can make it less accessible in some decks.

When evaluating the quality and adaptability of counter spells available, Scatter to the Winds holds a significant place, providing both immediate disruption and a potential late-game threat through its awaken ability.

Cancel - MTG Card versions
Dissolve - MTG Card versions
Cryptic Command - MTG Card versions
Cancel - Time Spiral (TSP)
Dissolve - Theros (THS)
Cryptic Command - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Scatter to the Winds by color, type and mana cost

Mana Short - MTG Card versions
Psionic Blast - MTG Card versions
Capsize - MTG Card versions
Intuition - MTG Card versions
Forbid - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Exclude - MTG Card versions
Crystal Spray - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Ixidor's Will - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Vex - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Venser's Diffusion - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Mana Short - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Psionic Blast - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Capsize - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Intuition - Tempest (TMP)
Forbid - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Frantic Search - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Exclude - Invasion (INV)
Crystal Spray - Invasion (INV)
Hibernation - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Circular Logic - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Keep Watch - Judgment (JUD)
Archmage's Charm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Commander's Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ixidor's Will - Onslaught (ONS)
Catalog - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Vex - Darksteel (DST)
Thirst for Knowledge - World Championship Decks 2004 (WC04)
Murmurs from Beyond - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Venser's Diffusion - Future Sight (FUT)
Dream Fracture - Conspiracy (CNS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scatter to the Winds MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar Promos and 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 Scatter to the Winds and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Scatter to the Winds Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by Raymond Swanland.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 85s2015normalblackRaymond Swanland
22015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 852015normalblackRaymond Swanland

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scatter to the Winds has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-08-25 Awaken doesn’t give the land you control a color. As most lands are colorless, in most cases the resulting land creature will also be colorless.
2015-08-25 If a spell with awaken has multiple targets (including the land you control), and some but not all of those targets become illegal by the time the spell tries to resolve, the spell won’t affect the illegal targets in any way.
2015-08-25 If the non-awaken part of the spell doesn’t require a target and you cast the spell for its awaken cost, then the spell won’t resolve if the target land you control becomes illegal before the spell resolves (such as due to being destroyed in response to the spell being cast).
2015-08-25 If the non-awaken part of the spell requires a target, you must choose a legal target. You can’t cast the spell if you can’t choose a legal target for each instance of the word “target” (though you only need a legal target for the awaken ability if you’re casting the spell for its awaken cost).
2015-08-25 The land will retain any other types, subtypes, or supertypes it previously had. It will also retain any mana abilities it had as a result of those subtypes. For example, a Forest that’s turned into a creature this way can still be tapped for .
2015-08-25 You can cast a spell with awaken for its mana cost and get only its first effect. If you cast a spell for its awaken cost, you’ll get both effects.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks