More Than Meets the Eye in MTG: Rules, FAQ, and Best Cards

Ethan Rodgers December 9, 2022 MTG Cards, MTG Rules

Last updated on October 19, 2023

Soundwave, Sonic Spy | Illustration by Volta Creation

In the newest Universes Beyond partnership Wizards brought the Transformers to Magic. With them they brought a “retextured” transform mechanic (convert), but also gave us a brand new toy to play with. More than meets the eye gives us a whole different way to cast our converting cards, and it opens up a new wrinkle in how we interact with the transform cards in our hand.

Beyond what the mechanic does, the questions that immediately come to my mind are; one, how does this change how the overall transform/convert mechanic works? Two, does it change transform/convert for the better? And three, is it any good? Let’s find out!

Table of Contents show

How Does More Than Meets the Eye Work?

Optimus Prime, Hero | Illustration by Volta Creation

More than meets the eye is a “partner” mechanic to convert, as in one doesn't work without the other. More than meets the eye allows you to cast a converting card for an alternate cost than its mana value and play it with its backside facing up. For example, you play Starscream, Power Hungry for its more than meets the eye cost to put Starscream, Seeker Leader on the battlefield instead.

There are some benefits to this beyond getting the card on the battlefield a little earlier (or later in a couple cases). For instance, say it’s early in the game and you haven’t been able to play any of the cards you have to start the monarch chain going in a game of Commander. Playing Starscream’s artifact-only side will get that mechanic going so that the artifact creature side can benefit.

How Does More Than Meets the Eye Work with Convert?

More than meets the eye allows you to choose which side of the card you want to have face up on the battlefield depending on which cost you pay; the mana value or the alternate cost. This is very different from other transforming cards as they only allow you to play the front side and can only play the back when the conditions are met.

Is More Than Meets the Eye an Alternate Cost?

Yes, more than meets the eye is an alternate cost. This means that you can only cast the card with more than meets the eye from your hand, and this cost doesn’t take the place of the card’s mana value.

Sadly this also means that you can’t have Lurrus of the Dream-Den as a companion with Ratchet, Field Medic in the deck (which now that I say that seems like it could have been interesting).

This isn’t all bad, though. The same cost reductions that would affect the card's normal mana value would affect the more than meets the eye cost as well, making Blaster, Combat DJ even cheaper to cast. The flip side to that is that any cost increases also affect this. Keep that in mind.

What’s the Mana Value of More Than Meets the Eye?

The mana value of the card remains the same; it’s the number and pips in the upper right-hand corner of the card that we're used to, just like every other card in Magic. Sorry, but Blitzwing, Cruel Tormentor is only contributing one black pip to Gary.

Can You Pay More Than Meets the Eye to Cast from the Graveyard?

No, more than meets the eye has to be cast from the hand or “hand-like” zones (e.g., the command zone). It doesn't work like escape or, more appropriately, disturb.

But if you have some Gaea's Will or Muldrotha, the Gravetide shenanigans at play you can play the card via more than meets the eye from the graveyard, though the same could be said for playing any card.

Is This the Dumbest Mechanic Name in Magic History?

This is a highly subjective question. I don’t think so considering it's on-brand, not only for Transformers but also for the act of a converting card. I also think we could do worse in a world where banding, split second, sunburst, and space sculptor exist.

Is More Than Meets the Eye Good?

Another very subjective question! Whether more than meets the eye is good very much depends on your typical gameplay style and the format that the cards are being considered in.

I tend to play Commander a lot, so I can see the benefits of having not only a cheaper (or at least useful and functional) alternate cost to playing my commander. With already needing to contend with commander tax, this at least lets me pick which set of abilities make sense to play with on the card rather than it being all-or-nothing.

Since the mechanic is partially fixing a somewhat flawed problem with the transforming/converting card types and gives the player a bit more control and flexibility, I can’t honestly say it’s bad. Whether that means it’s good is going to depend on your answer to the question, “compared to what?”

Gallery and List of More Than Meets the Eye Cards

Best More Than Meets the Eye Cards

Starscream, Power Hungry / Starscream, Seeker Leader

Starscream, Power Hungry relies on the monarch mechanic to work, so you either need to get that chain started in another way or cast it for it’s more than meets the eye cost.

Interesting enough, Starscream doesn’t directly make you the monarch but instead makes whichever opponent you're attacking the monarch. From there it’s a lot of repeatable card draw to whittle away your opponents life.

Ultra Magnus, Tactician / Ultra Magnus, Armored Carrier

Using Ultra Magnus, Tactician effectively means playing it later than you'd normally play your commander. You want a decent board presence and then you cast it for it’s more than meets the eye cost to attack with it and your other creatures. They all get indestructible for the turn and Ultra Magnus converts immediately.

The next turn this helps drop a large artifact on the battlefield also attacking, and then converts again after combat. From there the plan is to repeat this cycle putting down big boys each turn with its abilities.

Slicer, Hired Muscle / Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist

Slicer, Hired Muscle’s whole gimmick is that you want to get it into play early and start passing it around the board goaded to urge your opponents to attack each other instead of you. With its more than meets the eye cost being two cheaper you'll most likely be playing Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist instead.

Mix this with larger global goading cards like Disrupt Decorum and it could be possible to get it so you only have to take one opponent to win the game.

Soundwave, Sonic Spy / Soundwave, Superior Captain

Soundwave, Sonic Spy’s abilities rely on tokens being on the battlefield and dealing damage, so you either have to get tokens out by other means or play Soundwave, Superior Captain for its slightly higher more than meets the eye cost to give yourself a way to get tokens with evasion and protection.

This with some ways to pump out more, like Anointed Procession, can get you some fairly expensive spells kicked out, like Army of the Damned.

Optimus Prime, Hero / Optimus Prime, Autobot Leader

Optimus has a very simple game plan: cast it for its more than meets the eye cost to play Optimus Prime, Autobot Leader and buff something that either has built-in recursion like persist, or something that can shed it’s +1/+1 counters like Triskelion so that bolster can continue to hit it.

Include a repeatable sac outlet to kill off Optimus Prime, Hero and flip it back over at the beginning of your turn, and repeat. The sac outlet also gives you some interaction in case someone tries to hit it with some targeted exile.

Megatron, Tyrant / Megatron, Destructive Force

Like Optimus, the Megatron plan is very straightforward: cast it for its more than meets the eye cost to play Megatron, Destructive Force, get some big boy artifacts on the battlefield, and then swing with Megatron to smack a creature and, hopefully, it’s owner. Since it converts mid-combat step you can decide to convert it back again just after combat to get some of that mana you spent on the big artifact back.

Some artifact recursion is suggested. I suggest automating it with Pia's Revolution or (if the artifact is a creature) Decaying Soil/Sigil of the New Dawn to make sure you have fodder and stop your opponents from exiling them from your graveyard.

Wrap Up

Megatron, Tyrant | Illustration by Volta Creation

While Universes Beyond has been a bit hit or miss in terms of mechanics and how they reflect their licensed IPs, more than meets the eye seems to hit the mark very well. I've already seen several of the cards being played, as the commander or otherwise, and it grants something to a mechanic that really needed some extra tweaking. Being able to cast either side of your converting cards really opens up their playability and strategic possibilities.

No matter how you feel about the cards (not to be confused with Dimir), these seem to slot in rather seamlessly. I very much enjoy the mechanic, and these are the first ones that I was actually excited to see and play with.

How do you feel about this new mechanic? Which one of these Transformers are you excited to play with or have had the most fun with? Let me know in our Discord, on Twitter, or in the comments below.

That’s all from me for now. Stay safe, stay healthy, and wash your hands!

Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:

More than meets the eye FAQ More than meets the eye history More than meets the eye in MTG More than meets the eye rules MTG MTG best cards MTG cards MTG collection MTG FAQ MTG history MTG more than meets the eye MTG top cards

Ethan Rodgers

Ethan has been playing Magic since 2011 and is a writer and Discord mod for Draftsim. He is an avid player of limited and casual formats, but can also be found climbing the ranks of constructed on Magic Arena. He enjoys the deck building aspects of Magic and describes himself as a better designer than a pilot. Follow Ethan on Twitter @SaltyMTG and on Twitch at https://twitch.tv/saltymtg.