Delver of Secrets

Why collectors notice it

It is a Common that gained a major reputation. Many collectors keep it as an example of a modest card that became popular.

It tied theme and rules together with transforming cards. Read more about Innistrad.

A closer look

Reading this card

Delver of Secrets is a double-faced card, so the first thing to notice is that it has two faces. The front is a small Blue Human Wizard. The back is a larger flying creature. The back is not hidden like a normal card back, and that is why official events use special rules for sleeving and tracking these cards.

The featured print is a Common from Innistrad, the 2011 gothic-horror set. Common is the rarity printed in the largest numbers and the one meant to be easy to find, so Delver is a nice example of a card that people care about even though it was not made scarce on purpose. The card flips only when the right condition happens during the game. That is the meaning of transform: the same card changes into its other face.

How it compares

Snapcaster Mage shares the set, the color and the subtypes, so it is a good test of whether you are reading the card or just the art. Snapcaster is a Rare with flash, and Delver is a Common that changes shape.

The Transform and Double-Faced Cards page covers the mechanic that gave Innistrad its identity, which also brought werewolves to the game.

Questions readers ask

Which face do I read first?

Start with the front, the small human wizard, then turn the card over to see what it can become. The back is the flying creature described in the trait chips.

Is it valuable because it is a Common?

This site does not give prices or rankings. Rarity only tells you how often a card was printed.

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