Magic the Gathering (MTG) FAQ July 2015

by Richard Rowell, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Here at Gaming Successfully, we finally decided to start a Magic the Gathering FAQ. Every day in the search terms that bring visitors to the site, I see people asking questions that need answering. It’s cool to answer questions. So I’ve decided to take all of the various questions from the course of the month gleaned from search terms that may not have been answered by any of our articles. Some of these questions need answering, but it doesn’t make sense to write whole articles for each and every one of them.

So without further ado, the first MTG Gaming Successfully FAQ!

What are some MTG cards similar to Prodigal Pyromancer?

Prodigal Pyromancer is the time-shifted version of Prodigal Sorcerer, a blue card that has the same effect. One card that’s definitely similar to it is Cunning Sparkmage from Worldwake, a 0/1 with Haste that has the same tap ability. The advantage is that you can use it immediately. Another creature with the same tap ability is Embermage Goblin, which costs 3R to cast for a 1/1, but it lets you search for another Embermage Goblin from your deck when it enters the battlefield. Goblin Medics from Urza’s Legacy is similar, but doesn’t have an actual tap ability - it only deals damage when it becomes tapped (for example, when it attacks.)

Frostwielder from Champions of Kamigawa is a four-drop (2RR) that also has the additional ability that if a creature dealt damage by Frostwielder would be put into a graveyard that turn, it’s removed from play (exiled) instead. It’s a bit less efficient than the others mentioned above, however.

Probably the best creature similar to the Pyromancer is Gelectrode from Guildpact. It costs 1UR to cast and any time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may untap it. Another card that has this effect is Goblin Sharpshooter, which untaps anytime that a creature dies, although it doesn’t untap during your untap step. It’s very, very good in Goblin decks.

The enchantment Fire Whip from Weatherlight (reprinted in Time Spiral) makes it so that any creature can become a Prodigal Pyromancer. You can sacrifice the Fire Whip to deal an additional 1 damage to a target creature or player. Hypervolt Grasp is another Enchantment, this one from Guildpact, that makes a creature into a Pyromancer.

There are many other cards that have this tap to ping ability that I could write a whole article about it. If you want to see the rest, many of which have drawbacks and costs to use the ability, check out this advanced search on magiccards.info.

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Are there MTG cards like Assault Formation?

The creature Wakestone Gargoyle and the enchantment Rolling Stones both turn off Defender, although Rolling Stones only affects walls. Doran, the Siege Tower loves to have all three of these in his Commander deck.

You can read more about Assault Formation and the strategy around it in our Assault Formation card review. 

Are there any good combos with the new Avaricious Dragon from Magic Origins

While I’m personally not a huge fan of the new dragon, there are ways to make it work - in a casual setting. Andrew Wilson over at Gathering Magic has some good ideas you should check out on trying to turn his disadvantage of making your discard your  entire hand into an advantage.

Any valuable uncommon cards in Avacyn Restored?

Blood Artist is the only uncommon worth more than $0.25 in Avacyn Restored. That being said, it’s worth about $2.50 USD a copy. In foil, however, Emancipation Angel is worth about $2.50. Thunderous Wrath is about a $2 foil. Seraph Sanctuary is an uncommon land worth about $1.50 in foil. Lightning Mauler, once a force in Standard, still holds a foil price over $1.

There are some good commons, too. Cloudshift is a $2 foil common. Abundant Growth and Ghostly Flicker are also over a dollar in foil. These cards are often included in Commander decks, which is why they have some value.

Anticipate vs Sight Beyond Sight

Anticipate is better from a competitive standpoint, and you get to dig through 3. But with Sight Beyond Sight, for 3U, it’s like two spells in one because of Rebound. This does what Sea Gate Oracle did for 2U as a creature, and that guy was played like crazy. But being a 4-drop, it’s probably a bit highly-costed to flow within a competitive deck. But anything that cares about non-creature spells being cast, it is actually better because it’s two spells for one card. In Commander, I really like it in a crazy Blue deck like Talrand, Sky Summoner, as that deck already plays Impulse, which is the functionally better ancestor of Anticipate. In a 60-card deck, though, I’d pretty much always take Anticipate.

Can Qarsi Sadist Exploit a token?

Yes, the Exploit mechanic allows you to sacrifice any creature you control, even the Exploit creature itself.

Can you change the Jace duel deck into a good modern deck?

If you mean the  blue half of the Jace vs Vraska duel deck, you’re best off just taking the Jace, Architect of Thought and Remand and putting them into a better deck. Both of those cards are solid in the Modern format.

Does Rebound activate Cunning Breezedancer?

Yes, Rebound counts as casting a spell from exile. Rebound also activates Prowess and other abilities similar to the Breezedancer.

How about a Silumgar/Necromaster Dragon mill deck?

That’s an interesting idea. It may be a bit too slow for Constructed, but it’s a cool concept. Silumgar would obviously be the top-end finisher in case the mill doesn’t go quite quickly enough.

How much would it cost to just buy the Vampire Event deck cards?

Buying just the Verdant Catacombs and 2 Bloodghast together would be about $65. The total cost of the 75 cards in the deck would be about $100 USD (as of 7/2015).  You’d be lucky to find a sealed Vampire Onslaught event deck for any less than $150 USD. I pretty much guarantee you that unless you find the Vampire Onslaught event deck close to its original MSRP of $24.95 USD, your best bet is just buy the individual cards.

If a creature blocks Thunderbreak Regent does its effect activate?

No, Regent’s effect only applies to spells or abilities that target. Blocking is not an ability.

When did Bolster and Renown come into Magic?

The Bolster mechanic was introduced in Fate Reforged and expanded upon in Dragons of Tarkir. Renown is a mechanic first introduced in Magic Origins, but was a mechanic actually part of an early design of Khans of Tarkir. Both of them work reasonably well together, as evidenced by the builds in the Magic Origins Clash Pack.

With two Enduring Scalelord, how many times do I give them plus one counters?

The effect of Enduring Scalelord actually creates an infinite loop if you have two copies of it on the battlefield. Because it’s a may effect, you have the choice of how many infinities of counters you wish to put on them. It was a big deal in Tarkir Block limited if you could draft two of these, or were lucky enough to get two copies in sealed. Having two of these essentially win you the game. Great question.

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Another FAQ coming next month!