Unexpectedly Absent MTG Card


Disruptive capability helps players to gain a timing advantage while oppressing the opponent’s board development. Unexpectedly Absent offers flexibility in threat management, with instant speed allowing for tactical plays in combat. While powerful, the card requires careful mana management and has a restriction in color-specific decks.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Text of card

Put target nonland permanent into its owner's library just beneath the top X cards of that library.

Once you've been dragged down the currents of time, you'll never quite trust your own permanence again.


Cards like Unexpectedly Absent

Unexpectedly Absent has made its mark in MTG as a versatile white instant. It shares conceptual space with the likes of Path to Exile, which also excels in removing threats. Unexpectedly Absent, however, is unique in its ability to put an owned card on top of its owner’s library rather than exiling it. This displacement can set an opponent back significantly, albeit at a higher mana cost than the streamlined one-mana Path to Exile.

Temporal Spring is another card that performs a similar function but drifts into green and blue territory. It lets players tuck any permanent on top of its owner’s library, offering a broader range of targets at the cost of an additional colored mana and being a sorcery. Unexpectedly Absent holds the advantage of being an instant, allowing reactive play during an opponent’s turn.

Oust is also worth mentioning, as it temporarily deals with creatures by placing them into the library while granting the opponent a bit of life. Unlike Unexpectedly Absent, Oust focuses solely on creatures and has a fixed depth placement in the library. This comparison underscores the tactical flexibility and surprise factor that Unexpectedly Absent brings to MTG games, striking a balance between tempo and resource management.

Path to Exile - MTG Card versions
Temporal Spring - MTG Card versions
Oust - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - MTG Card versions
Temporal Spring - MTG Card versions
Oust - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Unexpectedly Absent by color, type and mana cost

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
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Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
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Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
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Reprisal - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
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Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Celestial Purge - MTG Card versions
Grand Crescendo - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Razor Barrier - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Divine Offering - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
Eye for an Eye - MTG Card versions
Lightning Blow - MTG Card versions
Sacred Boon - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Remedy - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Shield - MTG Card versions
Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
Shield Wall - MTG Card versions
Reprisal - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Celestial Purge - MTG Card versions
Grand Crescendo - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Razor Barrier - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
DecklistDecklist Free formMO89#CS
Jeskai ControlJeskai Control LegacyJeskai ControlLegacy League Pavia 23/24 - Tappa 38
ReanimatorReanimator LegacyMO82#CS
Selesnya AggroSelesnya Aggro LegacyMO82#CS
Abzan PlaneswalkersAbzan Planeswalkers LegacyMO82#CS
Mono-White MidrangeMono-White Midrange Canadian Highlander for Duals - Tundra Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The capacity of Unexpectedly Absent to temporarily deal with any nonland permanent provides a significant advantage. By effectively removing a threat from the game for a time, you get an edge by disrupting your opponent’s board while they’re forced to redraw the same card, essentially losing a draw step in the process.

Resource Acceleration: While Unexpectedly Absent does not directly accelerate resources, its flexibility in dealing with opposing threats can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By setting back your opponent, you gain the temporal advantage, allowing you to develop your board and strategy at a pace they may no longer be able to match.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Unexpectedly Absent offers the strategic advantage of surprise and adaptability. You can respond to your opponents’ actions in real-time or at the end of their turn, optimizing your mana usage and remaining reactive. This also allows you to wait for the most opportune moment to disrupt their plans, making it a versatile tool in any situation.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unexpectedly Absent asks players to shift their plans to ensure they have the right set of cards to pitch if taking advantage of its full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: This card comes with a fixed white mana cost, which could potentially restrict its integration in multicolored or colorless decks that may struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a starting cost of two white mana, plus the additional X cost to increase its impact, Unexpectedly Absent can be a costly disruption tool, particularly at moments where mana efficiency is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Unexpectedly Absent offers the flexibility to deal with an array of threats at instant speed, applicable in multiple deck archetypes. It can become a critical tool in games that need precise timing to disrupt opponents’ plans without committing to one strategy.

Combo Potential: This card’s unique interaction with the top of a player’s library opens up synergies with deck manipulation and top deck control. Integrated with shuffle effects or in a deck designed to manipulate draw, Unexpectedly Absent ensures you can capitalize on the tempo advantage gained.

Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting metagames, having a card that can deal with permanents of any type without permanently removing them can be quite beneficial. Particularly in formats where players rely on top deck quality, Unexpectedly Absent provides a delicate balance of control and potential board disruption.


How to beat

Unexpectedly Absent is a versatile card known for its ability to delay opponents in Magic: The Gathering. This card allows players to put nonland permanents on top of their owner’s library in a strategic manner. It can disrupt an opponent’s plans, but to effectively overcome this, timing is crucial. Playing around the mana available to your adversary is key; waiting until they are tapped out can minimize their ability to disrupt your actions.

Furthermore, employing countermeasures like instant-speed card draw or shuffle effects after an Unexpectedly Absent has been cast on a crucial permanent can mitigate its effectiveness. Cards like Brainstorm or fetch lands such as Flooded Strand can help by ensuring the targeted permanent doesn’t just land back on top of your library. Moreover, holding up mana for counterspells can be a solid defense against Unexpectedly Absent, allowing you to have a game plan unimpeded by such temporary setbacks.

Therefore, awareness of your opponent’s mana pool, strategic card draw, and proper timing of shuffle mechanics, along with a readiness to counter when necessary, can help retain control against Unexpectedly Absent, securing your position in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Wrapping up our analysis, Unexpectedly Absent emerges as a dynamic tool in MTG, adept at unsettling your foe’s strategy and shuffling the odds in your favor. Its tactical flexibility at instant speed should not be underestimated. Whether you’re vying for control in a fast-paced match or planning a surprise play to swing the game, understanding and utilizing cards like Unexpectedly Absent can be pivotal. Ready to disrupt the battlefield and command the flow of the game with poise? Embark on a deeper dive into adaptive gameplay strategies and enhance your MTG arsenal with us. Your journey to outmaneuver opponents starts here.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unexpectedly Absent MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2013 and Eternal Masters, 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 Unexpectedly Absent and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Unexpectedly Absent Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-11-01 and 2020-04-17. Illustrated by Min Yum.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-11-01Commander 2013C13 252003NormalBlackMin Yum
22016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 332015NormalBlackMin Yum
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 272015NormalBlackMin Yum
42020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1062015NormalBlackMin Yum

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unexpectedly Absent has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-06-08 If there are fewer than X cards in that player’s library, put that permanent on the bottom of that library.
2016-06-08 If you choose 0 as the value for X, put that permanent on top of its owner’s library.