Archmage Ascension MTG Card


Archmage Ascension enhances card advantage by replacing draws with specific card tutors each turn. Syncs perfectly with strategies revolving around quick, repeated card drawing to accumulate quest counters. High mana cost and specific conditions require thoughtful deck building and a tailored game plan.
Archmage Ascension - Zendikar
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2009-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameZendikar
Set codeZEN
Number42
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byChristopher Moeller

Text of card

At the beginning of each end step, if you drew two or more cards this turn, you may put a quest counter on Archmage Ascension. As long as Archmage Ascension has six or more quest counters on it, if you would draw a card, you may instead search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, then shuffle your library.


Cards like Archmage Ascension

Archmage Ascension is a unique enchantment from the Magic: The Gathering multiverse that sits in a niche of its own. When evaluating cards with a kinship, Mystic Remora comes to mind which provides a consistent draw mechanism at a low upfront cost but requires a cumulative upkeep. However, unlike Archmage Ascension, it doesn’t allow you to directly control the card search.

Sylvan Library is another relative, granting the ability to manipulate the top cards of your library, potentially drawing extra cards each turn. Yet, it lacks the transformative quality of Archmage Ascension, which, upon fulfillment of its quest counters, evolves your draws into tutor-like searches for any card in your deck. Another enchantment, Rhystic Study, offers passive card advantage by allowing you to draw whenever an opponent casts a spell unless they pay extra. This differs from the proactive control Archmage Ascension delivers over the contents of your hand upon reaching its critical mass of counters.

In analyzing these similar offerings, Archmage Ascension demands a strategic build-up but ultimately rewards with unrivaled selection power, firmly establishing its place among the pantheon of card advantage enchantments in Magic: The Gathering.

Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Study - MTG Card versions
Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Study - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Archmage Ascension by color, type and mana cost

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Feedback - MTG Card versions
In the Eye of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Undertow - MTG Card versions
Mana Vortex - MTG Card versions
Energy Flux - MTG Card versions
Gaseous Form - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Trance - MTG Card versions
Soul Barrier - MTG Card versions
Puppet Master - MTG Card versions
Propaganda - MTG Card versions
Intruder Alarm - MTG Card versions
Equilibrium - MTG Card versions
Mana Breach - MTG Card versions
Checks and Balances - MTG Card versions
Douse - MTG Card versions
Veiled Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Charisma - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Study - MTG Card versions
Traveler's Cloak - MTG Card versions
Shifting Sky - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Archmage Ascension offers a notable upside in terms of card advantage. Once active, you can essentially tutor for any card in your deck instead of drawing, ensuring you get the cards you need when you need them.

Resource Acceleration: This enchantment doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the conventional sense, but it does allow for the acceleration of your game plan. By fetching the perfect card every turn, you effectively streamline your path to victory.

Instant Speed: While Archmage Ascension itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with instant-speed draw spells. You can activate its quest counters at a faster pace, catching opponents by surprise and transforming your draw steps into powerful tutor effects seamlessly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Archmage Ascension necessitates a setup where you’re drawing multiple cards per turn to fulfill its condition, which could strain your hand and necessitate discarding valuable cards.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that demands both blue and generic mana, this card may restrict deck-building options, especially limiting its inclusion in mono-color or non-blue decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Archmage Ascension requires a significant investment before its effects can be utilized, potentially slowing down your game plan when quicker alternatives might be available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Archmage Ascension can be a dynamic addition to decks keen on drawing cards. Its ability to turn routine card draws into tutor effects lets players adapt to various in-game situations by accessing key cards consistently.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this enchantment turns into a powerhouse, enabling players to assemble potentially game-winning combinations by searching for the exact pieces needed at any given time. It synergizes well with strategies that draw multiple cards per turn to accelerate its quest counters.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where games grind out or against opponents that allow for long-term strategies, Archmage Ascension shines. It elevates control and combo decks, giving them an edge by ensuring that the cards they need to maintain dominance are just a draw away.


How to beat

Archmage Ascension is known for its ability to turn your consistent draw strategy into a powerful tool for fetching exactly the cards you need in Magic: The Gathering. Overcoming this enchantment before it becomes active is crucial, as it allows a player to replace their draws with tutor effects. One of the most effective methods to counter Archmage Ascension is to apply pressure through aggressive strategies that overwhelm your opponent before they can accumulate the necessary quest counters.

Alternatively, direct enchantment removal spells are highly efficient in handling Archmage Ascension. Cards such as Disenchant or Naturalize are excellent choices to deal with the threat immediately. The key is to act swiftly, disrupting your opponent’s setup to prevent them from leveraging Archmage Ascension’s full potential. Tackling their draw mechanics can also be beneficial. Cards that restrict the number of draws each turn like Notion Thief can greatly diminish the ascendancy’s effectiveness.

In sum, to combat Archmage Ascension effectively, you should prioritize immediate and forceful responses—whether through quick creature-based damage, direct disruption, or targeted enchantment elimination. This proactive approach will help ensure that your opponent never reaches the pinnacle of their magical ascent.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering a game like MTG means understanding the subtleties of cards like Archmage Ascension. This card transforms the art of drawing into a strategic weapon, offering unparalleled control over your deck’s capabilities. Tapping into this potential, however, requires foresight and a deck tailored to maximizing draw chances. Balancing its pros and cons, considering the meta, and employing effective counters are all part of the strategic depth players love about MTG. Dive deeper into our strategies, deck building tips, and how to maximize your Archmage Ascension’s impact. Join us, refine your deck and enhance your gaming prowess with insightful play.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Archmage Ascension MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Archmage Ascension and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Archmage Ascension has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-10-01 Archmage Ascension’s first ability has an “intervening ‘if’ clause.” It won’t trigger at all unless you’ve already drawn two or more cards by the time the end step begins.
2009-10-01 If a spell or ability causes you to put cards in your hand without specifically using the word “draw,” Archmage Ascension’s abilities ignore it.
2009-10-01 If an effect would cause you to draw multiple cards while Archmage Ascension has six or more quest counters on it, each individual draw may be replaced by Archmage Ascension’s effect. Process the draws one at a time. Even if you use the reasonable shortcut of finding all of the cards at once and only physically shuffling once, the game will consider you to have searched and shuffled once per card.
2009-10-01 If two or more replacement effects would apply to a card-drawing event, the player who’s drawing the card chooses what order to apply them. It’s possible that after applying one of them, the others will no longer be applicable because the player would no longer draw a card. For example, if you control more than one Archmage Ascension with six quest counters on it and you would draw a card, each Archmage Ascension’s replacement effect could apply. Once you use one, the rest are no longer applicable.