Mystic Remora

Mystic Remora debuted in Ice Age on 3 June 1995. The original is ICE #87, a common illustrated by Ken Meyer, Jr., available only in nonfoil. It is the historical starting point; a retro-frame Dominaria Remastered copy is a later printing with different art.

Collector shortcut: compare ICE #87 for the original, SLD #406 for Kelogsloops, DMR #59 / #288 / #420 for modern-frame, retro-frame and borderless choices, and TLE #16 for Avatar Source Material artwork.

Mystic Remora costs one blue mana. Each opponent's noncreature spell triggers an opportunity for you to draw unless that opponent pays {4}. Creature spells do not qualify, and the ability is not restricted to the first spell each turn. A spell-heavy table therefore gives it a very different role from Esper Sentinel.

Cumulative upkeep {1} puts an age counter on Remora as its upkeep ability resolves, then asks you to pay {1} for every age counter or sacrifice it. With no other counter changes, the bills are one, two, three mana and so on. This growing payment is separate from the fixed {4} an opponent may pay.

That tension matters in play: you can accept a short burst of cards, then let Remora go when keeping it would consume too much mana. Older printed wording may look different, so use the current rules text in the card explorer. Wizards explains the upkeep in its Dominaria Remastered release notes.

The original combines Ken Meyer, Jr.'s illustration with the Ice Age set symbol and an early Magic frame. ICE #87 is the catalogue identifier used to locate it; it is not a collector-number line printed on the 1995 card. That distinction helps when checking a photograph of an original copy.

Masters Edition added a digital version in 2007. It belongs to the card's release history, but it is not another paper original. The physical comparison changed substantially with Special Guest: Kelogsloops in 2022 and Dominaria Remastered in January 2023.

Dominaria Remastered printed Remora at rare. Its standard #59 and retro #288 share Jesper Ejsing's artwork; borderless #420 uses Ron Spears instead. These are three presentations of the same card, not three different gameplay versions.

The biggest split is between the original fish, the Kelogsloops interpretation and the two Dominaria Remastered illustrations. If you like Ejsing's art, compare #59 with #288 to decide whether you want a modern frame or retro styling. Changing to #420 changes the artist as well as removing the conventional border.

Secret Lair #1842, from the 20 Ways to Win Commander deck, is another Ejsing option in nonfoil. It should not be confused with #406: the Secret Lair label alone does not identify the artwork or finish.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Eternal #16 arrived in 2025. It uses borderless Source Material presentation drawn from the animated property, rather than a new illustration of the original fish. Wizards shows the card and explains the treatment in its Avatar collecting guide. The set code is TLE, which distinguishes it from the TLA main set.

Ice Age #87 has no official foil version. For an old-frame look with a foil finish, DMR #288 is a concrete alternative, though it uses Ejsing's artwork rather than the Ice Age illustration.

DMR #59 and #420 also have nonfoil and traditional foil options. Kelogsloops #406 has nonfoil and foil editions, while the 20 Ways to Win #1842 is nonfoil only. Avatar #16 offers nonfoil and traditional foil. Choose by exact set and number before checking the finish.

The explorer's shimmer is an illustrative preview. It cannot show the physical reflectivity, surface condition or curling of the copy a seller holds. Compare photographs when those details affect your choice.

For the first printing: ICE #87 is the choice. Check the actual card and condition rather than expecting a printed modern-style number.

For a practical deck copy: compare DMR #59 with the other available nonfoils, including #1842. Use current listings and condition; this guide does not assume one is always cheapest.

For a retro foil deck: DMR #288 pairs the older frame style with a foil option. For a different illustration, compare Ron Spears' #420 and Kelogsloops' #406 directly.

For an Avatar collection: TLE #16 provides the Source Material connection. Its crossover identity is the reason to choose it, rather than a change to the card's rules.

Start by comparing ICE #87 against DMR #288. They expose the essential choice: the actual early printing versus a later retro treatment with modern artwork. If neither illustration fits your deck, the borderless and Kelogsloops versions are meaningful next comparisons.

The live explorer may highlight a ManaScout Pick. Treat it as a visual starting point and compare the exact printing, finish and available price data before deciding.

Rhystic Study — Compare a blue draw enchantment that triggers on any opposing spell, with a smaller payment.

Esper Sentinel — Explore a first-noncreature-spell trigger in white, with sketch and retro versions.

Smothering Tithe — Follow another multiplayer payment choice, this time triggered by opponents drawing cards.

Cyclonic Rift — Compare the printing history of a blue interaction spell often considered alongside draw engines.

Printing details reviewed on 2 November 2026. The shortlist links to individual MTG.wtf catalogue records; official Wizards sources support the rules and product treatments. The live explorer retrieves its records and price fields from Scryfall.

MTG.wtf: original printing and catalogue.

Wizards: Dominaria Remastered release notes.

Wizards: Dominaria Remastered variant gallery.

Wizards: Avatar treatments.