Beckon Apparition MTG Card
2008-07-25 - Number 82
2013-02-01 - Number 212
2018-12-07 - Number 211
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Provides creature tokens while thwarting opponent graveyard plays, enhancing both offense and defense strategies.
- Mandatory graveyard exiling can be restrictive, affecting your deck’s synergy if not managed properly.
- Its reaction speed and flexibility make it a valuable, multifaceted card for various deck archetypes.
Text of card
Remove target card in a graveyard from the game. Put a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying into play.
When a graveyard is full, the gwyllions rattle the tombs and unleash the spirits into the sky.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Beckon Apparition doesn’t directly let you draw cards, but it does give you a creature on the battlefield while potentially disrupting your opponent’s graveyard. This can narrow down their options, effectively tipping the advantage in your favor over time.
Resource Acceleration: While Beckon Apparition doesn’t provide mana or treasure tokens, it does offer an efficient way to utilize mana. With a low casting cost, it allows you to deploy threats while keeping resources available for other strategies within the same turn.
Instant Speed: One of the key strengths of Beckon Apparition is its instant speed, enabling reactionary play against your opponent’s graveyard strategies. You can wait until the optimal moment to exile a crucial card from their graveyard and create an unexpected blocker or attacker during either player’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Beckon Apparition forces you to exile a card from a graveyard, which can sometimes backfire if your game plan revolves around graveyard strategies or if you inadvertently aid an opponent’s delve mechanic.
Specific Mana Cost: Beckon Apparition needs hybrid white or black mana. This necessity can complicate your mana base, especially when your deck is stretched across multiple colors or focuses on a color not included.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the mana cost might seem low, in a game where efficiency is key, spending one mana for a single 1/1 flying creature can be costly relative to other cards that could provide a greater impact on the game state for the same or a slightly higher investment.
Reasons to Include Beckon Apparition in Your Collection
Versatility: Beckon Apparition’s low cost and instant speed make it a flexible option for many deck styles. Whether you’re disrupting graveyard strategies or looking to quickly populate the board with creatures, this card can adapt to various in-game situations.
Combo Potential:This card excels by generating a creature token which can be advantageous in decks that synergize with spirit creatures or token generation. Its ability to combo with cards that benefit from creature entering the battlefield is a considerable upside.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where players rely on graveyard interactions, Beckon Apparition serves as an effective countermeasure. Its capability to exile target cards from graveyards while providing board presence makes it a strategic pick in current metagames that favor such tactics.
How to beat
Beckon Apparition poses an interesting challenge on the battlefield, being a low-cost instant that can disrupt graveyard strategies and provide a token creature. When facing this card, the key is to anticipate its use. Since Beckon Apparition relies on cards being in graveyards to be effective, consider timing removal spells and abilities to minimize graveyard populations or to use them when the opponent is tapped out or less likely to have Beckon Apparition in hand.
Alternatively, employing graveyard protection like Relic of Progenitus or using cards that shuffle the graveyard back into the library, such as Elixir of Immortality, can negate Beckon Apparition’s effectiveness. Also, be mindful of your instant spells. Casting them strategically when the opponent lacks the mana to cast Beckon Apparition can avoid giving them the opportunity to create the spirit token.
Counterspells, while often reserved for more substantial threats, can be an efficient answer if Beckon Apparition is integral to an opponent’s game plan. In the end, understanding the deck mechanics at play and keeping graveyards empty are crucial strategies in diminishing the impact of Beckon Apparition in MTG matches.
Cards like Beckon Apparition
Beckon Apparition offers a unique twist on graveyard manipulation within Magic the Gathering. It mirrors the functionality of cards like Nihil Spellbomb or Leyline of the Void by targeting graveyard interactions, but with a distinct advantage. Beckon Apparition can be activated instantaneously, providing both a tactical disruption against your opponent’s graveyard strategies and a creature on the battlefield, an ethereal token with flying.
When compared to Tormod’s Crypt, another graveyard hate staple, Beckon Apparition shines by not only exiling a card but also providing a 1/1 flying token, adding to your board presence. In essence, Beckon Apparition delivers a two-pronged approach whereas Tormod’s Crypt is a one-time use with no additional benefits. Relic of Progenitus also exiles cards from graveyards but requires mana investment to draw a card, a different advantage than what a creature token offers.
Considering the versatility, it’s evident why Beckon Apparition has its niche. Its budget-friendly casting cost, and the immediate impact of its token generation, make it a subtly powerful choice for players looking to disturb graveyards while building their board state.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Beckon Apparition MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Gatecrash, 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 Beckon Apparition 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 Beckon Apparition Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-07-25 | Eventide | EVE | 82 | 2003 | normal | black | Larry MacDougall | |
| 2 | 2013-02-01 | Gatecrash | GTC | 212 | 2003 | normal | black | Cliff Childs | |
| 3 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 211 | 2015 | normal | black | Cliff Childs |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Beckon Apparition has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Beckon Apparition card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-08-01 | The controller of Beckon Apparition gets the token. |
| 2013-01-24 | Beckon Apparition will be on the stack when you choose its target. It can’t target itself. |
| 2018-12-07 | If the target card becomes an illegal target for Beckon Apparition, the spell doesn’t resolve. You don’t create a token. |
