Ephemeron MTG Card

Exodus (EXO)
1998-06-15 - Number 31

Vintage Masters (VMA)
2014-06-16 - Number 66

Tempest Remastered (TPR)
2015-05-06 - Number 48

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Illusion
Abilities	Flying
Power	4
Toughness	4

Key Takeaways

Ephemeron’s flying and flash provide strategic card advantage and gameplay flexibility.
The card demands careful hand management due to its discard requirement.
Despite a higher mana cost, its versatility makes it a worthy collection addition.

Text of card

Flying Choose and discard a card: Return Ephemeron to owner's hand.

From nothing came teeth.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ephemeron can often supply card advantage through its flying trait, ensuring it remains unblocked and capable of drawing extra cards upon dealing combat damage to an opponent.

Resource Acceleration: With mechanics like evoke or unearth, Ephemeron can often be played for a cheaper cost, giving you resource acceleration by saving mana for other strategic plays within the same turn.

Instant Speed: Possessing flash, Ephemeron can be cast at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility by allowing you to deploy it during your opponent’s end step or surprise them by blocking an unexpected attacker.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ephemeron necessitates pitching another card from your hand, which can be a considerable setback especially when your hand is already running thin on options.

Specific Mana Cost: Ephemeron’s casting cost demands both generic and blue mana, potentially limiting its integration in multicolored decks where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Coming with a higher mana cost, Ephemeron may lag behind in a race against decks that thrive on low-cost, high-impact creatures, making it a less desirable choice in fast-paced games.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ephemeron cards offer dynamic playability, seamlessly fitting into blue-focused decks that prioritize evasion. Their flying ability allows them to be formidable threats from above, difficult for opponents to block.

Combo Potential: These cards often come with disruptive powers like “discard a card” abilities, making them an excellent complement to strategies that aim to control the opponent’s hand while deploying threats in the air.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ever-shifting meta, Ephemeron’s ability to swiftly put pressure on the board while assisting in maintaining card advantage can be tactically valuable against a range of opponent strategies.

How to beat

Ephemeron is a powerhouse in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, offering evasive gameplay with its flying ability, often tipping the battlefield in its controller’s favor. To effectively counter this card, focus on removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their flight, such as Murder or Doom Blade. Timing is key, as you’ll want to have these spells ready to go when your opponent taps out to cast Ephemeron, or in response to it being activated if it has an activated ability.

Another strategy is to outpace Ephemeron by building a faster aggro deck. Overwhelm your opponent with a swarm of creatures before they get a chance to stabilize their mana and bring out their heavyweight. Red and white decks, often loaded with low-cost aggressive creatures, can apply this pressure effectively. Utilizing cards that can grant your creatures haste enables you to hit hard and fast, possibly ending the game before Ephemeron even hits the board.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of board wipes. A well-timed Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field, removing Ephemeron along with any other threats. By maintaining control of the board and keeping your opponent on the back foot, you minimize the impact Ephemeron can have on the game.

Cards like Ephemeron

Ephemeron joins the lineup of evasive creatures in Magic: The Gathering. With flying as a core feature, it can be compared to other flying creatures like Welkin Tern, which also boasts a formidable presence in the sky. Both creatures require strategic play, given Welkin Tern’s inability to block creatures without flying. Ephemeron, gains an edge with its prowess ability, incrementally growing stronger with each noncreature spell cast.

Another similar airborne threat is Mistral Charger, a creature known for its simplicity, providing a steadfast flying option for two mana. While Mistral Charger doesn’t have the incremental growth potential of Ephemeron’s prowess, it offers simplicity and reliability from the onset. Drifting Djinn offers yet another parallel, sharing the flying trait but incorporating a cycling ability, giving players the versatility to refresh their hand at the cost of the Djinn’s presence on the battlefield.

Ephemeron’s delicate balance of evasive flying ability and the potential for strength through prowess makes it a compelling choice for decks favoring spells and airborne assaults. Among its kin, it stands as a competitive option for those looking to add some agile power to their aerial offensive.

Cards similar to Ephemeron by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ephemeron MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and Vintage Masters, 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 Ephemeron and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ephemeron Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by Keith Parkinson.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-06-15	Exodus	EXO	31	1997	Normal	Black	Keith Parkinson
2	2014-06-16	Vintage Masters	VMA	66	2015	Normal	Black	Keith Parkinson
3	2015-05-06	Tempest Remastered	TPR	48	2015	Normal	Black	Keith Parkinson