Planar Void MTG Card


Planar Void - Urza's Saga
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Saga
Set codeUSG
Number149
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAndrew Goldhawk

Key Takeaways

  1. Planar Void disrupts opponents, indirectly granting card quality advantage in MTG.
  2. Its continuous effect equals instant speed interaction on the battlefield.
  3. Restricts inclusion to black mana decks, limiting versatility but a strategic asset.

Text of card

Whenever a card is put into a graveyard, remove that card from the game.

"Planeswalking isn't about walking. It's about falling and screaming." —Xantcha, Phyrexian outcast


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While it won’t directly put more cards into your hand, Planar Void keeps your card quality high by restricting graveyard access. This edges you ahead as it disrupts opponents from utilizing strategies that rely on graveyard synergies, indirectly translating into card advantage for you.

Resource Acceleration: This enchantment is not primarily known for acceleration; however, by stifling decks that depend on graveyard interactions, it allows yours to maintain pace and possibly outpace opponents who can no longer execute their strategies effectively.

Instant Speed: Planar Void operates continuously once on the field, no matter whose turn it is. This omnipresence means you’re effectively interacting with the game at instant speed, requiring no specific timing to jeopardize your opponent’s graveyard-related plans. Just set it and let it keep watch over the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Planar Void doesn’t require discarding on its own, it forces players to consider the potential discard effects of other cards in their decks due to its graveyard exile mechanic. This can create an additional layer of strategy and potential resource loss.

Specific Mana Cost: The Planar Void card requires black mana to play. This mana cost can restrict the card’s inclusion to decks that run black mana or have the means to generate various colors of mana, limiting its versatility in a mono-colored or colorless deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Planar Void is not the most expensive enchantment, it holds a converted mana cost of one black mana, which might be considered high given that it does not affect the board immediately or offer direct card advantage. Players might opt for other cards with more immediate impact on the game state.


Reasons to Include Planar Void in Your Collection

Versatility: Planar Void offers a dynamic approach to deck construction by providing graveyard disruption. This enables it to slide into sideboards or main decks that aim to control the opponent’s graveyard strategies.

Combo Potential: This card acts as a powerful piece in combos that punish opponents for graveyard interactions or benefits from the exile of cards like with delve mechanics or synergies with cards like “Leyline of the Void.”

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting metagame that often sees graveyard-based strategies such as dredge or reanimator, Planar Void has proven its worth by disrupting these common archetypes, maintaining strong relevance in various formats.


How to beat

Planar Void presents a unique challenge in MTG games due to its ability to significantly alter the dynamics of the graveyard. When it comes to encountering this card, there are several strategies players can employ. Firstly, consider running enchantment removal cards in your deck like Naturalize or Disenchant, which can directly target and remove Planar Void from the game, allowing your graveyard to function normally again.

Another effective strategy is to shift towards a game plan that is less reliant on graveyard interactions. Choose spells and creatures that have an immediate impact on the game board rather than those that require a setup from the graveyard. Cards with the “exile” mechanic can also be particularly useful since Planar Void only affects cards that would hit the graveyard, and exiled cards bypass this completely.

Lastly, incorporating redundancy in your deck can mitigate the disabling effect of Planar Void. By having multiple copies or similar effects in your deck, you’re less likely to be crippled by the loss of graveyard synergy. Remember, flexibility and adaptive strategies are key when going up against cards that disrupt your primary game plan.


Cards like Planar Void

Planar Void, a unique card in Magic: The Gathering, bears a resemblance to other graveyard-centric strategies within the game. When looking at it alongside Leyline of the Void, we see a distinct difference – Planar Void’s effect comes at a much lower mana cost but it doesn’t exile cards from the graveyard instantly. Leyline, however, begins the game on the battlefield if it’s in your opening hand, immediately removing your opponent’s cards from play and negating graveyard-based strategies.

Another comparable card is Rest in Peace – arguably one of the most potent anti-graveyard cards available. It exiles all cards from all graveyards when it enters the battlefield and then continues to exile new cards as they are put into graveyards. While it has a slightly higher mana cost than Planar Void, this white enchantment provides a more definitive solution to graveyard tactics.

In weighing the options, Planar Void offers players a resource-efficient method of disrupting graveyard synergies. Its ongoing trigger may not be as conclusive as that of Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, but its early presence can be invaluable for tempo plays and provides an advantage over other similar cards in the realm of Magic: The Gathering.

Leyline of the Void - MTG Card versions
Rest in Peace - MTG Card versions
Leyline of the Void - Guildpact (GPT)
Rest in Peace - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Planar Void by color, type and mana cost

Paralyze - MTG Card versions
Unholy Strength - MTG Card versions
Evil Presence - MTG Card versions
Weakness - MTG Card versions
Imprison - MTG Card versions
Thrull Retainer - MTG Card versions
Torture - MTG Card versions
Death Watch - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Rite - MTG Card versions
Sadistic Glee - MTG Card versions
Sarcomancy - MTG Card versions
Dread of Night - MTG Card versions
Tortured Existence - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Motion Sensor - MTG Card versions
Sicken - MTG Card versions
Darkest Hour - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Withering Hex - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Fens - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Link - MTG Card versions
Paralyze - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Unholy Strength - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
Evil Presence - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Weakness - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Imprison - Legends (LEG)
Thrull Retainer - Masters Edition (ME1)
Torture - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Death Watch - Visions (VIS)
Leshrac's Rite - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Sadistic Glee - Tempest (TMP)
Sarcomancy - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Dread of Night - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Tortured Existence - Stronghold (STH)
Volrath's Motion Sensor - Unglued (UGL)
Sicken - Urza's Saga (USG)
Darkest Hour - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Reclamation - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Withering Hex - Onslaught (ONS)
Genju of the Fens - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Vampiric Link - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Planar Void MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Planar Void and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Planar Void has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Planar Void card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2004-10-04 If spell is used to destroy Planar Void, it goes to the graveyard, then the spell goes to the graveyard. The spell is not exiled, as Planar Void was not on the battlefield when it was put into the graveyard.
2004-10-04 The card does go to the graveyard before it is exiled, so other triggered abilities will trigger on the card going to the graveyard.
2008-05-01 It will not trigger on itself going to the graveyard, or on any other cards going to the graveyard at the same time. This means that neither itself nor other cards put into the graveyard at the same time as it will get exiled.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks