Vanishment MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Abilities	Miracle
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	82
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daarken

Key Takeaways

Vanishment manipulates the field by delaying enemy threats, allowing strategic advances for control-savvy players.
Instant speed casting adds flexibility and unexpected twists, making it a top pick for reactive strategies.
Despite its power, Vanishment requires careful deck building and comes at the expense of your own resources.

Text of card

Put target nonland permanent on top of its owner's library. Miracle (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vanishment provides a strategic edge by allowing you to temporarily remove a threat from the battlefield. This not only disrupts your opponent’s plans but can also pave the way for your own attacks, maintaining pressure and potentially leading to card advantage through better board control.

Resource Acceleration: Although Vanishment itself may not directly generate resources, it can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By removing a blocker or a creature that generates resources for your opponent, you’re effectively accelerating your own resource development in comparison.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Vanishment at instant speed gives you the flexibility to react during your opponent’s turn. This adaptability can be crucial for surprising your opponent, disrupting their combo, or simply making the best use of your mana each turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One main drawback of Vanishment is the necessity to discard a card. While setting back an opponent’s threat is useful, losing a card from your hand can put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand size is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Vanishment’s casting cost is stringent, necessitating blue mana, which means it’s not universally applicable across all decks. Optimizing your deck to accommodate this can be challenging if your strategy doesn’t heavily involve blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s mana value might be considered steep for its temporary removal effect. Players may find that other removal spells provide a better cost-to-effect ratio, especially in formats where mana efficiency is key to outpacing your opponent.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vanishment offers flexible gameplay options as it can be utilized either as a tempo play to disrupt opponent strategies or as a way to clear the path for a decisive attack. Its ability to handle both creatures and troublesome planeswalkers makes it a solid addition to any blue-focused control or combo deck.

Combo Potential: This card can set up turns for powerful plays by temporarily removing potential blockers or disrupting intricate combos your opponent might be setting up. Players looking to capitalize on the semi-permanent removal can find synergistic combos with cards that take advantage of an open battlefield or cards that manipulate libraries.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that’s heavy with creature-based strategies or an environment where key nonland permanents dictate the flow of play, Vanishment serves as a crucial tool. It’s particularly effective in high-level play where the timing of its casting can be the difference between victory and defeat.

How to beat

Vanishment has emerged as a noteworthy spell for controlling the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. The power to put a nonland permanent on top of its owner’s library is not to be underestimated. However, like any formidable card, there are ways to maneuver around it.

One approach to counteract Vanishment is to utilize instant-speed spells that can shuffle your library, thereby diluting the setback. Another strategy is to lean on artifact-based permanents with innate protection or those that can be sacrificed for an immediate effect or value, making the temporary removal less impactful. Additionally, creatures with haste or those that can generate value upon entering the battlefield can also mitigate the tempo loss incurred by Vanishment. It’s essential to maintain a diverse and resilient board presence to ensure that a single Vanishment doesn’t disrupt your game plan irreversibly.

It’s important to note that while Vanishment can be disruptive, it grants a window of opportunity; the returned card can be redrawn, creating a second chance for strategic plays. Therefore, effective resource management and anticipation of the card’s return are key to overcoming the challenge posed by Vanishment in MTG.

Cards like Vanishment

Vanishment presents itself as a unique piece in the puzzle of creature control within Magic: The Gathering. It parallels other cards like Unsummon, which also return a target creature to its owner’s hand, but Vanishment ups the ante by utilizing the miracle mechanic. This allows players to cast it for a significantly reduced cost at the opportune moment they draw it, provided it’s the first card they drew that turn.

Another card worthy of comparison is Into the Roil. The interactive nature of this card is two-fold; not only can it bounce creatures or other nonland permanents, but with the kicker cost, it also offers card draw. Vanishment doesn’t provide this card advantage, but its potential tempo swing as a miracle could be game-defining. Then there’s Void Snare, a simple and efficient sorcery that bounces any nonland permanent, offering broad utility despite lacking the cost reduction mechanic of miracle.

Assessing these alternatives underlines Vanishment’s potential for massive tempo swings in a game. While it might not always offer the card draw or flexibility of similar spells, its dramatic cost reduction can be a turning point, marking its stature in the pantheon of tempo cards in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Vanishment by color, type and mana cost

Mysteries of the Deep - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vanishment 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 Vanishment and other MTG cards: