Veteran's Reflexes MTG Card

Worldwake (WWK)
2010-02-05 - Number 23

Veteran's Reflexes - Explorers of Ixalan (E02)

Explorers of Ixalan (E02)
2017-11-24 - Number 5

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Subtle yet significant, it grants instant combat enhancements and strategic depth to gameplay.
Instant speed and untapping create flexible, reactive opportunities during combat.
Works best in decks emphasizing combat tricks or vigilance synergies.

Text of card

Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Untap that creature.

"Assume everything wants to kill you. At the very least, assume everything wants what's in your pack."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Veteran’s Reflexes may not directly let you draw cards, but its low cost and beneficial effect can lead to advantageous board positions, indirectly leading to card advantage through more efficient combat trades.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of mana, enabling a creature to untap can be a form of resource acceleration. The untapped creature can be used for various utilities such as activating abilities that require tapping, effectively speeding up your available resources.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Veteran’s Reflexes provides strategic flexibility, allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves during combat. This can turn the tides by saving a crucial blocker or by making an unexpected attacker more formidable. Its timing can be pivotal in complex combat scenarios.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Veteran’s Reflexes doesn’t require card discard, it’s key to consider how this card fits in your hand. Spells that boost creatures can be situational and may not advance your board state significantly when drawn late in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Veteran’s Reflexes demands white mana, which can potentially restrict its inclusion to mono-white or two-color decks, limiting its versatility in formats where mana bases are varied and multicolored decks are prevalent.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing only one white mana, the effect only offers a temporary boost. Alternative spells or permanents that could provide a lasting advantage or a more substantial increase to a creature’s abilities may offer better value over the game’s course, even at a slightly higher mana cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Veteran’s Reflexes is a quick and affordable way to give any creature a significant boost during combat. Its ability to add +1/+1 and untap a creature can be a game-changer, fitting seamlessly into decks that capitalize on combat tricks or vigilance themes.

Combo Potential: With the right creature, Veteran’s Reflexes can be part of an effective combo, unlocking tap and untap abilities multiple times in a single turn. This opens the door for various synergies and interactions that can lead to unexpected wins.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where combat plays a central role, having a low-cost instant like Veteran’s Reflexes can give you an edge by outmaneuvering opponents during critical turns. It’s particularly useful in aggressive or tempo-based decks looking to maintain pressure while defending against surprises.

How to Beat Veteran’s Reflexes

Veteran’s Reflexes is a notable combat trick in the realm of MTG, offering an instant boost to a creature’s power and untapping potential. To counteract this, players should prioritize holding removal spells that can be cast in response, such as Shock or Fatal Push, to remove the buffed target before the Reflexes’ effect resolves.

One can also maintain board control by using creatures with vigilance or untapping abilities, thereby reducing the effectiveness of Veteran’s Reflexes. Cards with the ability to prevent combat damage entirely, such as Ethereal Haze or Holy Day, can also nullify the impact of this instant. Understanding the timing of your spells and predicting when an opponent might play such combat tricks are key tactics for mitigating the advantages Veteran’s Reflexes could provide to your opponent.

In essence, having instant speed responses, maintaining a strategic board state, and predicting opponent moves can significantly weaken the advantage given by Veteran’s Reflexes, safeguarding your position during critical combat phases.

Cards like Veteran's Reflexes

Veteran’s Reflexes stands out in the arsenal of combat trick cards within Magic: The Gathering. This instant spell sets itself apart by offering a swift +1/+1 boost and the added benefit of untapping the targeted creature, making it ready for defense or another attack. It shares similarities with other combat tricks like Swift Justice, which also gives a creature +1/+1; however, Swift Justice provides lifelink instead of untapping the creature.

Another card in this realm is Giant Growth, which provides a more significant power boost with a whopping +3/+3 increase to a creature but lacks the tactical advantage of untapping that Veteran’s Reflexes offers. Vigilante’s Justice, while not as popular, aligns closely with Veteran’s Reflexes by untapping a creature but comes with a heftier mana cost.

Assessing the subtleties between these spells, Veteran’s Reflexes offers a unique combination of combat support by bolstering a creature’s stats and maintaining its readiness, contributing to both offensive and defensive strategies during a game.

Cards similar to Veteran's Reflexes by color, type and mana cost

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Veteran's Reflexes MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Explorers of Ixalan, 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 Veteran's Reflexes and other MTG cards: