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Jamuraa, on Dominaria
What this set is
Mirage is a large expansion set on Jamuraa, a continent of Dominaria, and the first of the three-set Mirage block with Visions and Weatherlight. It has 335 different cards, 353 with its basic land arts and a few commons in two versions.
It introduced two keywords. Phasing makes a permanent blink out of existence every other turn, and flanking weakens creatures without it that block. Neither lasted long in Magic's design, though phasing has come back since. Its lasting contribution is a cycle of instant tutors that put a card on top of your library: Enlightened Tutor, Mystical Tutor and Worldly Tutor, with Vampiric Tutor following in Visions.
Rampant Growth was first printed here and is still one of the most played green cards in Commander. Lion's Eye Diamond and Flash came from Mirage too, both later central to combo decks in older formats. 83 of its cards are on the Reserved List, more than any other set in Magic.
Themes
Every mechanic in Mirage
Phasing
During your untap step, a permanent with phasing phases out if it is phased in, and phases in if it is phased out. While phased out it is treated as though it doesn't exist, but it isn't leaving the battlefield, so nothing triggers.
Flanking
Whenever a creature without flanking blocks this creature, the blocker gets -1/-1 until end of turn. It sits on knights and cavalry and makes them hard to block with small creatures.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Mirage is a single code. Its cards are eternal-format cards with a few combo pieces on the ban lists.
Not Standard-legal, and not Modern-legal as a set: Modern starts at Eighth Edition (July 2003). A card from here that was reprinted in a later Modern-legal set is Modern-legal in this printing too, because legality follows the card, not the printing. Legacy bans Flash and Mystical Tutor, and Commander bans Flash. Vintage restricts both of those and Lion's Eye Diamond. It is also legal in Premodern, the community format built on Fourth Edition through Scourge. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Mirage
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Mirage are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Where can I play Mirage cards?
In Legacy, Vintage and Commander, minus the cards each format bans. Mirage is too old for Standard, Pioneer or Modern as a set, though any card that was later reprinted in a Modern-legal set is Modern-legal in every printing. It is also legal in Premodern, a community format built on Fourth Edition through Scourge.
What does phasing do?
During your untap step, a phased-in permanent with phasing phases out, and a phased-out one phases in. While phased out it is treated as though it doesn't exist, but it never leaves the battlefield, so nothing triggers.
Which tutors are from Mirage?
Enlightened Tutor, Mystical Tutor and Worldly Tutor. Vampiric Tutor followed in Visions.
Is Flash banned?
Yes, in Legacy and Commander, and it is restricted in Vintage.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Mirage released on Oct 8, 1996; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Mirage in Commander?
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