Alms Collector MTG Card


The card limits opponents to one card draw, simultaneously granting you card advantage. At instant speed, Alms Collector can disrupt opponents’ strategies and secure card flow control. Alms Collector’s effect is a robust answer to decks that focus on mass card drawing.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Cat Cleric
Abilities Flash
Power 3
Toughness 4

Text of card

Flash If an opponent would draw two or more cards, instead you and that player each draw a card.

"There is no justice when some profit and others go without."


Cards like Alms Collector

Alms Collector is a unique piece in the vast landscape of card advantage tools in MTG. It draws a parallel to Notion Thief, a card that also capitalizes on opponents’ attempts to draw extra cards. However, Alms Collector’s brilliance shines through with its ability to turn a potentially unlimited card draw from an opponent into just one card, while also netting you a card. Unlike Notion Thief, it doesn’t outright deny the draw but ensures both players benefit—albeit, yours with an upper hand.

Another card that stands shoulder to shoulder with Alms Collector is Spirit of the Labyrinth. Both cards contain a limiting effect on card draws, but Spirit of the Labyrinth imposes a stricter limit of one card per turn. This affects all players equally, without the bonus draw for its controller. Alms Collector’s advantage is its focus on affecting only opponents’ bountiful draws while still providing you a slice of the card advantage pie.

In assessing their place within the MTG environment, Alms Collector remains a favorable choice for players looking to maintain equality in card draw while subtly advancing their own board state. Its tactical advantage in multiplayer scenarios particularly highlights its strategic value.

Notion Thief - MTG Card versions
Spirit of the Labyrinth - MTG Card versions
Notion Thief - MTG Card versions
Spirit of the Labyrinth - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Alms Collector provides a unique form of card advantage. When an opponent would draw two or more cards, Alms Collector limits them to just one and allows you to draw a card as well. This not only bulks up your hand but also restricts your opponent’s ability to pull ahead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Alms Collector itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it indirectly contributes to resource acceleration by disrupting your opponent’s card draw engines. This ensures that your own resources remain potent and unchallenged, keeping the battlefield dynamics in your favor.

Instant Speed: This card can be deployed at instant speed, allowing you to wait until the most opportune moment to play it. Whether it’s before your opponent tries to draw a significant number of cards or simply at the end of their turn, Alms Collector’s timing flexibility gives you tactical control over the flow of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Alms Collector can help balance the card advantage in games, its presence hinges on opponents drawing multiple cards, making it inefficient when playing against decks that don’t heavily focus on card draw mechanics.

Specific Mana Cost: Alms Collector has a mana cost that includes both white and another color, requiring a deck structure that supports white mana availability and potentially limiting deck building flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at four mana, Alms Collector competes with other cards at this mana level that may offer immediate impact or more versatile effects, potentially relegating it to a more niche role within a deck’s strategy.


Reasons to Include Alms Collector in Your Collection

Versatility: Alms Collector adapts well to various deck archetypes, particularly those in need of card drawing regulation. Its effect is universally useful, regardless of the opponent’s strategy, providing an edge in games where card advantage is key.

Combo Potential: This card can work in tandem with effects that limit hand sizes or force draws, turning an opponent’s card advantage into your benefit while also serving as a deterrent against mass draw spells.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where drawing extra cards is a common strategy, Alms Collector’s presence can disrupt opponent’s plans and level the playing field, making it a tactical inclusion against decks that heavily rely on card draw engines.


How to beat

Alms Collector is a unique creature card that challenges conventional ways of drawing cards in Magic: The Gathering. This card is particularly potent in disrupting strategies that focus on massive card draw events. Unlike standard draw mechanisms that let players freely stock their hands, Alms Collector limits the advantage by turning any would-be windfall into a simple one-for-one trade.

To effectively counter Alms Collector, one needs to adjust strategies that rely less on drawing multiple cards at once. Spot removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently deal with it before disrupting your draw plans. Moreover, considering the timing of your card draw spells when Alms Collector is not on the battlefield makes a difference. Bait out the opponent’s removal spells and then proceed with your draw spells when the coast is clear.

Additionally, playing around Alms Collector involves using spells or abilities that put cards into your hand without the ‘draw a card’ wording, such as with the mechanic ‘look at the top X cards of your library, then put one into your hand.’ This bypasses Alms Collector’s ability altogether. By adapting your playstyle and keeping the nature of your opponent’s potential threats in mind, you can curb the impact of Alms Collector and maintain the flow of your strategy.


BurnMana Recommendations

In unraveling the nuances of managing card flow, it’s clear that the Alms Collector is a formidable asset for any strategy centering on card advantage. With its capacity to disrupt opponents’ draws while padding your hand, the card shines in matchups inundated with draw-heavy tactics. It’s imperative to adapt our decks to thrive in ever-evolving metas, and incorporating tools like Alms Collector can be a pivotal step. Acknowledging its constraints is also vital to maximizing its effectiveness. For those thirsty for deck optimization and keen on neutralizing surplus card draws, learning how best to integrate Alms Collector into your repertoire could tip the scales in your favor. Sharpen your MTG acumen with us as we explore in-depth strategic insights.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Alms Collector MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 Alms Collector and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Alms Collector Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 656772015NormalBlackBram Sels
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 12015NormalBlackBram Sels
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 12272015NormalBorderlessPaul Mafayon
42020-09-26The ListPLST C17-12015NormalBlackBram Sels
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4552015NormalBlackBram Sels
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 102015NormalBlackBram Sels

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Alms Collector has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-08-25 Alms Collector’s replacement effect applies to an instruction to draw more than one card before any replacement effects apply to individual cards drawn. For example, if you have a card with dredge in your graveyard, you can’t dredge it before the effect of Divination is modified by Alms Collector’s replacement effect.
2017-08-25 If an effect puts cards into a player’s hand without using the word “draw” at all, Alms Collector’s replacement effect doesn’t apply.
2017-08-25 If two players each control an Alms Collector and a third player would draw two or more cards, the third player chooses which Alms Collector’s replacement effect will apply, and therefore which of the first two players draws a card.
2017-08-25 If two players each control an Alms Collector and an effect instructs them to each draw two or more cards, the replacement effect of each Alms Collector is applied and both players end up drawing two cards.
2017-08-25 Once a replacement effect has been applied to an event, it can’t be applied again to the resulting events. For example, once Alms Collector’s replacement effect has modified the effect of a player’s Divination, Thought Reflection can double that player’s resulting card draw without Alms Collector’s replacement effect applying again.
2017-08-25 To determine whether a player is instructed to draw multiple once or instructed multiple times to draw one card, count how many times the word “draw” is used. Alms Collector’s replacement effect watches for one “draw” that instructs a player to draw multiple cards (including instructions to “draw a card for each. . .”).
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.