Viashino Heretic MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Viashino
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Viashino Heretic excels at artifact removal, providing a recurring advantage in artifact-centric formats.
  2. The ability to act at instant speed with Viashino Heretic adds a layer of tactical depth to matches.
  3. It’s a definitive red card that can influence the pacing and outcome of games through controlled artifact destruction.

Text of card

o1o R, oc T: Destroy target artifact. Viashino Heretic deals to that artifact's controller damage equal to the artifact's total casting cost.

"The past is buried for good reason."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Viashino Heretic offers significant strategic benefits as it not only presents itself as a creature on the battlefield but also provides the ability to dismantle artifacts repeatedly, allowing you to chip away at your opponent’s resources. This continual disruption can lead to a substantial advantage over the course of a match, especially in formats where artifacts play a central role.

Resource Acceleration: In terms of resource acceleration, while Viashino Heretic itself does not directly generate additional mana, its ability can be seen as a form of indirect acceleration. By forcing your opponents to reinvest mana into replacing their destroyed artifacts, you effectively slow them down, giving you the opportunity to outpace them in deploying threats and answers on the board.

Instant Speed: Viashino Heretic’s activated ability can be utilized at instant speed, providing flexibility during gameplay. You can decide the most opportune moment to disrupt an opponent’s artifact, potentially in response to an activation or during their end step to maximize your next turn’s potential. This nimble tactical response can shift the tide of the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some utility creatures, Viashino Heretic requires nothing to discard, allowing you to maintain your hand while controlling artifacts.

Specific Mana Cost: Viashino Heretic has a very distinct place in decks with its red and generic mana requirements, which can make it less flexible for multi-colored deck strategies that are tight on color distribution.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that totals three, including one red, this creature may arrive slightly later in the game compared to lower-cost artifact control options. Players must weigh its recurring ability against the initial investment to determine if it aligns with their deck’s pacing.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Viashino Heretic brings a unique utility to the red color, allowing players to remove artifactory threats from the battlefield while potentially dealing damage. It’s a useful main deck choice or sideboard card in various deck builds.

Combo Potential: Equipped with the ability to dismantle an opponent’s strategic artifacts, the Heretic synergizes well with decks that can untap creatures, allowing you multiple uses in a single turn. This creates opportunities for both controlling the board and advancing your game plan.

Meta-Relevance: With artifacts being a consistent component in many opponents’ arsenals, having a Viashino Heretic ready can be crucial. Its relevance increases in metas where artifacts play a central role, providing a repeatable solution to otherwise persistent problems.


How to beat

Viashino Heretic is an intriguing creature card with an ability that can systematically dismantle an opponent’s artifacts. To navigate this threat, consider using instant-speed removal spells to take the Heretic off the board before it wreaks havoc. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can efficiently handle this pesky lizard. It is also beneficial to minimize reliance on artifacts in your deck or to have alternative strategies when facing a deck that might run the Heretic.

Another smart tactic is to employ counterspells when your opponent attempts to cast Viashino Heretic. Cards like Counterspell or Mana Leak can help you avoid the problematic scenario altogether. On the flip side, you can use your own artifacts judiciously. Choose those with either immediate impact upon entering the battlefield or with indestructible, therefore lessening the Heretic’s potential target value.

Overall, the key to beating Viashino Heretic lies in preserving flexibility in your deck’s strategy, maintaining readiness to remove it quickly, and smartly managing your artifact plays. With these approaches, the threat of this card can be mitigated, keeping your artifacts safe and your game plan intact.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the influence of Viashino Heretic in your MTG arsenal can markedly improve your control over artifact-centric match-ups. The Heretic’s unique blend of creature presence and disruptive capabilities makes it a formidable addition, particularly in formats where artifacts are prevalent. If you’re looking to sharpen your deck with a tool that systematically breaks down your opponent’s resources while dealing a sting of damage, diving deeper into strategies that incorporate the Viashino Heretic is your next move. Enhance your gameplay and broaden your tactical horizons by understanding when and how to deploy this card. Unleash the full potential of Viashino Heretic in your MTG collection, and visit us for more insights to turn the tides in every duel.


Cards like Viashino Heretic

Viashino Heretic is an intriguing utility creature within Magic: The Gathering that shines in artifact removal strategies. This card draws parallels with other artifact destruction spells like Shatter, which, for a single red mana, instantly destroys any one artifact. What sets Viashino Heretic apart is its ability to not just destroy an artifact, but also to deal damage to that artifact’s controller equal to the destroyed artifact’s converted mana cost.

Considering cards like Gorilla Shaman, another creature with a similar capability to dismantle artifacts, we see a difference in mana cost and effect. While the Shaman can potentially destroy multiple cheap artifacts efficiently, Viashino Heretic’s effect is a one-time resolution per activation, requiring mana investment each time, but with the added benefit of dealing direct damage. Another card worth mentioning is Reckless Reveler, which can sacrifice itself to destroy an artifact. Unlike Viashino Heretic, it doesn’t offer repeatable uses or inflict damage to the opponent, making the Heretic a more versatile choice in prolonged games.

When assessing cards for your artifact removal needs in Magic: The Gathering, Viashino Heretic offers a unique blend of continual artifact control and potential for damage, making it a distinctive and favorable option in the right deck.

Shatter - MTG Card versions
Gorilla Shaman - MTG Card versions
Reckless Reveler - MTG Card versions
Shatter - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Gorilla Shaman - Alliances (ALL)
Reckless Reveler - Born of the Gods (BNG)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Viashino Heretic MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and The List, 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 Viashino Heretic and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Viashino Heretic Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 1999-02-15. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-02-15Urza's LegacyULG 951997normalblackDouglas Shuler
22020-09-26The ListPLST ULG-951997normalblackDouglas Shuler

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Viashino Heretic has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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