Mystic Zealot MTG Card
2001-10-01 - Number 36
2014-06-16 - Number 35
2023-01-13 - Number 16
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Nomad Mystic |
| Abilities | Threshold |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Mystic Zealot’s threshold transforms it into a potent 3/4 flyer, enhancing board presence significantly.
- Quick threshold achievement accelerates your game plan without expending extra resources.
- Mystic Zealot can become a 3/4 flyer at any time, adding a surprise element to gameplay.
Text of card
Threshold Mystic Zealot gets +1/+1 and has flying. (You have threshold as long as seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)
Nomad youths aspire to one of two roles in the tribe: priest or warrior. Their secret dream is to become both.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mystic Zealot’s threshold ability to become a 3/4 flying creature can turn it into a formidable presence on the board. This transformation doesn’t just provide a stat boost; it also creates advantages in combat and helps maintain pressure on your opponent without requiring additional card investments.
Resource Acceleration: Although Mystic Zealot doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of generating mana, reaching threshold quickly can accelerate your game plan. By turning into a potent flyer early on, Mystic Zealot allows you to use your resources on other spells and threats, effectively speeding up your win condition.
Instant Speed: While Mystic Zealot itself may not be an instant, its ability to transform with threshold can happen at any time—this includes during your opponent’s turn. This surprise element can be advantageous as it allows you to adapt and make decisions based on the evolving state of the game, reacting to threats instantaneously and taking advantage of the timing to secure the upper hand in battle.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of the Mystic Zealot is that it demands you to have seven or more cards in your graveyard to unlock its potential, which can be an unwelcome stipulation if your strategy doesn’t fill the graveyard quickly.
Specific Mana Cost: Mystic Zealot’s casting cost includes both white and generic mana, necessitating a dedicated mana base, thus its inclusion in a deck requires careful consideration of mana availability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side, Mystic Zealot competes with other four-mana creatures that might offer immediate impact or additional utilities beyond the threshold ability.
Reasons to Include Mystic Zealot in Your Collection
Versatility: Mystic Zealot can seamlessly transition from a solid defensive card to an aggressive flyer. Thanks to the Threshold ability, this creature adapts well in various game phases, becoming a powerful force once enough cards are in your graveyard.
Combo Potential: With its late-game potential to become a 3/4 flyer, Mystic Zealot pairs well with deck mechanics that focus on filling the graveyard quickly. This opens up avenues for synergies in decks that can manipulate the number of cards in the graveyard, multiplying the Zealot’s effectiveness.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where graveyard strategies are prevalent, Mystic Zealot gains additional importance. It’s a reliable card that can excel in prolonged matches, making it a strategic pick for decks that aim to outlast the opponent and exploit the Threshold mechanic.
How to beat
Mystic Zealot presents a dynamic force on the battlefield. In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, this creature embodies resilience with its Threshold ability, turning from a mere flyer into a powerful threat once seven or more cards are in your graveyard. To outmaneuver Mystic Zealot, consider strategies that trim down graveyard size. Graveyard hate cards such as Scavenging Ooze or Relic of Progenitus can disrupt the activation of its Threshold ability.
Control decks that can remove creatures before the graveyard is sufficiently stocked offer another robust tactic. Employing instant-speed removal like Swords to Plowshares can efficiently deal with Mystic Zealot before it becomes a larger problem. Moreover, avoiding trading cards too early in combat can minimize the number of cards entering the graveyard, thereby delaying or denying the transformation of the Mystic Zealot into its more formidable version. Additionally, applying pressure with faster, aggressive decks can outpace the slower setup required for the Mystic Zealot to thrive.
When examining the strategies available, timing is crucial. The key to vanquishing Mystic Zealot hinges on preventing it from reaching its full potential, asserting control over the pace of gameplay, and implementing effective graveyard management.
Cards like Mystic Zealot
Mystic Zealot stages its presence in the world of MTG as a nuanced creature option for deck builders focusing on threshold mechanics. Just as the Zealot evolves with a graveyard stacked with seven or more cards, Battlewise Aven operates on a similar mechanism, gaining flying once threshold is achieved. Mystic Zealot, however, boasts a higher toughness, providing a more robust defense against opponents’ attacks, and a unique ability to jump in as a blocker with its flying trait.
Looking to the skies, we find Serra Avenger, another card that players might weigh against Mystic Zealot. Both stand as formidable flying creatures, though Serra Avenger impresses with an early board presence restriction – not playable in the first four turns – presenting a strategic variance. Where the Avenger lacks in graveyard synergism, it delivers in cost efficiency and a higher power punch early in the game.
Assessing the Mystic Zealot within MTG’s extensive card pool, it’s evident that its real edge is harnessed in a game brimming with graveyard interactions. Its situational yet potentially game-altering threshold ability presents a strategic tipping point for players favoring a patient build-up to a solid mid-to-late defense.
Cards similar to Mystic Zealot by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mystic Zealot MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and Vintage 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 Mystic Zealot 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 Mystic Zealot Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Paolo Parente.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 36 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 35 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente | |
| 3 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 16 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mystic Zealot has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mystic Zealot card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-12-08 | Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to Mystic Zealot may become lethal if the number of cards in your graveyard falls below seven. |
