Aether Vial
Secret Lair Drop 1640★ • rare
- Set
- Secret Lair Drop
- Collector number
- 1640★
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 1 generic mana
- Type
- Artifact
- Colors
- Colorless
- Artist
- Rovina Cai
- Finish
- Foil
What it does
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a charge counter on this artifact.
tap: You may put a creature card with mana value equal to the number of charge counters on this artifact from your hand onto the battlefield.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The Aether Vial card was originally released in the 2004 set Darksteel, designed to provide a versatile, mana-efficient way for players to put creature cards directly onto the battlefield. Its mechanical utility quickly made it a cornerstone of competitive Magic: The Gathering, particularly in formats like Legacy and Modern, where its ability to bypass counterspells and flash in threats at instant speed solidified its status as an iconic artifact.
This specific iteration was released as part of the Secret Lair series, featuring distinct, evocative artwork by illustrator Rovina Cai. Cai utilized her signature watercolor-infused, ethereal style to reinterpret the vial, moving away from the mechanical industrialism of the original art toward a more mystical, dreamlike aesthetic. The design was well-received by players and collectors who value high-concept artistic interpretations that maintain the card's functional legacy.
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Who's collecting this
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About Aether Vial
Aether Vial is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Secret Lair Drop 1640★ • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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