Perilous Vault MTG Card
2014-07-18 - Number 224
2020-08-13 - Number 278
2022-11-18 - Number 101
2022-11-18 - Number 38
2022-11-18 - Number 101z
2023-08-04 - Number 968
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Card advantage through sweeping effect resets gameplay, leveling the playing field against opponents.
- Indirect resource acceleration post-wipe aids rebuilding and can outpace opponents in board presence.
- Its looming threat alters game pace, forcing opponents to play more cautiously around its activation.
Text of card
, , Exile Perilous Vault: Exile all nonland permanents.
The spirit dragon Ugin arranged the hedrons of Zendikar to direct leylines of energy. To disrupt one is to unleash devastation and chaos.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Perilous Vault’s sweeping effect can be an overwhelming shift in card economy. By clearing the board, it can neutralize the accrued advantages of opponents, effectively resetting the game and mitigating any card advantage they may have established.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly ramping like traditional mana rocks, Perilous Vault can indirectly accelerate your resources. After clearing the board of all nonland permanents, you’re often left with more usable mana for a rebuild, potentially allowing you to outpace your opponents in re-establishing board presence.
Instant Speed: While the activation of Perilous Vault is not at instant speed, it still influences the pace and playstyle of the game. Opponents must consider the looming threat of the Vault activation when playing their own cards, often discouraging them from committing too much to the board and allowing you to act without immediate pressure.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Perilous Vault does not demand a discard upon activation, the necessity to potentially clear your own board can feel like a hefty price to pay, especially if you are ahead and need to reset due to an imminent threat.
Specific Mana Cost: Perilous Vault requires four generic mana to cast, which can be cumbersome in the early stages of the game, or within decks that heavily rely on colored mana for their crucial plays.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In addition, activating Perilous Vault costs five mana, making the total investment of nine mana significant, particularly when compared to other sweepers or reset buttons available in MTG that may come at a lower overall resource cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Perilous Vault offers a universal solution to wipe the board, clearing away all nonland permanents without targeting or restrictions. This makes it a flexible choice for decks needing a reliable reset mechanism.
Combo Potential: This artifact plays well with strategies that can recur it from the graveyard or otherwise benefit from its mass removal ability. It can be the lynchpin in a control deck’s arsenal, effectively countering the buildup of threatening board states.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-heavy decks or permanent-based combos dominate, Perilous Vault’s potential to turn the tide is unmatched. Its presence in a player’s collection equips them to face a diverse range of competitive decks.
How to beat Perilous Vault
Perilous Vault stands as a unique sweeping artifact in Magic: The Gathering, offering players the ability to wipe the board clean, exiling all nonland permanents at the hefty investment of five mana to activate. When facing off against this potent piece of technology, your strategy needs to adapt to its looming threat. One approach is to emphasize instant-speed interactions, allowing you to respond after the Vault has been activated but before its effect resolves. Cards like Heroic Intervention can provide temporary protection while countermagic such as Negate can stop the activation outright.
Aggressive strategies can also pressure opponents before they have the chance to leverage Perilous Vault’s full potential. Swift creatures and planeswalkers that can build advantage quickly force opponents to use the Vault prematurely or risk being overtaken. Additionally, diversifying your threats between creatures, enchantments, and artifacts renders the Vault less effective, as your noncreature permanents remain untouched. Lastly, remember that exploiting the timing of Perilous Vault, with its inability to act the turn it’s played due to the mana cost, allows cunning players the window they need to claim victory.
Ultimately, it’s the interplay of speed, variety, and precise response that will dismantle the power of Perilous Vault and steer the game in your favor.
Cards like Perilous Vault
In the realm of game-resetting artifacts, Perilous Vault earns its place with its unique sweeping ability. Its nearest relative is Oblivion Stone, which shares the fundamental capability to clear the board. Whereas Oblivion Stone allows for the safeguarding of key pieces with fate counters, Perilous Vault offers no such discrimination, wiping the slate clean without exceptions. This indiscriminate reset can be both a boon and a bane, depending on the deck’s setup and the current state of the board.
Another artifact often drawn into comparison is Nevinyrral’s Disk, which also promises a full reset but requires a turn to set up due to its summoning sickness. This delay contrasts sharply with the immediate impact of Perilous Vault once the requisite mana is available. Additionally, the Disk’s destruction includes itself, while the Vault exiles it along with all other nonland permanents, preventing retrieval from the graveyard.
Comparatively, Perilous Vault stands out as a formidable option for control decks aiming for a clean and comprehensive reset of the board. Its efficiency in removing any and all permanents—save for lands—provides a powerful though expensive reset button in Magic: The Gathering’s vast arsenal of board wipes.
Cards similar to Perilous Vault by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Perilous Vault MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Perilous Vault 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
Printings
The Perilous Vault Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 224 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley | |
| 2 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 278 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Titus Lunter | |
| 3 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 101 | 1997 | Normal | Black | David Astruga | |
| 4 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 38 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley | |
| 5 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 101z | 1997 | Normal | Black | David Astruga | |
| 6 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 968 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Perilous Vault has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
