Leyline Phantom MTG Card
2013-02-01 - Number 41
2014-03-14 - Number 16
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Illusion |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage by enabling multiple casting opportunities, triggering draw effects, and synergy potential.
- Can be used tactically at instant speed for greater flexibility and mana efficiency during gameplay.
- Holds a place in collections for its combo potential and adaptability across various meta environments.
Text of card
When Leyline Phantom deals combat damage, return it to its owner's hand. (Return it only if it survived combat.)
"Is the maze itself a phantom? Or is one as real as the other? Perhaps I am as mad as the dragon." —Jace Beleren, journal
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Leyline Phantom offers repeated opportunities for card draw in decks that synergize with entering the battlefield or leaving effects. Each time it deals combat damage and returns to your hand, it enables the recasting which can trigger draw effects multiple times throughout a match.
Resource Acceleration: While Leyline Phantom doesn’t directly generate additional mana, its recurring ability can be exploited with cards that benefit from casting spells. This can indirectly translate to resource acceleration as you trigger abilities that ramp up your mana or generate additional value each time you cast it.
Instant Speed: Although Leyline Phantom itself does not have flash, its return-to-hand ability can be utilized at instant speed. This allows players to wait until the end of an opponent’s turn to return it to their hand. This maneuver keeps mana open for instant speed interactions on the opponent’s turn, ensuring you’re not left defenseless while still planning to recast the Phantom on your turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Leyline Phantom offers a repeatable creature presence when bouncing back to your hand after combat, this can inadvertently force you to discard due to hand size limits each turn. This trade-off can leave you at a disadvantage, having to choose between keeping the Phantom or maintaining a diverse hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Leyline Phantom requires a dedicated amount of blue mana in its casting cost. This can be restrictive as it demands a strong commitment to blue mana resources within your deck, thereby potentially narrowing the deck types it can be effectively played in.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a converted mana cost that is substantial for its effect, the Leyline Phantom might not always be the optimal play. Considering its five mana for a 5/5 that doesn’t permanently stay on the battlefield, alternative creatures or spells might provide a more stable board presence or greater overall value for the same or lesser investment.
Reasons to Include Leyline Phantom in Your Collection
Versatility: Leyline Phantom offers a unique value, seamlessly integrating into blue-based decks that capitalize on casting creatures repeatedly. This card can be a key player in strategies that benefit from casting spells, such as those triggering prowess or supporting spell-slinger type decks.
Combo Potential: With each return to your hand after dealing combat damage, Leyline Phantom presents numerous opportunities to harness synergies with enter-the-battlefield effects or utilize mechanics like evolve. Its recasting can perpetuate combos, making it a handy tool for builders looking for recurring triggers.
Meta-Relevance: In a shifting MTG landscape where reactive plays are crucial, Leyline Phantom can serve as a reusable blocker, important for stalling opponents in creature-heavy metas. This characteristic ensures its relevance in various gaming situations, making it a worthy consideration for anyone looking to stay adaptable in their playstyle.
How to beat
Leyline Phantom is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering with a defining ability that sees it returning to its owner’s hand whenever it deals combat damage. As a result, it can feel akin to a boomerang, always bouncing back and ready to be cast again. This can be both an asset and a liability, depending on the context of the game.
To effectively counteract Leyline Phantom, it’s essential to leverage strategies that either prevent the creature from dealing combat damage or eliminate the benefits of its recurring nature. Spells that force the opponent to sacrifice creatures can be particularly effective, as they sidestep Leyline Phantom’s combat damage trigger. Additionally, using cards that limit the number of spells a player can cast each turn, or imposing mana restrictions, can frustrate your opponent’s plans to recast Leyline Phantom repeatedly.
In essence, when facing off against Leyline Phantom, the key is to disrupt the typical flow of combat and spell casting where this card thrives. By adopting a disruptive and resource-denying strategy, players can mitigate the impact of Leyline Phantom and maintain a commanding position in the game.
Cards like Leyline Phantom
Leyline Phantom offers a unique approach in the creature category of MTG. It finds parallels with creatures such as Shorecrasher Elemental, showcasing the ability to return to its owner’s hand. Leyline Phantom’s strength lies in its recurring presence, bouncing back after dealing damage. Shorecrasher Elemental, while it can also return to your hand, affords you the control over its timing and adds adaptability with its color-changing ability.
Delving further, we see Man-o’-War as another creature with a similar bounce mechanism. Unlike Leyline Phantom, which returns itself to the player’s hand, Man-o’-War targets other creatures when it comes into play. This provides a tactical edge for board control, although Man-o’-War lacks the sheer size of Leyline Phantom. Then there’s Aether Adept, echoing Man-o’-War’s ability to impact the board state by returning creatures to hands but again, it does not self-recur like Leyline Phantom.
Assessing these creatures together, Leyline Phantom stands out for its repetitive utility and significant body on the board. Its ability to consistently present a sizeable challenge can make it a formidable component in decks built around return-to-hand mechanics or using creatures for repeatable effects.
Cards similar to Leyline Phantom by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Leyline Phantom MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Leyline Phantom 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 Magic products
Printings
The Leyline Phantom Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2014-03-14. Illustrated by Ryan Yee.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-02-01 | Gatecrash | GTC | 41 | 2003 | normal | black | Ryan Yee | |
| 2 | 2014-03-14 | Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska | DDM | 16 | 2003 | normal | black | Ryan Yee |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Leyline Phantom has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
