Perilous Voyage MTG Card


Perilous Voyage grants card advantage and control by bouncing permanents and potentially letting you scry 2. Beyond bouncing, it disrupts opponent tempo, invaluable in maintaining board state superiority. Yet, deck-building restrictions and mana efficiency require thoughtful inclusion in blue decks.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Scry

Text of card

Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand. If its converted mana cost was 2 or less, scry 2.

For the first time in her life, Vraska tried to prevent death.


Cards like Perilous Voyage

When exploring bounce spells within Magic: The Gathering, Perilous Voyage immediately stands out. It’s worth noting that Unsummon serves a similar basic function by returning a creature to its owner’s hand, but lacks the additional scry ability that Perilous Voyage provides. The scry mechanic is potent, offering critical deck manipulation that Unsummon does not.

Another spell akin to Perilous Voyage is Into the Roil. Both allow players to return nonland permanents to their hands, but Into the Roil has the flexibility of a kicker cost that can draw a card when paid. Perilous Voyage is more restrictive with its cost and target requirements but balances this with its two scry trigger when targeting low-cost permanents.

Moreover, Voyage’s ability to scry 2 if the permanent has converted mana cost 2 or less, ensures that it has its niche, catering to players seeking to control the early game and set up their draws. This specificity can be a powerful tool in maintaining tempo and card advantage, often proving crucial in the flow of a match.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Perilous Voyage by color, type and mana cost

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
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Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Updraft - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Response - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Snap - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Flash Counter - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Perilous Voyage. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Bant Dream HallsBant Dream Halls Free formSet Roulette Spring 2024
Turbo FogTurbo Fog Free formSet Roulette Spring 2024
Hidden StringsHidden Strings PioneerHidden StringsPioneer League 2023-12-16
Lotus Field ComboLotus Field Combo PioneerHidden Strings#27 Last Chance Qualifier: Pioneer

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Perilous Voyage isn’t just about bouncing a nonland permanent back to its owner’s hand; if the targeted permanent’s converted mana cost is 2 or less, it also lets you scry 2. This gives you a measure of control over your upcoming draws, potentially edging you ahead in the game with better card quality on your future turns.

Resource Acceleration: Despite this card not directly impacting your mana pool, it effectively sets your opponent back, slowing down their development while you continue to build up your resources. Perilous Voyage can remove early mana dorks or utility artifacts, ensuring that your foes will have to reinvest resources to replay those key pieces.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Perilous Voyage allows for flexibility in play. You can dictate the pace by responding to your opponent’s actions during their turn, preserving your mana until just the right moment to disrupt their strategy without sacrificing your turn to do so.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Perilous Voyage doesn’t require discarding as part of its casting cost, having to potentially discard it due to hand size limits or other card effects could represent a missed opportunity to return key nonland permanents to their owner’s hands.

Specific Mana Cost: Perilous Voyage requires blue mana in its casting cost, which means it’s primarily suited for blue or multicolored decks. This mana specificity can restrict deck-building options and may not fit into strategies that don’t heavily feature blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana, Perilous Voyage might seem affordable, but when considering bounce effects, options such as Unsummon are available at a lower cost. For decks prioritizing speed and efficiency, those one-mana bounce spells could be more attractive despite Perilous Voyage’s potential Scry 2 bonus when targeting lower-cost permanents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Perilous Voyage is a spell that any blue deck could consider due to its ability to bounce nonland permanents and provide scry if the permanent’s converted mana cost is two or less. This makes it a flexible option for early game board control or setting up your following draws.

Combo Potential: This card shines in scenarios where you’re looking to clear the way for a winning combo or protect your own key pieces. Its scry ability helps dig for the essential components of your combo, optimizing your play for the winning move.

Meta-Relevance: With a landscape that often sees aggressive early plays, Perilous Voyage is a relevant tool for disrupting tempo decks and early creature setups. Its low casting cost and instant speed make it a wise pick for staying ahead in a fast-paced meta.


How to beat

Perilous Voyage stands out in the Magic: The Gathering arena for its ability to temporarily deal with nonland permanents. It’s a versatile instant spell that not only bounces an opponent’s creature or artifact back to their hand but also scry 2 if the target has a converted mana cost 2 or less. This serves as both a defensive and strategic advantage by disrupting the opponent’s board and setting up your next draws.

To effectively counter Perilous Voyage, it’s crucial to anticipate the bounce. Playing creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects can actually benefit from being returned to hand. Additionally, instants and flash creatures can be held back to be played after Perilous Voyage has been used. Having counter spells ready, especially when your opponent reaches two mana, can stop Perilous Voyage before it takes effect. Finally, playing around this bounce spell by not overly committing low-cost creatures to the board can reduce its impact on your strategy. Working around these elements ensures that Perilous Voyage doesn’t set you off course during gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Perilous Voyage MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Perilous Voyage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Perilous Voyage Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Wesley Burt.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29IxalanXLN 672015NormalBlackWesley Burt
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 3342015NormalBlackWesley Burt

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Perilous Voyage has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-09-29 If a permanent has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2017-09-29 If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Perilous Voyage resolves, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t scry.
2017-09-29 Use the permanent’s converted mana cost as it existed on the battlefield to determine whether you scry.
2018-01-19 There are many important moments in the story, but the most crucial—called “story spotlights”—are shown on cards. These cards have the Planeswalker symbol in their text box; this symbol has no effect on gameplay. You can read more about these events in the official Magic fiction at http://www.mtgstory.com.