Scribe of the Mindful MTG Card


Scribe of the Mindful - Amonkhet
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Released2017-04-28
Set symbol
Set nameAmonkhet
Set codeAKH
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number68
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byBastien L. Deharme

Key Takeaways

  1. Delivers card advantage by returning instant or sorcery cards from the graveyard to one’s hand.
  2. Activates at instant speed, providing strategic flexibility during different phases of the game.
  3. Demands strategic balance with a discard requirement and specific blue mana cost for activation.

Text of card

, , Sacrifice Scribe of the Mindful: Return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.

"The best answers solve more than one riddle." —Kefnet, god of knowledge


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scribe of the Mindful offers a strategic edge through its ability to return an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. This reusable asset can swing the tide by recycling powerful spells and disrupting the opponent’s game plan.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, this card effectively maximizes your mana usage. By allowing players to extract additional value from spells they’ve already cast, it ensures that every mana spent earlier in the game can contribute to a future turn’s success.

Instant Speed: The utility of Scribe of the Mindful is significantly enhanced because its ability can be activated at instant speed. This flexibility allows a player to end their turn without committing to a particular play, keeping options open and opponents guessing. Whether it’s during a lull in the battle or in response to an enemy’s move, being able to wait until the last possible moment provides a tactical advantage that shouldn’t be underestimated.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scribe of the Mindful demands that you sacrifice it along with paying mana to utilize its ability. This cost can set you back in terms of board presence, especially if you’ve invested in establishing the Scribe as a blocker or potential attacker.

Specific Mana Cost: To activate the ability of Scribe of the Mindful, you need to have a blue mana available. This requirement can restrict deck-building flexibility as it necessitates a commitment to blue sources in your mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The total cost to get value from Scribe of the Mindful—a three-mana investment for the creature itself and additional mana for activation—means you are often spending a significant amount of resources for a single spell recursion. Other options in MTG might allow you to retrieve cards from the graveyard with less expenditure or provide additional benefits.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Scribe of the Mindful offers flexibility to various strategies with its ability to return an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. This capability can enhance spell-focused decks or those that want to reuse key spells.

Combo Potential: As a functional piece in combo setups, Scribe of the Mindful can repeatedly recur powerful instants or sorceries. It synergizes with cards that allow untapping creatures or reducing spell costs to set up impactful turns.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where recurring key spells can turn the tides of battle, Scribe of the Mindful can be an unsuspecting yet pivotal piece. It fits well into control decks or those that rely on specific spells to outmaneuver opponents.


How to beat Scribe of the Mindful

Scribe of the Mindful serves as a utility creature in the tactical world of Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to bring back an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand, it can pose a real challenge when you’re up against it. To counter this card effectively, speed and disruption are key.

Timing is crucial. Since Scribe of the Mindful requires tapping and a mana investment to use its ability, applying pressure during your opponent’s turn restricts their options. Instant speed removal like Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push can take out the Scribe before it can be used, nullifying its potential impact.

Additionally, graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt can directly counter the recycling ability of Scribe of the Mindful by removing targets from the graveyard. Aim to keep the graveyard empty or disrupt your opponent’s mana sources to prevent them from fully leveraging Scribe of the Mindful’s abilities. By staying proactive and keeping their resources in check, you’ll diminish the card’s influence and gain the upper hand in your match.


Cards like Scribe of the Mindful

Delve into the universe of Magic: The Gathering where strategic card selection is vital, Scribe of the Mindful serves as a key player in any deck revolving around instant and sorcery retrieval. Its closest relative in function is Archaeomancer, which also returns an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand upon entering the battlefield. Despite the similarity, the scribe offers the unique benefit of requiring only three mana, one of which is generic, making it more adaptable across various deck builds.

Another comparable card is Mnemonic Wall. While it demands more mana to cast, this defender brings the hardiness of a 0/4 creature, making it more durable against attacks while still reaping the same card recovery benefits. On the more economical side, we encounter Salvager of Secrets, which, like Scribe of the Mindful, trades a lesser casting cost for a more fragile creature body at 2/2.

Each card has its place in a strategist’s deck, and while Scribe of the Mindful provides a cost-efficient choice for spell recuperation, its counterparts offer diverse options for durability or reduced mana investment, making them all worthy of consideration. Ultimately, Scribe of the Mindful stands out with its ability to fit smoothly into various deck architectures, offering a flexible utility to spell-slinging tacticians.

Archaeomancer - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Wall - MTG Card versions
Salvager of Secrets - MTG Card versions
Archaeomancer - Magic 2013 (M13)
Mnemonic Wall - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Salvager of Secrets - Core Set 2019 (M19)

Cards similar to Scribe of the Mindful by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scribe of the Mindful MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet, 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 Scribe of the Mindful and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scribe of the Mindful has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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