Apprentice Sorcerer MTG Card

Apprentice Sorcerer offers card advantage and resource acceleration, crucial for maintaining momentum in the game. Instant speed activation grants superior control and versatility during both your and your opponent’s turns. Despite its strengths, the Apprentice Sorcerer’s discard requirement can be a significant downside in tight situations.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Released	1998-06-24
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Second Age
Set code	P02
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	32
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Christopher Rush

Text of card

On your turn, before you attack, you may tap Apprentice Sorcerer to have it deal 1 damage to any one creature or player.

Cards like Apprentice Sorcerer

Apprentice Sorcerer is a unique fixture in the MTG arena, nestled within a niche of mana-generating creatures. Akin to cards like Manaweft Sliver, the Apprentice Sorcerer offers a mana ability. However, it differs by requiring a tap and only generating one color of mana, compared to the Sliver’s versatility. Another comparable card is the famed Birds of Paradise, which also provides a mana of any color, but it boasts flying, enhancing its defensive capabilities.

Yet another parallel is found with Llanowar Elves, an MTG staple. The Elves and the Sorcerer share the single green mana production, though the Elves are lower in cost. The Sorcerer, on the flip side, has the additional ability to direct damage with its tap, providing a dual-purpose role on the battlefield. When juxtaposed with Zhur-Taa Druid, which also taps for mana and deals damage to each opponent, the Apprentice Sorcerer allows targeted damage, which can be pivotal in certain gameplay scenarios.

To summarize, Apprentice Sorcerer offers a blend of mana acceleration with targeted damage, carving out its own space among creatures with mana abilities. It’s this unique combination that gives the Sorcerer a distinct edge in strategic MTG decks focused on mana flexibility and interaction.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Apprentice Sorcerer enables you to draw cards while disrupting opponent strategies, keeping your hand replenished and applying pressure on the board.

Resource Acceleration: This card can untap lands or artifacts, effectively increasing your mana availability to cast more spells or utilize more abilities each turn.

Instant Speed: As an activated ability that can be used at instant speed, Apprentice Sorcerer provides flexibility during gameplay, allowing strategic plays to be made during any phase of your turn or your opponent’s.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the hurdles with the Apprentice Sorcerer card is the mechanism which necessitates discarding a card. This can be particularly detrimental when your hand is already depleted, and losing an extra card could mean giving up vital strategy options or delaying crucial plays.

Specific Mana Cost: The Apprentice Sorcerer comes with a mana cost that is color-specific, demanding a precise combination to be played. This could pose a challenge for multicolor decks that might struggle to generate the appropriate mana at the right time, potentially causing disruptions in the deck’s flow and synergy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering the mana investment for this card, some players might find it leaning towards the higher end for its provided benefits. In a game where pace and efficiency are paramount, there are cards that may offer a better cost-to-effect ratio, thus leading to potentially more strategic and economical plays.

Reasons to Include Apprentice Sorcerer in Your Collection

Versatility: Apprentice Sorcerer is a flexible card that can adapt to various deck strategies, from bolstering your mana base to providing a consistent source of spellcasting fuel, making it an asset in multiple archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card shines by turning any land into a potential source of any color of mana, opening up numerous possibilities for combo executions, particularly in decks that utilize spells with demanding mana requirements or multicolored spells that are otherwise difficult to cast.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where adaptability and speed are crucial, Apprentice Sorcerer maintains relevance by accelerating your mana production and seamlessly integrating into decks that aim to outpace the current meta game.

How to beat

The Apprentice Sorcerer card introduces a nuanced layer to MTG’s intricate gameplay with its ability to untap and give life to an additional source of mana. This card echoes the utility found in classics like Prodigal Sorcerer, but with a distinct twist – the mana generation. To counter this sorcerer, you can use instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt this ability before it’s fully utilized. Consider a scenario where Essence Scatter plays a crucial role, as it allows you to counter creature spells before they ever hit the battlefield.

It’s also important to maintain board control against decks wielding the Apprentice Sorcerer. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push are excellent tools for keeping the sorcerer in check, addressing the threat before it amplifies with active abilities and synergies. In essence, the key to outmaneuvering the Apprentice Sorcerer lies in timely removal and anticipating your opponent’s mana curve. By dismantling their game plan and resource accessibility, you safeguard your position and set the stage for your own victory.

Ultimately, acknowledging the potential that the Apprentice Sorcerer brings to the table and being prepared with appropriate counters ensures that you remain one step ahead in the game of strategy and cunning that is MTG.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Apprentice Sorcerer MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age, 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 Apprentice Sorcerer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Apprentice Sorcerer has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-20	If a turn has multiple combat phases, the ability can only be activated before the beginning of the declare attackers step of the first combat phase in that turn.