Phyrexian Vault MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Phyrexian Vault’s consistent card draw mechanic fuels strategic plays and replenishes player hands.
  2. Activating at instant speed, this artifact provides flexibility, timing control, and efficient resource conversion.
  3. While powerful, it demands creature discard and specific mana, which may limit its applicability in some decks.

Text of card

, oc T, Sacrifice a creature: Draw a card.

"The secrets of Phyrexia are expensive. You will pay in brass and bone, steel and sinew." —Kaervek


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phyrexian Vault provides consistent card draw, offering the ability to exchange creatures for new cards. This can give you the upper hand by replenishing your hand with potentially game-changing options.

Resource Acceleration: By facilitating the sacking of creatures, Phyrexian Vault synergizes well with decks that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard, essentially turning creatures into new resources and possibly enabling bigger plays ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The advantage of activating Phyrexian Vault at instant speed cannot be understated. It allows you to adapt to the flow of the game, using the ability when the timing is most advantageous, such as in response to removal or during an opponent’s end step for maximum efficiency.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Phyrexian Vault demands that players discard another creature card, which could deplete your hand and resources, particularly detrimental during late-game scenarios when every card held can turn the tide of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost includes black mana, which may not be readily available in all decks, rendering it less versatile across diverse deck builds where color fixing isn’t prioritized or feasible.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its activation cost being three mana, players might find the cost-to-benefit ratio less appealing, especially when there are alternative artifact options that provide card draw or similar outputs at lower mana expenditures.


Reasons to Include Phyrexian Vault in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Vault offers a seamless addition to various deck archetypes. Its ability to sacrifice creatures for card advantage is beneficial in decks that capitalize on creature death or require consistent card draw.

Combo Potential: This artifact syncs well with strategies that revolve around the graveyard, such as reanimator or Aristocrats themes. Phyrexian Vault’s capacity to turn creatures into new cards allows players to churn through their deck and access essential combo pieces.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy decks prominent in the current landscape, having a reliable way to utilize your creatures, even in death, keeps this card relevant. In environments where trading resources is key, Phyrexian Vault provides a consistent outlet for advantage.


How to beat Phyrexian Vault

Confronting the challenge of the Phyrexian Vault in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic planning and precise play. This artifact has the power to draw extra cards at the cost of sacrificing a creature. While this may seem daunting as it fuels an opponent’s hand, there are ways to turn the tables on this imposing card.

Utilizing artifact removal cards like Nature’s Claim or Abrade can eliminate the threat outright, ensuring that the card advantage never comes to fruition. If you’re in a creature-heavy deck, consider running cards like Scavenging Ooze, which not only deals with creatures in graveyards but also gains you life and becomes a bigger threat on the board. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage can prevent the most problematic aspects of Phyrexian Vault by halting creatures from being targeted in the graveyard, throwing a wrench into your opponent’s plan.

In sum, while the Phyrexian Vault can provide a significant edge in card advantage, it’s not insurmountable. Timely artifact destruction, graveyard management, and even preemptive measures can keep the balance in your favor and mitigate the impact of this powerful card-draw engine.


Cards like Phyrexian Vault

The Phyrexian Vault is a unique artifact in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering players a strategic advantage by sacrificing a creature to draw a card. It shares similarities with the Morbid Curiosity card, which also revolves around sacrificing a creature, but it allows you to draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature’s power. While Morbid Curiosity can lead to drawing more cards, the Vault doesn’t require a large creature to be effective and has a repeatable effect every turn.

Altar’s Reap is another card that echoes the creature-sacrifice for card-draw theme. Unlike Phyrexian Vault, Altar’s Reap is an instant, allowing for more flexibility and surprise plays. It draws two cards immediately but is a one-off event, unlike the vault’s continual but slower pace. Then there’s Culling Dais, an artifact that accumulates value over time and eventually can be sacrificed for a surge of card draw. While Culling Dais requires forethought and build-up, Phyrexian Vault can be activated at a steady rhythm without a waiting period.

Players must weigh the balance between the speed of card draw and the utility of the sacrificed creatures. Phyrexian Vault may not provide a windfall of cards at once, but its consistent card advantage can be pivotal in the long game. This makes Phyrexian Vault a dependable option among MTG cards that utilize the sacrifice mechanic for generating card advantage.

Morbid Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Altar's Reap - MTG Card versions
Culling Dais - MTG Card versions
Morbid Curiosity - Kaladesh (KLD)
Altar's Reap - Innistrad (ISD)
Culling Dais - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Phyrexian Vault by color, type and mana cost

Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Arena of the Ancients - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Sunglasses of Urza - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Ebony Horse - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Runed Arch - Ice Age (ICE)
Arena of the Ancients - Chronicles (CHR)
Bösium Strip - Weatherlight (WTH)
Clay Pigeon - Unglued (UGL)
Ashnod's Altar - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Jalum Tome - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Static Orb - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Patchwork Gnomes - Odyssey (ODY)
The Stasis Coffin - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Captain's Hook - Rivals of Ixalan Promos (PRIX)
Wall of Spears - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Spellweaver Helix - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scale of Chiss-Goria - Mirrodin (MRD)
Lightning Coils - Mirrodin (MRD)
Vedalken Shackles - Kaladesh Inventions (MPS)
Loxodon Warhammer - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Sword of Feast and Famine - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Vault MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Classic Sixth 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 Phyrexian Vault and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Vault Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 2010-03-19. Illustrated by Hannibal King.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-10-08MirageMIR 3161997normalblackHannibal King
21999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3071997normalwhiteHannibal King
32007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3372003normalblackHannibal King
42010-03-19Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the CoalitionDDE 212003normalblackHannibal King
52020-09-26The ListPLST MIR-3161997normalblackHannibal King

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Vault has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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