Magus of the Moon MTG Card


Indirect card advantage arises by constraining opponents’ mana base and spell casting capabilities. Slows down opponents, potentially accelerating your path to victory by preserving your mana diversity. Immediate battlefield impact upon entry can be as transformative as instant speed effects in certain scenarios.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Nonbasic lands are Mountains.

Tidal forces of the blood moon wrench and buckle the land, drawing monoliths of stone and soil toward the flaming orb.


Cards like Magus of the Moon

Magus of the Moon brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield in MTG, with its ability to transform all nonbasic lands into basic Mountains. This card aligns closely with the infamous Blood Moon, which shares the same transformative effect on lands. What sets Magus of the Moon apart is that it’s a creature, which means it can be more vulnerable to removal but also has the ability to attack and block.

Looking at other comparisons, we find Ruination, a devastating sorcery that outright destroys all nonbasic lands, and not just converting them. Ruination’s impact is far more definitive, yet it affects all players, including the caster, which could be a double-edged sword. On a smaller scale, there’s Molten Rain which not only hits nonbasic lands but also deals damage to the land’s controller. While Molten Rain is more surgical in its approach, Magus of the Moon can continuously pressurize an opponent’s mana base as long as it remains on the field.

When evaluating the tactical advantages of Magus of the Moon, it stands out for its continuous area of effect and its duality as an offensive and disruptive force on the board.

Blood Moon - MTG Card versions
Ruination - MTG Card versions
Molten Rain - MTG Card versions
Blood Moon - MTG Card versions
Ruination - MTG Card versions
Molten Rain - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Magus of the Moon by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
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Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
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Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Orcish Artillery - MTG Card versions
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Magus of the Moon. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Red PrisonMono-Red Prison LegacyMono-Red PrisonLegacy Challenge 32 2024-04-27 (1)
Rakdos ScamRakdos Scam ModernRakdos ScamModern Challenge 64 2024-04-28
RR LegacyLegacy Challenge 32 2024-04-27
Gruul InitiativeGruul Initiative LegacyGruul InitiativeLegacy League 2024-04-27
Mono-Red MidrangeMono-Red Midrange ModernMono-Red MidrangeModern Challenge 64 2024-05-04
Boros PrisonBoros Prison VintageRed PrisonVintage League 2024-05-01
Jund PrisonJund Prison VintageRed PrisonVintage Challenge 32 2024-04-27

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Magus of the Moon may not directly allow you to draw extra cards, but the ability to shut down your opponents’ nonbasic lands ensures that they won’t be able to use their most efficient spells, giving you an indirect card advantage by limiting their options and potential plays.

Resource Acceleration: While Magus of the Moon itself doesn’t accelerate your resources, it can serve as a form of resource acceleration by effectively slowing down your opponents. By transforming all nonbasic lands into Mountains, you inhibit their ability to generate various colors of mana, which could accelerate your path to victory as you continue to access your full mana base.

Instant Speed: Magus of the Moon is a creature and does not have instant speed. However, its impact on the game is immediate upon entering the battlefield, disrupting your opponent’s mana base right away. In some instances, where speed is crucial, this can be just as significant as having an instant speed spell, which would be played on the opponent’s turn. Consider pairing it with cards that can cheat creatures into play at instant speed for a surprise effect.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Magus of the Moon doesn’t specifically require a discard, it’s crucial to consider what you may need to toss aside to make room for its specialized role in your deck. This card competes for space with key disruption or creature slots, potentially forcing you to discard versatile or more immediate-impact cards from your deck design.

Specific Mana Cost: This particular card demands a commitment to red mana, with a casting cost that includes two red mana symbols. This specificity can restrict deck-building flexibility, pigeonholing it into red-centric or two-color decks that can reliably provide the necessary mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two that must be red, Magus of the Moon could be seen as having a high cost for its ability to turn all nonbasic lands into basic Mountains. This might deter some players when other options, like Blood Moon, offer a similar effect at the same cost without necessitating a creature that can be removed from the board more easily.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Magus of the Moon’s ability to turn all nonbasic lands into basic Mountains allows it to seamlessly integrate into Red-Based control or aggressive decks, altering the battlefield to disrupt opponents’ strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s effect is a cornerstone in combinations aimed at land disruption, complementing cards like “Blood Moon” to lock down opponents’ mana bases, thereby limiting their ability to cast spells and execute their game plan.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that heavily relies on multi-colored decks or complex mana bases, Magus of the Moon can shift the tide of the game in your favor by neutralizing the advantage these lands provide, making it a pivotal inclusion for any strategic arsenal.


How to beat

Magus of the Moon is a compelling card in MTG, renowned for its effectiveness in transforming nonbasic lands into basic Mountains, thus significantly hindering multi-color decks that rely heavily on a diverse mana base. This red creature card can shift the tide of a game by restricting opponents’ access to crucial mana colors needed for casting spells.

To counteract the influence of Magus of the Moon, players commonly employ removal spells that can swiftly dispatch the Magus, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile. Another strategy is to maintain a flexible mana base by incorporating basic lands or utilizing abilities that allow for mana fixing even under the restrictions set by Magus of the Moon’s passive ability. Artifacts like Chromatic Lantern that provide mana of any color irrespective of the land’s condition can also be instrumental in mitigating the card’s impact on your game.

Ultimately, while Magus of the Moon possesses the power to disrupt an opponent’s gameplay, a well-prepared deck with the right mix of spells, lands, and artifacts can effectively counter its ability, ensuring that your strategic plans remain uninterrupted.


BurnMana Recommendations

For players yearning to outmaneuver the competition in MTG, Magus of the Moon stands as a formidable choice. This card has the power to shake up the battlefield, making it a must-consider for those aiming to disrupt opponents’ mana bases. Whether you’re interested in thwarting their strategies or integrating this card into a land disruption combo, it adds a strategic depth to your deck that can’t be ignored. Embrace the opportunity to hinder multi-colored decks and gain an undeniable upper hand. Dive deeper into MTG strategies, enrich your collection, and watch as Magus of the Moon transforms each match into a tactical play. Learn more and harness this card’s potential to become a more formidable adversary on the magical plains of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Magus of the Moon MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Iconic Masters, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Magus of the Moon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Magus of the Moon Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-05-04Future SightFUT 1012003NormalBlackFranz Vohwinkel
22017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1382015NormalBlackFranz Vohwinkel
32020-09-26The ListPLST FUT-1012003NormalBlackFranz Vohwinkel
42021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 1752015NormalBlackMilivoj Ćeran

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Magus of the Moon has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Magus of the Moon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2021-03-19 If Magus of the Moon loses its abilities, it continues to turn nonbasic lands into Mountains. This is because effects that change subtypes are applied before considering effects that remove abilities, regardless of the order in which those effects started.
2021-03-19 If a nonbasic land has an ability that causes it to enter the battlefield tapped, it will lose that ability before it can apply. The same is also true of any other abilities that modify how a land enters the battlefield or apply “as” a land enters the battlefield, such as that of Vesuva or Cavern of Souls.
2021-03-19 If a nonbasic land has an ability that triggers “when” it enters the battlefield, it will lose that ability before it can trigger.
2021-03-19 Magus of the Moon doesn’t affect names or supertypes. It won’t turn any land into a basic land or remove the legendary supertype from a legendary land, and the lands won’t be named “Mountain.”
2021-03-19 Nonbasic lands lose any other land types and abilities they had. They gain the land type Mountain and gain the ability “: Add .”