Mist Raven MTG Card


Mist Raven provides card advantage by returning creatures and improving your board position. Instant speed casting allows flexible responses to threats and dynamic gameplay. Requires careful management due to discard costs and specific mana requirements.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Flying When Mist Raven enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owner's hand.

"When you see a raven, head for the hills. It knows when the ghost-tide is headed in." —Sved, fisherman of Nephalia


Cards like Mist Raven

Mist Raven stands out in Magic: The Gathering with its ability to effectively alter the flow of a game. It draws parallels to cards like Unsummon and Vapor Snag, which also return target creatures to their owners’ hands. Mist Raven distinguishes itself by being a creature, offering a body on the board in addition to the bounce effect. While Unsummon offers a lower mana cost for the same effect, it doesn’t impact the board presence which Mist Raven ensures.

Another card worth comparing is Aether Adept. Both operate similarly in returning a creature when entering the battlefield. However, Aether Adept is confined to the realm of blue mana, whereas Mist Raven allows for more flexibility with additional color identity, which can benefit multicolored decks.

Ultimately, Mist Raven is a valuable card for players who seek to maintain board control while developing their own presence, making it a competitive choice for players looking to combine tempo with creature strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Vapor Snag - MTG Card versions
Aether Adept - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Vapor Snag - MTG Card versions
Aether Adept - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Mist Raven by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mist Raven is adept at providing a swift turnover in cards when it returns an opposing creature to its owner’s hand, effectively setting your opponent back and smoothing out your draws.

Resource Acceleration: While Mist Raven itself doesn’t directly generate additional resources, its ability to bounce an opposing key threat can indirectly accelerate your game plan by freeing up the board and allowing your strategies to proceed unimpeded.

Instant Speed: Mist Raven’s capability to be cast at instant speed offers the strategic advantage of flexibility. You can respond promptly to your opponent’s threats, keeping your mana untapped until the most advantageous moment arises within the heat of battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mist Raven’s activation calls for discarding another card, which can set back your hand, especially if you’re managing limited card resources or playing a strategy reliant on numerous synergies.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of mana types for casting. Its reliance on blue mana ties it predominantly to blue-centric decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that may be seen as steep for its immediate impact on the game, players might contemplate other options. Cards with a lower cost could provide similar or greater benefits, reducing the appeal of Mist Raven in a competitive setup.


Reasons to Include Mist Raven in Your Collection

Versatility: Mist Raven stands out as a flexible card able to be slotted into a variety of blue decks. Its capacity to be played at instant speed offers dynamic game responses, such as saving your creatures or nullifying an opponent’s attack at a crucial moment.

Combo Potential: This card aligns seamlessly with strategies that revolve around bounce effects or spellslinging. By returning creatures to hand, it can trigger enter-the-battlefield abilities multiple times or be paired with cards that derive value from casting spells.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where tempo plays a significant role, Mist Raven can provide an upper hand. It’s particularly potent against decks that rely on the synergy of their permanents or heavy investment in beefed-up creatures, as it disrupts their board development efficiently.


How to beat Mist Raven

Mist Raven presents a unique challenge on the battlefield as it epitomizes the blend of evasion and flexibility. When tackling this evasive card, it’s crucial to anticipate its flash ability, allowing it to swoop in unexpectedly during combat or at the end of a turn. To outmaneuver Mist Raven, it’s essential to have removal spells that can be cast at instant speed. This ensures that you can address Mist Raven as it is played, circumventing its ability to evade sorcery-speed removal.

Additionally, leveraging effects that prevent your opponent from casting spells on your turn can also serve as a strong countermeasure. Cards like Teferi, Time Raveler, restrict opponents to acting only on their own turns, effectively grounding Mist Raven. Moreover, creature abilities that strip flying or deal damage irrespective of combat can clip its wings without the need to engage directly. It’s about maintaining direct and flexible answers, being prepared for when Mist Raven reveals itself, to maintain control over the aerial threat it poses.

Effectively, overcoming Mist Raven requires a blend of instant-speed interaction, strategic restrictions on your opponent’s casting abilities, and alternative means of dealing with flying creatures. A mindful strategy and well-prepared deck can ensure that Mist Raven’s ascent is only temporary and well within your bounds to control.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mist Raven MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed, 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 Mist Raven and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mist Raven Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by John Avon.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 672003NormalBlackJohn Avon
22016-02-26Duel Decks: Blessed vs. CursedDDQ 262015NormalBlackJohn Avon
32017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 432015NormalBlackJohn Avon
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4342015NormalBlackJohn Avon
52020-09-26The ListPLST DDQ-262015NormalBlackJohn Avon
62021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 412015NormalBlackJohn Avon
72023-03-21Shadows of the PastSIS 182015NormalBlackJohn Avon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mist Raven has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2012-05-01 Mist Raven’s ability is mandatory. If Mist Raven is the only creature on the battlefield when its ability triggers, you must choose it as the target.