Azure Mage

Creature — Human Wizard

{3}{U}: Draw a card.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (40)

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

4 months ago

I often wonder which is more important for a card: its overall cost or its cost-to-effect ratio (i.e., its mana efficiency); for example, there is no question that Lightning Bolt is superior to both Shock and Searing Spear, but, between the other two cards, I would choose Shock over Searing Spear in the majority of situations, because Shock has a ratio of 2 damage for 1 mana, whereas Searing Spear has a ratio of 1.5 damage for 1 mana.

For a slightly more complicated example, compare Eladamri's Call to Shared Summons; the former card can find a creature for a mere 2 mana, which is very efficient, but it simply replaces one card in its controller's hand with another, whereas the latter card can search for two creatures, which leaves its caster with an additional card in hand, compared to before it is cast, but it is less efficient, costing 2.5 mana per creature found, so it is not as clear which card is superior, there.

Opportunity is literally a double version of Quick Study, as they both have the same ratio of cost to effect, but which is the superior card? Is it really better to spend six mana to draw four cards, as doing that would leave the caster with less mana to cast the spells that they draw? Also, Quick Study is strictly better than is Inspiration, as it costs 1 less mana to cast, but, between Concentrate and Tidings, I am not certain which is superior, since they both allow a player to draw one less card than their mana values.

On the subject of card drawing, in the realm of repeatable card drawing, Arcane Encyclopedia is strictly better than is Jayemdae Tome, as it costs only 3 mana to draw a single card, compared to 4, but Tower of Fortunes can draw four cards for 8 mana, which is a ratio of 2 mana per card, but that ability costs 8 mana, overall, so the question is if it is worth 8 mana to draw four cards.

Continuing that theme, there are numerous creatures (and one enchantment) that allow a player to repeatedly draw cards, such as Azure Mage, Spectral Sailor, Faerie Mastermind, Triskaidekaphile, or Treasure Trove, a ratio of 4 mana for one card, but Mystic Archaeologist can draw 2 two cards for 5 mana, a ratio of 2.5 mana per card, which is definitely far superior, in my mind.

Hedron Archive is literally two Mind Stones put together, and Dreamstone Hedron is literally a triple Mind Stone, so they all have the same cost-to-effect ratio, but I prefer the original Mind Stone, since the existence of Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus makes it difficult to justify using the other mana rocks, at least, for me.

To use the example of Skyward Eye Prophets, a 1/1 creature for 2 mana is perfectly acceptable, a 2/2 creature for 4 mana is slightly expensive, but nothing outrageous, but a 3/3 creature for 6 mana is simply too much, although, as a side note, I have a copy of that creature, in one of my decks, because I really like its ability.

For a further example, I would choose Mantis Rider over Lightning Angel in the majority of situations, since it provides a better rate than does the angel, and, similarly, I would choose Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers over Vernadi Shieldmate, since the former creature is more efficient for its cost.

I believe that I have provided a sufficient number of examples, for this discussion, so which trait do you believe is more important: overall mana cost or cost-to-effect ratio/mana efficiency? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

God-Eternal-Magic-Player on Lewd Art of MTG

2 years ago

Bro, why isn't Azure Mage in this list?

DemonDragonJ on Will Triskaidekaphile Become a New …

3 years ago

GrammarYahtzee, many players have told me that, but creatures are also easier to cheat onto the battlefield and reanimate, and they can also attack and block, which gives them far greater flexibility and versatility than what non-creature permanents have. Also, both Azure Mage and Triskaidekaphile have more lenient costs for their activated abilities than what Treasure Trove has, which may not be a major issue in a mono-blue deck, but will definitely be useful in any multicolored deck.

GrammarYahtzee on Will Triskaidekaphile Become a New …

3 years ago

Azure Mage does not in any way make Treasure Trove obsolete. an enchantment is much harder to remove than a 1 toughness creature.

Rzepkanut on Will Triskaidekaphile Become a New …

3 years ago

Personally I’m not a big fan of alternative win condition cards in EDH for the most part. Quickly comboing out the table isn’t how I want to play multiplayer magic. That said it’s very easy to interact with a small creature that needs to live until your next turn so it’s not very scary. Also I haven’t wanted to run Azure Mage in an EDH deck…I want to say ever, but maybe it happened once like 8 years ago. So no this new 13 matters card is not EDH staple material to me.

DemonDragonJ on Will Triskaidekaphile Become a New …

3 years ago

The new card Triskaidekaphile from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt is very awesome, and I predict that it will be very popular when the set is released, as it provides three excellent abilities for only two mana, and I cannot help but wonder if that is simply too much for such a low cost. However, I do not think that that card shall be banned, because it is good, but not overpowered, at least not in my mind.

Therefore, I wonder if it shall become a new staple of the EDH format, because each of its abilities is potentially very useful for it. Research has shown that having no maximum hand size, despite not appearing to be an ability that is particularly valuable, is actually very much so, as seen by Reliquary Tower and Thought Vessel being among the most popular lands and artifacts for this format. Both mana sinks and methods for drawing cards are popular in any format, so a card that provides a mana sink that draws cards should see no shortage of play. Finally, while alternate win conditions are usually a niche in any format, the alternate win condition provided by this creature is very easy to achieve, almost too easy, in my mind, which should again make it popular. Even if Triskaidekaphile does not become a new staple in EDH, it certainly has rendered Azure Mage obsolete, which itself rendered Treasure Trove obsolete.

What does everyone else say about this? Will Triskaidekaphile become a new staple in EDH?

Level20Artist on Applied Physics

4 years ago

Cut: 1x Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind, 2x Capsize, 2x Azure Mage

Added: 2x Niv-Mizzet, Parun, 3x Izzet Charm

Goblin_Guide on Infinity Prodigy

4 years ago

I would add something as simple as an Azure Mage. You would only need one. This is because once you get infinite mana, you could activate Kinnan's ability infinite times, eventually hitting the mage, and then draw your deck and actually be able to pump mana into a Walking Ballista or whatever.