Spirit Away MTG Card


Spirit Away - Avacyn Restored
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set nameAvacyn Restored
Set codeAVR
Number76
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byGreg Staples

Key Takeaways

  1. Spirit Away shifts battlefield power, turning opponents’ strengths into your victory with card advantage.
  2. While enriching your mana and board state, it requires careful blue mana planning for optimal use.
  3. Strategically, Spirit Away’s enchantment versatility makes it a thought-provoking choice for many decks.

Text of card

Enchant creature You control enchanted creature. Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.

The fear of slipping from the geist's tenuous grip overwhelmed Tolo's joy at his first flight.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spirit Away provides a significant edge in terms of card economy. By enabling control over an opponent’s key creature, it effectively removes a threat from the opposing side and adds one to yours without losing a card from your hand, creating a two-fold advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Spirit Away doesn’t directly generate additional resources, it shifts the power balance by transferring the benefits of the enchanted creature’s abilities and stats. This means any abilities that creature has that generate or accelerate resources now work in your favor.

Instant Speed: Though Spirit Away is an enchantment and not an instant, the flexibility it provides is noteworthy. The ability to cast it during your main phase allows you without losing momentum, setting you up for a stable board to maneuver against your opponent with your resources fully available.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spirit Away necessitates discarding another Spirit card from your hand, which could deplete your hand size and potentially diminish your late-game presence.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a stringent mana arrangement, specifically one that caters to a heavy blue mana base. This requirement might limit its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce large amounts of blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its cost being on the higher side for its effect, players may find it cumbersome within fast-paced games where efficiency is key. Alternative removal or control options may provide similar utility without such a significant mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spirit Away offers the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s board by taking control of their major threats. This enchantment can be a game-changer in decks that aim to shift the balance of power mid-game.

Combo Potential: Pairing well with flicker mechanics or cards that benefit from controlling enchanted permanents, Spirit Away can become a cog in a larger machine, enabling powerful plays and synergy in both casual and focused deck builds.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where single, powerful creatures dominate, Spirit Away can serve as an answer to neutralize opposition while strengthening your own battlefield presence, making it a smart addition to face current and evolving competitive environments.


How to beat

Spirit Away is a unique enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering a captivating control ability. When faced with this card, it’s important to remember that it essentially hijacks a creature by enchanting and gaining control of it. To outmaneuver Spirit Away, prioritize enchantment removal from your sideboard. Versatile cards such as Disenchant or Naturalize are perfect examples of answers to such enchantments. Moreover, countering the spell outright with a Cancel or a Mana Leak can be a decisive move to stop your opponent from seizing control of your creature.

Another effective strategy is to employ creatures with hexproof or employ cards that grant your creatures hexproof, like Swiftfoot Boots or Asceticism, which can negate the threat of control effects like Spirit Away. Also, playing around this enchantment by keeping instant-speed removal in hand allows you to respond to it being cast, keeping the battlefield in your favor. By evaluating your deck and adjusting your tactics, you will be well-equipped to face down Spirit Away and maintain dominance over your creatures.


Cards like Spirit Away

Spirit Away stands out in MTG as a unique control piece within blue’s enchantment suite. It bears resemblance to other control cards like Mind Control that harness the power of opponent’s creatures. Nonetheless, Spirit Away distinguishes itself with its ability to confer a +2/+2 buff to the ensnared creature, setting it apart from the straight takeover that Mind Control offers without any stat boosts.

Comparably, we find Corrupted Conscience in this space, offering not just creature control but infect as an added twist. It doesn’t provide the stat boost that Spirit Away does, but it presents a potential alternate win condition with the poison counters. Then we have Volition Reins, which also provides control over any permanent, not just creatures, and furnishes you with untapped mana resources. The versatility of controlling any permanent type can sometimes overshadow Spirit Away’s creature-specific focus and buff.

In essence, while assessing the utility and versatility of similar spell effects, Spirit Away is a formidable enchantment for players looking to seize and strengthen creatures, carving out its unique niche in the MTG enchantment landscape.

Mind Control - MTG Card versions
Corrupted Conscience - MTG Card versions
Volition Reins - MTG Card versions
Mind Control - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Corrupted Conscience - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Volition Reins - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Spirit Away by color, type and mana cost

Day of the Dragons - MTG Card versions
Meishin, the Mind Cage - MTG Card versions
Eye of the Storm - MTG Card versions
Take Possession - MTG Card versions
Thought Reflection - MTG Card versions
Cast Through Time - MTG Card versions
Dismiss into Dream - MTG Card versions
Mind's Dilation - MTG Card versions
Lay Claim - MTG Card versions
Swarm Intelligence - MTG Card versions
Kiora Bests the Sea God - MTG Card versions
Curse of Unbinding - MTG Card versions
Day of the Dragons - Kaldheim Commander (KHC)
Meishin, the Mind Cage - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Eye of the Storm - The List (PLST)
Take Possession - Modern Masters (MMA)
Thought Reflection - Double Masters (2XM)
Cast Through Time - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Dismiss into Dream - Magic 2014 (M14)
Mind's Dilation - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Lay Claim - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Swarm Intelligence - Commander 2021 (C21)
Kiora Bests the Sea God - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Curse of Unbinding - Midnight Hunt Commander (MIC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spirit Away MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored, 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 Spirit Away and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spirit Away has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

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