Alley Evasion MTG Card
2017-01-20 - Number 6
2019-11-07 - Number 15
2020-11-12 - Number 6
2020-09-26 - Number AER-6
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Alley Evasion secures creatures against removal and leverages entry effects at critical moments.
- Instant speed casting gives players a flexible, strategic advantage during gameplay.
- Works best in white mana decks, offering versatility and meta-relevant combat tricks.
Text of card
Choose one — • Target creature you control gets +1/+2 until end of turn. • Return target creature you control to its owner's hand.
"Sure, you know the law. But I know the streets."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Alley Evasion is especially proficient in offering card advantage by allowing you to either return a creature to your hand to save it from removal or to reuse its enter-the-battlefield effects, or to give a creature a buff for the turn which can be pivotal during combat.
Resource Acceleration: While Alley Evasion itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it effectively acts as a resource by saving your other valuable creatures from potential threats, ensuring your board presence remains strong. This, in turn, helps in maintaining the momentum and leveraging board state to your advantage.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Alley Evasion at instant speed provides a significant tactical edge. It allows you to adapt to your opponent’s moves in real-time, making it an excellent tool for protecting your creatures from removal or enabling unexpected combat tricks that can turn the tide of a skirmish in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the context of Alley Evasion specifically, a discard is not required, but it’s worth noting that cards with a discard prerequisite can lead to a decreased hand advantage, making it harder to respond to an opponent’s moves.
Specific Mana Cost: Alley Evasion calls for white mana. This requirement can narrow the card’s versatility, as not all MTG decks will have access to white mana, potentially excluding it from many strategies that don’t align with its color identity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Alley Evasion is quite low in mana cost, some players may argue that for a single-target protection or bounce spell, there are alternatives that might provide additional benefits or fit better into a more streamlined mana curve.
Reasons to Include Alley Evasion in Your Collection
Versatility: Alley Evasion serves dual purposes effectively, offering either creature protection or evasion tactics. Its ability to save your standout creatures or help them slip past blockers makes it a valuable inclusion in decks that prioritize combat tricks or creature-focused strategies.
Combo Potential: This card excels in synergizing with abilities that trigger upon creatures entering the battlefield or leaving it. Imagine using Alley Evasion to return a creature with a powerful enter-the-battlefield effect to your hand, only to recast it for an additional benefit.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where spot removal and combat tricks are prevalent, Alley Evasion provides an inexpensive solution to preserve key creatures. It allows for greater tactical flexibility and can surprise opponents by disrupting their calculated plays. By staying aware of shifts in gameplay styles, this card can be a smart response to emerging trends.
How to Beat Alley Evasion
Alley Evasion presents a dual-purpose option for players in MTG, providing either a protective boost to a creature or a means to return a creature to its owner’s hand. Much like spells that grant indestructible or hexproof for a turn, Alley Evasion can be a key card for saving important creatures from removal or unfavorable blocks. Yet, like all spells, it has its vulnerabilities.
To overcome the Alley Evasion challenge, the key is timing and forcing your opponent to make tough decisions. Cards that restrict casting at certain times or remove an opponent’s options can be highly effective. Consider using instant-speed removal in response to the casting of Alley Evasion, targeting a different creature than your opponent intended to save. Additionally, implementing tactics that apply pressure before your opponent has the mana to use Alley Evasion may limit its utility or even render it a dead card in hand.
Ultimately, while Alley Evasion offers versatility and can turn the tide of a game, its impact is mitigated by strategic play and keeping a step ahead of your opponent’s tactics. With careful consideration and reactive measures, one can diminish the protective benefits Alley Evasion brings to the table.
Cards like Alley Evasion
Alley Evasion brings versatility to the battlefield that Magic: The Gathering players can appreciate. This card echoes the functionality of other instant-speed protection spells like Gods Willing, which also provides a creature with a much-needed reprieve. However, Alley Evasion offers an additional layer by allowing a creature to return to the owner’s hand, rather than just granting protection from a color for the turn. This not only can save a valuable creature from destruction but can also be strategically used to reutilize enter-the-battlefield effects.
Similarly, Ephemeral Shields is another comparable card due to its convoke ability, making it potentially more mana efficient, though it lacks the bounce-back ability Alley Evasion offers. Another analogue is Blossoming Defense, which offers a permanent +2/+2 boost and hexproof until end of turn, encapsulating both protection and power enhancement, but still misses on the aspect of creature retrieval.
In the realm of flexibility and safeguarding creatures along with the added utility of reusing creature abilities or dodging unfavorable board states, Alley Evasion stands out. It finds its unique space in being a multi-purpose tool that savvy players can exploit to maintain dominance on the MTG arena.
Cards similar to Alley Evasion by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Alley Evasion MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Mystery Booster, 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 Alley Evasion 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 Alley Evasion Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Scott Murphy.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-01-20 | Aether Revolt | AER | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 15 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | AER-6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy | ||
| 4 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Alley Evasion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
