Pointed Discussion

Magic: The Gathering Card Comments Archive

Unexpectedly Absent

Multiverse ID: 376563

Unexpectedly Absent

Comments (17)

JSSarfin
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0) (2 votes)
Two mana Time Ebb, with the bonus of hitting Artifacts, Enchantments, and Walkers, too. And at instant speed.

And if I really want to, I can pay a bit more and keep it away from my opponent longer.

Now that's a solid card.
DeckMechanic
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0) (4 votes)
I don't understand why this is white.
drpvfx
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0) (3 votes)
In response to your fetchland activation...
RAV0004
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Certainly it's excellent, but if you're running white you have a hundred deck tucking removal cards in your deck anyway.
MrShinyObject
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sorry, but your general just became totally lost.
Continue
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0) (3 votes)
This card can essentially say "destroy target nonland permanent" in some cases. For 2 mana. You just know this card is going to be $60 for a playset.
Mode
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0) (5 votes)
This card is just nuts.
Simply pay X = 0 and you got yourself a Disperse with added card disadvantage for your opponent.

Plus, you can cast it in response to an opponent's search effect that makes him shuffle his library (e.g. a fetchland, which is a reasonably common occurence in multiple formats) and you basically get rid of the target for two mana.

Top top it all off, this is (yet another) ridiculous target for Isochron Scepter.
(Surprisingly enough despite being an X-spell, since you cast copies without paying for them.)

...Did I mention you can actually pay mana for Variable Colorless to bury a threat a bit deeper in your opponent's library?

Oh, and once it's cast, as another advantageous side effect, you know what he's going to topdeck in that future turn.
So you might also prepare some more little shenanigans with effects like Counterbalance or cards with Clash.


TL;DR: Unexpectedly Absent will be expectedly present in various decks.
Cyberium
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0) (6 votes)
Ironically, doesn't work on Nori.
MostlyLost
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0) (6 votes)
I mean, dang. Azorius Charm is a great card and this card is pretty much strictly better (for that particular mode). You can use it to blank your opponent's spot removal/board wipes at the expense of a draw. And now you'll never feel safe cracking a fetch in the face of .

I hope to see some Legacy decks (mono-white control?) playing this with stuff like Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter.
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0) (2 votes)
Really good. At its worst, it goes to the top of the library for two mana, which is really cheap for that effect.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0) (3 votes)
That's not Ironic at all, Norin is always EXPECTEDLY absent XD
TowerDefender
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
See you later Haunted Plate Mail! You'll never trust your permanents again heh.
1337vanguard
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0) (2 votes)
I love this effect. But the name is kind of stupid and very unflavorful. I keep wanting to say "Unexpected Absense" which is a little less silly but still a very dull name for a spell.
DaShiznit
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Card should have been called Unexpectedly Absinthe... really goes with the flavor text and mechanics of the card.
Megadog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This + Isochron Scepter = lock much?