Ragged Veins MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant, Flash
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Number	139
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chippy

Key Takeaways

Provides a tactical edge by using an opponent’s aggression against them, potentially shifting game dynamics.
Its flexibility at instant speed offers a surprise element, enhancing its strategic value in-game.
Requires careful play due to its specific activation conditions and mana cost considerations.

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

You may play Ragged Veins any time you could play an instant. Whenever enchanted creature is dealt damage, its controller loses that much life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ragged Veins equips you with an effective tool for creating pressure on your opponent. By attaching it to an attacking creature, you pave the way for potential card advantage as your opponent may lose their creature without gaining anything in return.

Resource Acceleration: Although Ragged Veins doesn’t explicitly accelerate resources, it indirectly does so by preserving your life total and maintaining board control, allowing you to dedicate resources to more impactful plays.

Instant Speed: The instant nature of Ragged Veins means it can be cast in response to an enemy’s attack, catching an unwary opponent off-guard. It’s this flexibility that makes it a strategic card capable of turning the tide of a game when used at the perfect moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deploying Ragged Veins requires you to have a creature targeted by a spell or ability, which can be inconsistently reliable, especially when your board is clear.

Specific Mana Cost: Ragged Veins comes with a combined mana cost, one that includes black mana. This may not harmonize with decks that run on a different mana base, potentially causing it to sit unused in your hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana for an aura that doesn’t provide an immediate board presence or card advantage, Ragged Veins can feel cost-inefficient compared to other spells or enchantments that could offer more immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include Ragged Veins in Your Collection

Versatility: Ragged Veins offers unique adaptability as it can be attached to any creature, making it a tactical asset in both offensive and defensive scenarios. Its ability to turn the pain back on an opponent adds a layer of strategy regardless of the deck’s primary focus.

Combo Potential: When used in combination with cards that force opponents to attack or deal damage to their own creatures, Ragged Veins blossoms into a powerful tool. It can complement sacrifice strategies or work as a surprise element to deter opponents from engaging in combat.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment dense with creature-based strategies, Ragged Veins gains extra importance. It serves as an unconventional but effective deterrent, potentially swaying the tide of battle and offering an edge against aggressive decks.

How to beat

Ragged Veins is a unique enchantment card with the potential to alter the course of a game by turning damage into an advantage for the enchanted creature’s controller. To effectively navigate against this card, players should consider a strategic approach focused on removing the enchanted creature without triggering Ragged Veins’ ability, which can convert damage into life loss for the creature’s controller.

One successful tactic involves using exile or bounce spells to circumvent the damage clause entirely. Spells like Path to Exile or Unsummon can effectively neutralize the looming threat without giving the opponent the upper hand. Additionally, employing counterspells when Ragged Veins is cast can prevent its nuisance altogether, maintaining a stable battlefield without the need to worry about the complicated consequences of damaging an enchanted creature.

Overall, while Ragged Veins presents a tricky situation, a tailored approach using non-damaging removal and a cautious strategy to handle the enchanted creature can ensure that the scales aren’t tipped in your opponent’s favor. It’s about being proactive and creative with the cards at your disposal to keep Ragged Veins from becoming a significant obstacle in your path to victory.

Cards like Ragged Veins

Ragged Veins is an intriguing card from the world of Magic: The Gathering that offers a twist on creature enchantment spells. Comparable cards include Cradle to Grave, which also provides a way to capitalize on an opposing creature’s demise. While Cradle to Grave is an instant that destroys a creature that entered the battlefield this turn, Ragged Veins can be attached to any creature and has the added benefit of dealing damage to that creature’s controller when it takes damage.

Another analog is the card Dead Weight, which serves as a straightforward means to weaken an opponent’s creature by reducing its power and toughness. Ragged Veins, however, doesn’t decrease the enchanted creature’s power; instead, it transforms any damage it takes into a liability for the opponent. In terms of strategy, the potential for Ragged Veins to turn a blocking situation or combat trick into an unexpected source of damage to the opponent provides a unique angle of attack.

Drawing comparisons, Ragged Veins offers a unique blend of offensive and defensive capabilities. It allows strategic players to leverage any damage dealt to the enchanted creature, potentially turning it into a source of direct damage against the opponent. This makes it a distinctive choice among cards with similar enchant creature attributes.

Cards similar to Ragged Veins by color, type and mana cost

Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions

Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions

Aphemia, the Cacophony - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ragged Veins MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Ragged Veins and other MTG cards: