Having the best uncommon cards in your deck makes the difference between winning and losing in MTG, more often than not. Read on and discover 10 of MTG’s best uncommon cards.
Top 10 MTG Best Uncommon Cards
1. Relentless Rats
One of my very favorite uncommon cards of all times (of ANY color) is relentless rats. This black Rat card allows you to bring a 2/2 Rat onto the field that receives a +1/+1 boost counter for each copy of Relentless Rats.
The real kicker is that, unlike other cards, a deck may contain as many copies of Relentless Rats as you want. This ability is super cool because all other cards are limited to four or fewer copies. And, with each copy that you play, the stronger each of the other copies grows.
2. Goblin Matron
The Goblin Matron is an excellent example of how quickly one of the best uncommon cards can turn around a game of MTG. With a mana cost of 2 colorless and 1 mountain, this Goblin creature comes into the game with a power of 1 and a defense of 1. The cool thing is that when it enters the battlefield you can search your library for a Goblin card and reveal the card, add it to your hand, and shuffle your deck.
It doesn’t get much better than that for Goblin decks, especially with so many cheap creatures to play with haste. Goblin Matron allows you to search your deck for any specific Goblin you want, and put it into your hand, which is absolutely insane!
3. Relic of Progenitus
The Relic of Progenitus is one heck of an uncommon artifact for just about any style MTG deck. At 1 colorless mana for its casting cost, there are few artifacts so powerful for such a small price.
Tap Relic of Progenitus and force an opponent to exile a card from their graveyard. Also, pay 1 colorless mana and exile this card to force all cards from all graveyards into exile. If you choose to do the latter, you also get to draw a card.
4. Vitalize
A classic uncommon for MTG decks that contain forests and green creatures is Vitalize, an Instant that costs a single forest to cast. When Instant is played you get to untap all creatures that you control.
That means after you’ve attacked, and opponents have declared blockers, and taken damage, you can play this instant and untap, and possibly even attack again (but at the very least have your creatures available for defense rather than remaining tapped).
5. Lightning Bolt
For the amazingly cheap casting cost of 1 mountain, this uncommon card allows you to deal 3 damage to any target. That means you can target players, creatures, and anything else that is able to be dealt damage on the battlefield.
Personally? Lightning Bolt has always been one of my very favorite MTG cards, period. That’s why I have four copies in multiple decks (one Haste deck, one multi-color Spells only deck, and one all-out Goblin Assualt deck).
6. Rancor
Believe it or not, Rancor, an uncommon Enchantment – Aura, is the third uncommon card in a row on our list that only costs a single mana to play. For 1 forest, this enchant creature card allows you to place a boost of +2/+0 and trample to any creature on the battlefield.
One of the most awesome features of this card, aside from the unbelievable price, is that when it goes to the graveyard, you get to return this bad boy to your hand!
7. Cranial Plating
Cranial Plating is one old-school uncommon that any deck with plenty of swamp lands can benefit from. For 2 colorless mana, this Artifact – Equipment allows you to equip a creature of your choice with a +1/+0 for every artifact you control.
But, wait, it gets better! For two swamp lands, you may also attach Cranial Plating to any creature you control, at any time. Otherwise, you may equip the card for 1 colorless mana after it’s on the battlefield.
8. Poison the Cup
Poison the Cup is another classic example of a power swamp land fueled uncommon card. An uncommon instant, Poison the Cup costs 1 colorless mana and two swamp lands to play.
The instant allows you to destroy an opponent’s creature (or even your own, technically). If the Foretell ability was used then you also scry 2 after destroying the target creature. Foretell abilities may be activated during your turn by exiling the card face down, to be played later at its Foretell price.
9. Final Parting
Speaking of great black spells, one of our favorite uncommon ever is Final Parting, an uncommon sorcery that requires a semi-steep casting cost of 3 colorless mana and 2 swamps lands. It’s short, it’s sweet, and it’s worthy of any deck with at least half black mana cards.
When you cast Final Parting you get to look through your deck for any two cards you choose. Once you pick your two cards, one goes into your hands and the other one into the graveyard. Afterward, you must shuffle your deck.
10. Mind Control
Mind Control is an iconic blue uncommon Enchantment – Aura that I’ve personally played with for at least twenty years. They don’t get much better than this!
Talk about getting under an opponent’s skin? Take control of their best creature.
For a mana cost of 3 colorless and 2 islands, Mind Control allows you to enchant ANY creature on the battlefield. As long as the enchantment stays on the creature you have full control of it.
Common Questions About Uncommon Cards in MTG
What Exactly is an Uncommon Card in MTG?
An Uncommon card in MTG, also known as “Uncommons” or “Silvers”, is ranked between common and rare cards. That means they are less prevalent than common cards, but easier to find than rares and mythic rares. Uncommon cards tend to be strong creatures or diverse spells, instants, sorcery, enchantment, artifacts, or equipment cards.
How Many Uncommon Cards are in MTG?
With over 20,000 individual MTG cards in print since 1993, approximately 3,000 or more of them are most likely uncommon. That’s based on the fact that booster packs and decks tend to include around 10 to 20-percent uncommon cards.
How Much do Uncommon MTG Cards Cost?
Uncommon MTG cards range in price from less than $1.00 all the way up to several hundred or thousands of dollars. There are more factors that go into the price than simply that the card is uncommon. Its age, physical condition, abilities, rarity, and more impact its monetary value.