Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Advisor
Abilities Protection, Vigilance
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Teysa provides board control, deterring attacks and generating tokens for strategic advances.
  2. Her specific mana requirements may limit deck-building options, demanding a solid mana base.
  3. Despite a high mana cost, Teysa’s defensive and token-creating abilities make her a collection staple.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Vigilance, protection from creatures Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, destroy that creature. Put a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Teysa Envoy of Ghosts offers a significant presence on the board, especially with her ability to create creature tokens every time she is dealt damage. This leads to an inherent card advantage as opponents must find ways to deal with both Teysa and multiple tokens, typically requiring multiple cards from their hand to do so efficiently.

Resource Acceleration: While Teysa herself doesn’t directly generate mana or tokens that can be used for mana, the creatures she creates when damaged can be utilized in conjunction with other cards to accelerate your resources. Sacrificing these tokens with various sacrifice outlets can lead to mana generation, card draw, or other beneficial effects, serving as indirect resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: Teysa’s ability to destroy any creature that deals combat damage to you deters opponents from swinging with valuable creatures. Although Teysa operates at sorcery speed, the threat of her ability effectively works at instant speed by influencing opponent decisions during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike certain other commanders that offer card advantage, Teysa Envoy of Ghosts does not provide such benefits. Instead, players might find themselves at a disadvantage without the right card draw mechanics to maintain hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands a precise mix of white and black mana, which may restrict it to a more color-specific deck build. It becomes a challenge to integrate into multicolored or colorless decks without the right mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With seven mana necessary to bring Teysa onto the battlefield, she comes with a heavy cost that might slow your gameplay especially when compared to other more cost-efficient creatures and spells that could advance your board state more effectively in the early to mid-game.


Reasons to Include Teysa Envoy of Ghosts in Your Collection

Versatility: Teysa Envoy of Ghosts offers robust defense capabilities for decks that seek resilience against attackers. Her ability to deter assault with her protection from creatures ensures she’s an asset in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card opens the door for numerous interplays and synergies, particularly with its token-creating ability upon destroying creatures that dare to confront her in battle. This aspect of Teysa can effortlessly integrate into strategies focusing on token generation or sacrifice-based mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: Given Teysa’s unique skill set, she remains relevant in environments where creature-based strategies prevail. By providing a constant threat on the board that also acts as a deterrent, Teysa can give an edge in matchups where board presence and creature control are crucial to victory.


How to beat

Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts is a formidable presence in the MTG realm, offering both protection and retributive power. With her ability to deter attackers thanks to her vigilance and deathtouch, players need a strategy that circumvents direct combat. Spot removal spells are a reliable solution, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade. These cards can bypass the combat phase, removing Teysa without triggering her instigating ability.

Another approach is to use exile effects, with cards like Swords to Plowshares, as they neatly avoid her ability to create Spirit tokens upon damage. Employing board wipes like Wrath of God can also be efficient by clearing the entire battlefield, including Teysa. Moreover, countering her before she lands on the battlefield with spells such as Counterspell ensures she won’t be an issue. Players may consider enchantments like Pacifism to neutralize her without removing her from the battlefield, thereby avoiding the token generation.

Ultimately, while playing against Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts requires a thoughtful approach, a well-tuned deck with the right removal suite will keep her from dominating the game and will help maintain the balance of power at the table.


BurnMana Recommendations

Teysa Envoy of Ghosts stands as a unique piece in MTG collections for her defensive prowess and intimidating presence. The token generation, deterrent abilities, and protection from creatures position her as a strategy cornerstone in specific deck builds. Understanding her strengths and limitations helps tailor a deck that maximizes Teysa’s potential and counteracts her mana demands and lack of direct resource acceleration. Be it through enhancing the synergy with sacrifice outlets or fitting her into the right mana curve, the adaptability of your MTG strategies will be the key to success. Dive deeper with us and add strategic depth to your game by integrating Teysa Envoy of Ghosts into your arsenal.


Cards like Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts

Teysa Envoy of Ghosts is a compelling card for players looking to dominate the battlefield with defensive strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to Ghost Council of Orzhova, both cards emerge from the Orzhov Syndicate, known for their combination of white and black mana mechanics. Nonetheless, Teysa is distinctive with its ability to deter attacks by making itself indestructible and creating token creatures to maintain board presence.

Another card in this realm is Blood Baron of Vizkopa, admired for its lifelink and protection from white and from black. While it doesn’t create tokens or prevent damage like Teysa, it compensates with the potential for a significant power boost under the right conditions. Next in line, we have Obzedat, Ghost Council, which doesn’t produce tokens but instead offers an elusive nature with its blink ability, momentarily vanishing from the battlefield to avoid threats and returning to sap life from the opponent.

In review, each card brings a unique angle to gameplay within the Orzhov arsenal. Teysa Envoy of Ghosts stands out with its powerful protective elements and token generation, establishing itself as a valuable asset for those constructing around defense and attrition tactics in Magic: The Gathering.

Ghost Council of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Blood Baron of Vizkopa - MTG Card versions
Obzedat, Ghost Council - MTG Card versions
Ghost Council of Orzhova - Guildpact (GPT)
Blood Baron of Vizkopa - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Obzedat, Ghost Council - Gatecrash (GTC)

Cards similar to Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts by color, type and mana cost

Angel of Despair - MTG Card versions
Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Knight of the Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Angel of Despair - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter - Double Masters (2XM)
Knight of the Last Breath - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze and Commander 2015, 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 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2013-05-03 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Karla Ortiz.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-05-03Dragon's MazeDGM 1082003normalblackKarla Ortiz
22015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2342015normalblackKarla Ortiz
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 2302015normalblackKarla Ortiz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-04-15 Protection from creatures means that Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts can’t be the target of abilities of creatures or abilities of creature cards in other zones, such as bloodrush abilities. Teysa also can’t be blocked by creatures, and all damage that would be dealt to Teysa by creatures is prevented.
2013-04-15 Teysa’s controller gets the Spirit creature token, not the controller of the creature that dealt combat damage.
2013-04-15 Teysa’s last ability doesn’t target the creature. It will destroy a creature with hexproof or protection from white, for example.
2013-07-01 You get a Spirit creature token even if Teysa’s triggered ability doesn’t destroy the creature (perhaps because it regenerated or has indestructible).

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