Riftsweeper MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elf Shaman
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

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Text of card

When Riftsweeper comes into play, choose target face-up card that's removed from the game. Its owner shuffles it into his or her library.

"Beings of the rifts are not natural. No longer will these abominations tread upon the body of Gaea."



Card Pros

Card Advantage: Riftsweeper offers a unique form of card advantage by targeting specific cards in exile and shuffling them back into your library. This can be particularly useful in games where important pieces have been removed from play, allowing you to effectively recover key components and regain an edge.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a resource accelerator in the traditional sense, Riftsweeper can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by returning ramp cards or other valuable pieces from exile to your library, thereby enhancing your chances of drawing into the resources you need.

Instant Speed: While Riftsweeper itself does not operate at instant speed, its ability to retrieve instant speed cards from exile allows players to maintain a reactive and flexible posture, ensuring they have access to responses or threats at crucial moments in a match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Riftsweeper demands precise plays since it comes without the ability to impact your hand, contrasting with cards that might provide card advantage or selection when cast.

Specific Mana Cost: At a fixed green and colorless mana cost, Riftsweeper is restricted to green-inclusive decks, potentially limiting its versatility across the wider range of MTG deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While only two mana, in a game where efficiency is key, there are alternative one-mana creatures with immediate board presence or impacts on the state of the game that could provide a better cost-to-effect ratio.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Riftsweeper offers a unique utility by shuffling target face-up exiled cards into their owners’ libraries. This ability allows for significant gameplay flexibility, helping players to counteract exile effects and recycle key components of their strategies.

Combo Potential: With its ability to pull cards out of exile, Riftsweeper can be a crucial piece in combos that rely on specific cards. It can also disrupt opponents’ plans by retrieving your pieces they’ve previously removed from the game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where exile effects are becoming increasingly dominant as a form of permanent removal, Riftsweeper’s niche effect can be a game-changer, providing an edge over decks that rely heavily on exile mechanics. Its presence in your collection can adapt to shifts in a continuously evolving meta.


How to beat

Riftsweeper is a unique creature card in MTG that can pose challenges to your strategy with its capability to shuffle exiled cards back into a player’s library. This ability can disrupt your plans, especially if you rely on graveyard control or exiling cards with the intent of permanently removing them from your opponent’s reach. To effectively counter Riftsweeper, consider cards that limit creature abilities. There are numerous spells that can silence or neutralize creatures, ensuring Riftsweeper’s ability never triggers.

Another tactic involves preemptive action, such as using instant-speed removal to take out the Riftsweeper before its ability has a chance to activate. On the flip side, you might choose to embrace Riftsweeper’s presence and modify your deck to take advantage of the shifting contents of your opponent’s library. By incorporating strategies that benefit from a more fluid game state, you can effectively negate the disruption Riftsweeper would otherwise cause. This interaction showcases the depth and complexity of MTG, where every card brings potential advantages and challenges to the table.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re an MTG enthusiast seeking to refine your gameplay and strengthen your deck, Riftsweeper could be a valuable addition to your arsenal. Its ability to recover pivotal cards from exile can tip the balance in your favor, offering a line of play that opponents might not anticipate. Implementing Riftsweeper strategically in your deck opens up avenues for both thwarting exile-centric strategies and enabling your own combos. Adapt your collection to the evolving meta and explore how Riftsweeper can harmonize with your deck’s dynamics. Enhance your MTG experience by exploring further strategies and tips with us and fortify your path to victory.


Cards like Riftsweeper

Riftsweeper shines in the niche area of graveyard interaction within Magic: The Gathering. It shares some strategic parallels with cards like Pull from Eternity, which also targets specific cards that have been exiled. Riftsweeper goes a step further by not only targeting, but also shuffling the exiled card back into its owner’s library, providing a surprise element and potential game reversal opportunity.

Another card that often comes to mind is the renowned Eternal Witness. While not dealing with exile, it does retrieve cards from the graveyard to your hand, granting immediate access to crucial resources. It’s similar to Riftsweeper in its utility to recycle important cards but operates within the graveyard instead of the exile zone. Meanwhile, cards like Misthollow Griffin and Squee, the Immortal can be played from exile, giving players a recurring presence that requires no intermediary.

Overall, Riftsweeper offers a unique tactical advantage, acting as a foil to exile strategies and thus carving its own indispensable niche in the rich tapestry of Magic: The Gathering cards, adept at snatching victory from the precarious clutches of defeat.

Pull from Eternity - MTG Card versions
Eternal Witness - MTG Card versions
Misthollow Griffin - MTG Card versions
Squee, the Immortal - MTG Card versions
Pull from Eternity - Time Spiral (TSP)
Eternal Witness - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Misthollow Griffin - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Squee, the Immortal - Dominaria (DOM)

Cards similar to Riftsweeper by color, type and mana cost

Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
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Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
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Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
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Utopia Tree - MTG Card versions
Bloodline Shaman - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
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Vine Trellis - MTG Card versions
Wyluli Wolf - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Whirling Dervish - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
River Boa - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Albino Troll - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Silverglade Pathfinder - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Quirion Elves - Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition (DDE)
Blurred Mongoose - Invasion (INV)
Llanowar Loamspeaker - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Genesis Hydra - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Scavenging Ooze - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Heir of the Wilds - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Wren's Run Vanquisher - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Muscle Sliver - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Utopia Tree - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Bloodline Shaman - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sakura-Tribe Elder - Junior APAC Series (PJAS)
Oran-Rief Survivalist - Zendikar (ZEN)
Vine Trellis - Duel Decks: Garruk vs. Liliana (DDD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Riftsweeper MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Modern 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 Riftsweeper and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Riftsweeper Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2013-06-07. Illustrated by Brian Despain.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-05-04Future SightFUT 1362003normalblackBrian Despain
22013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 1592003normalblackBrian Despain
32020-09-26The ListPLST MMA-1592003normalblackBrian Despain

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Riftsweeper has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-05-01 If Riftsweeper affects a card that’s haunting a creature, the haunt effect ends.
2007-05-01 If Riftsweeper affects a suspended card, the card loses its time counters and is no longer suspended.
2007-05-01 It doesn’t matter why the card was exiled or who owns it.

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