Jaya's Greeting MTG Card


Jaya's Greeting - War of the Spark
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Scry
Released2019-05-03
Set symbol
Set nameWar of the Spark
Set codeWAR
Number136
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byVictor Adame Minguez

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides deck control by scrying 1 after dealing damage, enhancing draw quality.
  2. Instant speed allows reaction to threats and strategic flexibility during gameplay.
  3. Despite limitations, serves as effective creature removal and deck flow aid.

Text of card

Jaya's Greeting deals 3 damage to target creature. Scry 1.

"We have visitors? Well, it'd be rude not to give them a traditional Keral Keep welcome."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jaya’s Greeting provides an edge by scrying 1 after dealing damage. This scrying ability is pivotal for filtering through your deck, helping to ensure that you draw into more useful cards and keep the momentum in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although this card doesn’t directly generate additional mana or tokens, it accelerates your game by removing an opponent’s creature. This efficient removal can indirectly lead to resource advantages by keeping your threats on board while limiting your opponent’s.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of Jaya’s Greeting is enhanced by its instant speed, allowing you to react swiftly to threats during your opponent’s turn. This can disrupt their plans and preserve your strategy, all while you maintain the upper hand by deciding when it’s the right time to cast.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Jaya’s Greeting does not require you to discard a card, it does necessitate having a specific type of deck to fully utilize its potential. This card synergizes with spellslinger decks but might not fit well with other strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Jaya’s Greeting asks for both red mana and generic mana, which could restrict its inclusion exclusively to red or red-inclusive decks, leaving those who play other color combinations without the option to include it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the card is not extremely costly, it sits in the middle range for removal spells. There are lower-cost alternatives that might provide similar benefits without the scry ability, making Jaya’s Greeting a less optimal choice in situations where mana efficiency is critical.


Reasons to Include Jaya’s Greeting in Your Collection

Versatility: Jaya’s Greeting offers both immediate impact and strategic advantage as it removes a creature and helps with deck flow through scrying. This makes it a solid choice for a variety of red decks, from aggressive burn strategies to more control-oriented builds that need to manage the battlefield efficiently.

Combo Potential: Its ability to scry pairs well with decks that capitalize on top-deck manipulation or that have elements of combo play. With Jaya’s Greeting, you gain the ability to set up your next draw, enhancing the consistency of finding combo pieces or the right answers when you need them.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on creature-based decks, Jaya’s Greeting is an invaluable tool. Its capability to deal with threats while also filtering draws keeps it relevant, ensuring you’re never at a loss for answers or tempo in fast-paced games.


How to beat

Jaya’s Greeting stands out in Magic: The Gathering as an efficient removal spell that also scrys, providing a dual advantage in controlling the board and shaping upcoming draws. To effectively counter this spell, it’s essential to have a plan that goes beyond presenting single, valuable targets.

One method is to deploy a swarm of low-cost creatures, diluting the impact of single-target removal. Utilizing creatures with hexproof or indestructible characteristics can also frustrate attempts at removal. Additionally, spells that counter noncreature spells, or give your creatures protection from red the turn they are played, can neutralize Jaya’s Greeting’s effect.

Moreover, instant-speed spells that regenerate or blink your creatures out of harm’s way can be essential. Spells like Blossoming Defense not only protect from removal but also offer a power boost. At times when Jaya’s Greeting is cast during your turn, having an instant that counters a red spell can turn the tables.

Finally, having a variety of threats across different card types can help to spread out your vulnerabilities, minimizing the setback from any individual creature removal. It’s about being proactive, resilient, and diversified in your strategy against pinpoint disruption like Jaya’s Greeting.


Cards like Jaya's Greeting

Jaya’s Greeting stands out in Magic: The Gathering’s array of burn spells, particularly for its prowess in creature removal. Much like Shock, Jaya’s Greeting deals damage directly; however, it brings the strategic edge of Scry 1, enabling you to fine-tune your next move. Shock, by contrast, is more straightforward, lacking the additional foresight Jaya’s Greeting provides.

Comparatively, Lightning Strike is another spell that offers direct damage, echoing Jaya’s Greeting’s removal capabilities. It hits slightly harder but without the Scry benefit. Then we look to Fiery Impulse. While it may share the spell-damage theme and sometimes deals more damage if spell mastery is achieved, it does not guarantee the deck manipulation Jaya’s Greeting does. This difference can significantly impact game strategy and progression.

Ultimately, Jaya’s Greeting is a strong player in the field of creature control spells, merging effective removal with the subtle art of deck manipulation. This one-two punch allows for maintained board presence and strategic planning, claiming a solid position for Jaya’s Greeting in MTG gameplay.

Shock - MTG Card versions
Lightning Strike - MTG Card versions
Fiery Impulse - MTG Card versions
Shock - Stronghold (STH)
Lightning Strike - Theros (THS)
Fiery Impulse - Magic Origins (ORI)

Cards similar to Jaya's Greeting by color, type and mana cost

Shatter - MTG Card versions
Word of Blasting - MTG Card versions
Incinerate - MTG Card versions
Guerrilla Tactics - MTG Card versions
Aleatory - MTG Card versions
Orcish Catapult - MTG Card versions
Blood Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Falter - MTG Card versions
Shattering Pulse - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Strike - MTG Card versions
Starstorm - MTG Card versions
First Volley - MTG Card versions
Surging Flame - MTG Card versions
Psychotic Fury - MTG Card versions
Sudden Shock - MTG Card versions
Fists of the Anvil - MTG Card versions
Release the Ants - MTG Card versions
Magma Jet - MTG Card versions
Seismic Shudder - MTG Card versions
Fling - MTG Card versions
Shatter - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Word of Blasting - Ice Age (ICE)
Incinerate - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Guerrilla Tactics - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Aleatory - Mirage (MIR)
Orcish Catapult - Astral Cards (PAST)
Blood Frenzy - Tempest (TMP)
Falter - Urza's Saga (USG)
Shattering Pulse - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Flowstone Strike - Nemesis (NEM)
Starstorm - Onslaught (ONS)
First Volley - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Surging Flame - Arena League 2006 (PAL06)
Psychotic Fury - Dissension (DIS)
Sudden Shock - Time Spiral (TSP)
Fists of the Anvil - Tenth Edition (10E)
Release the Ants - The List (PLST)
Magma Jet - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Seismic Shudder - Zendikar (ZEN)
Fling - Magic 2012 (M12)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jaya's Greeting MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark, 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 Jaya's Greeting and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jaya's Greeting has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Jaya's Greeting card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-05-03 If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Jaya’s Greeting tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t scry 1.

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