A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Planeswalker — Rowan |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Loyalty | 3 |
| Number | A-156 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Modal DFC |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Magali Villeneuve |
Key Takeaways
- The card excels in dual utility, offering both cost reduction and resource acceleration for dynamic play.
- Its flexibility and combo potential make it a formidable addition to decks adapting to various strategies.
- While powerful, this card demands specific mana sources and careful hand management to reach full potential.
Text of card
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost less to cast.
+1: Rowan, Scholar of Sparks deals 1 damage to each opponent. If you've drawn three or more cards this turn, she deals 3 damage to each opponent instead.
-5: You get an emblem with "Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may pay . If you do, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost is designed to optimize your hand by offering card selection through its ability to draw and discard, ensuring you have the right tools for any situation. This dual-faced card provides continuous card advantage, fueling your strategy turn after turn.
Resource Acceleration: A unique aspect of this card is its capacity to exponentially increase your resources. A-Will’s -4 loyalty ability enables you to untap two lands, propelling your mana availability and allowing for a swift development of your board state. Moreover, A-Rowan’s passive ability to decrease spell costs accelerates your game plan by efficiently using your mana base.
Instant Speed: The instant capabilities tied to these Planeswalker cards are twofold. They can indirectly give instant speed to your sorcery spells by reducing their cost, making them more manageable to cast on your turn while keeping mana open for responses. Not only do you become a formidable force during your turn, but you also maintain readiness to disrupt your opponent’s plays at a moment’s notice.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Triggering the loot ability of Rowan, Scholar of Sparks demands that you forfeit another card from your hand, potentially depleting your options earlier than desirable, especially when your hand is already scant.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation costs for both Rowan and Will incorporate colored mana, demanding a commitment to both red and blue mana sources within your deck, which might reduce the card’s flexibility in various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the abilities provided, both Rowan and Will come with a relatively hefty mana investment. This can be a drawback when considering curve efficiency and the necessity to establish board presence or interact with opponents during critical earlier turns in a game.
Reasons to Include A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost in Your Collection
Versatility: A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost provides two distinct abilities in one card, offering strategic flexibility in a single deck slot. Rowan’s ability to reduce the cost of instant and sorcery spells, paired with Will’s capability to freeze threats, can adapt to varying in-game situations.
Combo Potential: This dual planeswalker card synergizes well with spell-slinger strategies. Rowan enhances the power of damage-dealing spells, while Will can setup turns for a winning combination by temporarily removing opponents’ threats from the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to disrupt both creature-centric and non-creature strategies, A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost stands strong in a variety of meta environments. Whether you’re facing down aggressive creatures or contending with control decks, this card has the tools to gain you an advantage.
How to beat
A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost presents a unique duality in gameplay that challenges players to adapt their strategies. Rowan’s ability to decrease spell costs and deal damage to any target emulates versatile pressure, whilst Will’s skillfulness in shrinking opposing creatures disrupts enemy lines. Effectively handling this multifaceted card requires a blend of precision and foresight.
To neutralize the impact of Rowan and Will, consider employing instant-speed removals, such as Abrupt Decay or Heartless Act, that can target these planeswalkers before their abilities escalate your opponent’s board advantage. Another practical approach is to maintain a stance that pressures your opponent, forcing them to use their planeswalkers defensively, which limits their potential impact. Additionally, playing spells that can redirect damage or counter key spells will both limit the twins’ influence and maintain your board’s integrity.
Strategizing around this planeswalker duo also entails being cautious of the spells you cast. Given the array of abilities at their disposal, spells that offer protection, such as Heroic Intervention or spells that grant indestructibility can significantly mitigate the disadvantage these planeswalkers might otherwise impose. Understanding and preempting how your adversary may utilize A-Rowan and A-Will is crucial for forging a path to victory.
Cards like A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost
A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost is a versatile modal double-faced card that brings flexibility and dynamic strategies into play. When compared with other planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering, we can look at the both sides of the card. Starting with Rowan, her abilities echo those of Chandra, Pyromaster, where targeted card advantage and the possibility to deal damage stand out. Rowan’s cheapest ability to potentially reduce the cost of casting subsequent spells draws a parallel with Goblin Electromancer, albeit the latter isn’t a planeswalker.
Flipping to Will, Scholar of Frost, his ability to disable creatures resembles that of Frost Lynx, but with the broader scope and the added benefit of loyalty counter accumulation. His card draw ability, while not unique among blue spells, is handier in the planeswalker form where it can be used repetitively. Cards like A-Teferi, Master of Time offer similar card manipulation, but Will uniquely focuses on freezing opponents’ strategies, quite distinct from Teferi’s phase-out and time-based abilities.
Ultimately, this dual-faced card offers a potent combination of control and cost reduction that can arguably find a home in many decks searching for a multi-dimensional approach to outmaneuver opponents on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where A-Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // A-Will, Scholar of Frost has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |