Flickering Spirit MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Released | 2006-10-06 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Time Spiral |
| Set code | TSP |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 17 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alex Horley-Orlandelli |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage and leverages enter-the-battlefield effects multiple times for a dominant position.
- Requires careful play, as its instant speed flickering ability comes with a discard cost.
- Despite high mana costs, offers resilience in metas heavy with targeted removal and board wipes.
Text of card
Flying : Remove Flickering Spirit from the game, then return it to play under its owner's control.
It disappears each time with the hope that it will not return to the same desolation it left behind.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Flickering Spirit provides a unique edge in maintaining card advantage. Its ability to return to your hand means that you can protect it from removal, preserving your resources while potentially depleting your opponent’s.
Resource Acceleration: By allowing for repeated reuse of enter-the-battlefield effects from other creatures you control, Flickering Spirit can effectively accelerate your resource gains, leading to a more dominant board position over time.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of activating Flickering Spirit’s ability at instant speed gives you the tactical advantage to respond to threats immediately, dodge board wipes, or create surprise blockers, thus keeping your opponents on their toes and your strategies adaptable.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: This spirit demands a card be discarded every time its ability is activated. If your hand is already dwindling, leveraging its flicker ability might strip you of crucial late-game options.
Specific Mana Cost: Flickering Spirit requires not only white mana but often a substantial amount in a multi-color deck, which could be a critical drawback when facing a tight mana curve or when needing to keep mana open for other spells.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its ability to phase in and out for protection or evasion, the mana investment might seem steep compared to other creatures with similar evasion skills. Players must weigh its defensive utility against other, potentially more impactful plays available at the same cost.
Reasons to Include Flickering Spirit in Your Collection
Versatility: Flickering Spirit can adapt to numerous deck styles, excelling in strategies that revolve around temporary exile effects to dodge removal or to trigger enter-the-battlefield abilities multiple times.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability to flicker itself opens up possibilities with cards that capitalize on both leaving and entering the battlefield, enabling intricate combos that can outmaneuver opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where targeted removal or board wipes are prevalent, Flickering Spirit’s self-protective nature keeps it in play, making it a resilient threat or defender based on the deck’s needs.
How to beat
Flickering Spirit presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to temporarily exile itself from the game. This makes it a formidable adversary as it can avoid targeted removal spells and can return to dodge mass removal during the end step. To effectively counter this elusive creature, players should consider strategies that don’t rely on targeting or destruction. Cards that reduce the opponent’s mana available or increase the cost of activating abilities can be beneficial in hindering the Spirit’s flickering tactic. Utilizing continuous board-wide effects that disable creature abilities can also be crucial in preventing Flickering Spirit from leaving the battlefield.
Control decks that focus on counterspells could be another pathway, as denying the Spirit’s initial cast would prevent it from setting foot on the field altogether. Alternatively, leverage cards that force sacrifice or employ hand disruption to eliminate the Spirit indirectly. Remember that timing is pivotal – if you can anticipate and navigate around the spirit’s flickering, you can trap it on the field long enough to address it permanently.
By aligning your deck with these countermeasures, you can ensure that Flickering Spirit’s vanishing act is met with preparedness and poise, keeping you one step ahead in the game.
Cards like Flickering Spirit
Flickering Spirit introduces a unique dynamic into the Magic: The Gathering realm with its ability to temporarily exile and then return itself to the battlefield. This evasive ability is reminiscent of cards like Restoration Angel, which also allows for a creature to flicker out and back in, albeit targeting other creatures. While Flickering Spirit provides control over its own state, Restoration Angel offers a flicker effect that can affect the broader playfield.
Another notable comparison is with Mistmeadow Witch, which also possesses the power to remove creatures from play momentarily, then return them at the end of turn. Flickering Spirit holds an edge, being able to protect itself and dodge removal spells at instant speed. Whereas the Witch requires additional mana investment to activate its ability, the simplicity of the Spirit’s ability can be advantageous from a strategic standpoint.
Each of these cards has situational superiority, but Flickering Spirit claims a unique place. Its self-targeting recurring ability enables not only defensive maneuvers but also repeated activations of enter-the-battlefield effects, bolstering its standing in gameplay that prizes flexibility and resilience.
Cards similar to Flickering Spirit by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Flickering Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Flickering Spirit 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 MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Flickering Spirit has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Flickering Spirit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2006-09-25 | If Flickering Spirit’s ability is activated, any “as this enters the battlefield” choices for it are made by its owner, not its previous controller. |
| 2006-09-25 | When the ability resolves, Flickering Spirit is exiled, then immediately returned to the battlefield. It returns as a “new” creature. Any counters, Auras, and so on are removed. Any spells or abilities targeting Flickering Spirit no longer target it. |
| 2007-02-01 | If a token copy of Flickering Spirit uses its activated ability, the token will not return to the battlefield, because of the rule that says tokens that leave the battlefield can’t return. |
