Eye Collector MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Faerie |
| Abilities | Flying,Mill |
| Released | 2019-10-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Throne of Eldraine |
| Set code | ELD |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 86 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Uriah Voth |
Key Takeaways
- Eye Collector grants card insights and depletes opponent’s resources through its unique milling ability.
- Great for graveyard-focused strategies, Eye Collector adds tactical depth to black-themed decks.
- Due to specific mana requirements, Eye Collector’s inclusion may be restrictive in various archetypes.
Text of card
Flying Whenever Eye Collector deals combat damage to a player, each player mills a card.
"Lord Rankle will see you now—all he asks is a small token of tribute."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Eye Collector shines by offering a unique form of card advantage. Upon dealing combat damage to a player, it forces that player to put the top card of their library into their graveyard, which can subtly deplete their resources while providing you potential strategic insights into their deck composition.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, Eye Collector assists in setting up for graveyard synergies that can result in an accelerated game state. In MTG, being able to leverage your graveyard as an extension of your hand can be a critical advantage, and this feisty faerie helps pave the way for such tactics.
Instant Speed: Although Eye Collector itself is a creature card and thus does not operate at instant speed, its ability to nudge both players’ libraries into the graveyard each time it attacks can complement a strategy built around instant-speed interactions. By filling graveyards, you enhance the potency of spells and abilities that benefit from cards being cast or triggered during an opponent’s turn, keeping you one mischievous step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Eye Collector, its ability hinges on players discarding a card, which might not always align with a player’s strategy, especially if key cards are in hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Eye Collector demands one black mana in its casting cost. This specificity restricts its integration predominantly to black-centered or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility across the wide array of MTG archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Eye Collector’s effectiveness is contested when compared to other one-drop creatures. The combination of a specific mana requirement and its 1/1 stats may not justify the milling ability, particularly when alternative creatures at the same cost might present a greater immediate threat or provide more strategic flexibility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Eye Collector’s role as a flying creature makes it a useful addition to decks looking for evasion abilities in early gameplay. Its low casting cost allows it to be played early, providing an opportunity to chip away at an opponent’s life total while setting up your board.
Combo Potential: This card offers a unique synergy with cards that care about milling or graveyard strategies. Its ability to both mill an opponent and fuel your own graveyard-centric plays with each attack adds a layer of strategy in decks that exploit these mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: Given its knack for milling cards, Eye Collector can be surprisingly relevant in a meta that favors strategies based on utilizing or disrupting the graveyard. Such relevance can disrupt an opponent’s game plan while bolstering your own tactics, making it a smart tech choice in certain matchups.
How to beat
Eye Collector is a unique creature in MTG, providing players who favor interactive strategies with a peculiar benefit. It’s a card that can become a nuisance by slowly filtering through an opponent’s deck. However, dealing with this pesky Faerie is straightforward if you adjust your strategy accordingly. Firstly, prioritize removal. Instant-speed spells that can take out creatures with one toughness, like Shock or Dead Weight, are excellent for dispatching it quickly before its ability triggers.
Secondly, consider adjusting your deck. If Eye Collector’s milling ability is troubling you, include cards that benefit from having a stocked graveyard, such as escape cards from the Theros: Beyond Death set or spells with flashback. This way, Eye Collector’s ability may inadvertently assist your game strategy instead. Lastly, keep in mind that Eye Collector’s threat level is minor on its own. Playing creatures with higher toughness can easily block it, and focusing on your overarching game plan will often prove more fruitful than worrying too much about this one-drop creature.
Mindful deck construction and understanding when to remove disruptive creatures like Eye Collector can effectively neutralize its potential influence on the game, allowing you to proceed unhindered towards victory.
Cards like Eye Collector
Eye Collector stands out within Magic: The Gathering as an intriguing creature card with a unique mill ability. When it deals combat damage to a player, each player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard. This effect is somewhat reminiscent of cards like Merfolk Secretkeeper, which also offers a mill component, although Eye Collector’s advantage lies in its repeatable nature through combat.
Regarding other flying creatures with a mill theme, we find the likes of Thoughtrender Lamia, which forces opponents to discard whenever you cast a spell with an enchantment theme. While not a direct comparison, both aim to disrupt opponents’ strategies by affecting their hand or deck. Then there is persistent petitioner, a card that by working in numbers can become a potent mill engine, though Eye Collector operates independently.
Eye Collector is often examined next to Faerie Miscreant, as both are one mana cost flying creatures geared towards incremental advantage. While Miscreant can draw cards with the presence of other Faeries, Eye Collector’s consistent engagement with the opponent’s library can present a threat throughout the match. Ultimately, Eye Collector carves its niche in MTG as a steady, accessible option for decks that leverage milling as a path to victory.
Cards similar to Eye Collector by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Eye Collector MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, 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 Eye Collector 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Eye Collector has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
