Mystic of the Hidden Way MTG Card
2014-09-26 - Number 48
2018-03-16 - Number 67
2019-11-07 - Number 441
2002-06-24 - Number 55775
2020-09-26 - Number A25-67
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Monk |
| Abilities | Morph |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Unblockable attacks from Mystic of the Hidden Way consistently threaten opponents and shift game balance.
- Mana efficiency is increased by Mystic’s avoidance of extra spells for unblockability, allowing for board development.
- The morph ability allows for instant-speed play, keeping opponents guessing and maintaining game tempo.
Text of card
Mystic of the Hidden Way can't be blocked. Morph (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
"There are no obstacles, only different paths."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mystic of the Hidden Way enables you to continuously apply pressure on your opponent without overcommitting resources. Due to its unblockable nature, each attack is a step closer to reducing your opponent’s life total, effectively tipping the scales in your favor as the game progresses.
Resource Acceleration: While Mystic of the Hidden Way doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in the form of mana, it allows for more efficient use of your mana each turn. By not having to invest in other spells to make your creature unblockable, you’re effectively streamlining your mana expenditure to develop your board in other ways.
Instant Speed: Thanks to its morph ability, Mystic of the Hidden Way can be played as a face-down 2/2 creature for three mana at instant speed, allowing you to keep up the tempo and surprise your opponent by flipping it face-up when advantageous for you.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mystic of the Hidden Way doesn’t require a discard directly, but for decks that focus on maximizing card value, every slot counts. Inclusion of this card might sometimes mean discarding more impactful or synergistic options during the deck-building phase.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card comes with a requirement for blue mana, which may not always align with the mana base of multicolor decks. If you’re not running enough islands or other sources of blue mana, casting Mystic of the Hidden Way could become challenging.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana and an additional two for its morph ability, this card can be considered to have a high mana cost for its base stats. There are other creatures in MTG that provide similar or better functionality at a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Mystic of the Hidden Way offers a unique blend of unblockable threat and creature status that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of deck archetypes. With its ability to avoid blockers, it’s a reliable finisher in aggressive decks and a persistent source of damage in control-oriented matchups.
Combo Potential: Its synergy with cards that care about creature attacks or ninjutsu enablers can unlock new combo avenues. It provides a consistent creature presence that can be leveraged for various exploit mechanics or serve as a resilient threat against sweepers.
Meta-Relevance: Considering its evasion capabilities, Mystic of the Hidden Way can be a strategic addition to navigate through a meta densely packed with ground creatures. It stays relevant as decks evolve, ensuring that you can always hit your opponent directly regardless of their battlefield developments.
How to beat
Mystic of the Hidden Way is a card that can be challenging to handle because of its ability to become unblockable. This makes it a reliable source of damage, as it allows players to evade creatures on the battlefield and hit their opponents directly. However, despite its stealthy prowess, it isn’t invincible.
To counteract Mystic of the Hidden Way, removal spells that don’t target creatures, such as board wipes like Supreme Verdict, can be particularly effective. You can also leverage cards that change the rules of combat such as Ensnaring Bridge, which can prevent creatures with high power from attacking. Additionally, counterspells can stop Mystic from hitting the board in the first place, maintaining control over the game. Lastly, utilizing proactive hand disruption spells to extract it from your opponent’s hand before it can be cast can also mitigate its impact. Knowing when and how to employ these strategies is key to besting Mystic of the Hidden Way.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Mystic of the Hidden Way allows players to take pre-emptive measures to neutralize its advantages, ensuring it never becomes the unseen menace it’s designed to be.
Cards like Mystic of the Hidden Way
Mystic of the Hidden Way is an unassuming yet potent creature card that brings unique abilities to the Magic: The Gathering universe. This card can be likened to other unblockable creatures like Phantom Warrior, which also enables players to bypass defenses for direct damage. The Mystic’s key feature, however, is its manifest ability, allowing it to come into play facedown and surprise opponents.
Comparatively, Slip Through Space is another spell that renders a creature unblockable for a turn and has the added advantage of card draw. While not a creature itself, it provides a temporary edge at a lower mana cost. Looter il-Kor shares a similar sneakiness in gameplay, boasting shadow to easily slip past creatures, in addition to its looting effect that can refine your hand with each strike.
In essence, Mystic of the Hidden Way provides a reliable and consistent unblockable threat within Magic: The Gathering. Although it lacks the additional abilities of some comparable cards, its power lies in the element of surprise and the sustained pressure it can apply turn after turn.
Cards similar to Mystic of the Hidden Way by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mystic of the Hidden Way MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Mystic of the Hidden Way 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 Magic products
Printings
The Mystic of the Hidden Way Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Ryan Alexander Lee.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 55775 | 2015 | normal | black | Ryan Alexander Lee | ||
| 2 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir | KTK | 48 | 2015 | normal | black | Ryan Alexander Lee | |
| 3 | 2018-03-16 | Masters 25 | A25 | 67 | 2015 | normal | black | Ryan Alexander Lee | |
| 4 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 441 | 2015 | normal | black | Ryan Alexander Lee | |
| 5 | The List | PLST | A25-67 | 2015 | normal | black | Ryan Alexander Lee |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mystic of the Hidden Way 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 |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mystic of the Hidden Way card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-09-20 | A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren’t affected. |
| 2014-09-20 | Any time you have priority, you may turn the face-down creature face up by revealing what its morph cost is and paying that cost. This is a special action. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to. Only a face-down permanent can be turned face up this way; a face-down spell cannot. |
| 2014-09-20 | At any time, you can look at a face-down spell or permanent you control. You can’t look at face-down spells or permanents you don’t control unless an effect instructs you to do so. |
| 2014-09-20 | Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it’s turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn’t cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger. |
| 2014-09-20 | If a face-down permanent leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or if the game ends. |
| 2014-09-20 | Morph lets you cast a card face down by paying , and lets you turn the face-down permanent face up any time you have priority by paying its morph cost. |
| 2014-09-20 | The face-down spell has no mana cost and has a converted mana cost of 0. When you cast a face-down spell, put it on the stack face down so no other player knows what it is, and pay . This is an alternative cost. |
| 2014-09-20 | When the spell resolves, it enters the battlefield as a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It’s colorless and has a converted mana cost of 0. Other effects that apply to the creature can still grant it any of these characteristics. |
| 2014-09-20 | You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You’re not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield in order to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for doing this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield. |
| 2018-03-16 | If a face-down Mystic of the Hidden Way is blocked and then turned face up, it stays blocked. |
