Arcum's Weathervane MTG Card
1995-06-03 - Number 310
2006-07-21 - Number 310
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Text of card
,oc T: Target snow-covered land becomes a non-snow-covered land of the same type. Mark the changed land with a counter. ,oc T: Target non-snow-covered basic land becomes a snow-covered land of the same type. Mark the changed land with a counter.
Cards like Arcum's Weathervane
Arcum’s Weathervane is an intriguing tool for deck builders in Magic: The Gathering, slotting nicely into strategies that aim to manipulate land types. In comparison, Mirage Mirror provides a broad array of options, allowing it to become a copy of any artifact, creature, enchantment, or land until the end of the turn. Although it doesn’t change land types, its versatility means it can adapt to almost any situation on the battlefield.
Conversely, we have cards like Thaumatic Compass, which later transforms into Spires of Orazca, serving a particular purpose in ensuring you hit your land drops while offering protection once flipped. While it doesn’t alter lands in the same way Arcum’s Weathervane does, it provides a different form of utility and consistency in land-heavy decks.
Exploring further, Prismatic Omen is also a relevant comparison, despite not being an artifact. This enchantment allows all lands you control to be treated as every basic land type, offering a more blanket approach compared to Arcum’s Weathervane’s targeted adjustments. This can be particularly potent in multicolor decks that demand diverse mana bases.
In essence, while each card offers a distinct approach to interaction with lands, Arcum’s Weathervane presents a unique niche that complements strategies focused on land-type alteration, showcasing its value in decks that benefit from such specific manipulation.
Cards similar to Arcum's Weathervane by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Arcum’s Weathervane packs a punch when it comes to outmaneuvering opponents by offering a continuous source of card selection. Its ability to shuffle and replace itself ensures that you’re not missing out on drawing into crucial deck pieces.
Resource Acceleration: With the power to convert snow permanents into mana of any color, this artifact ramps your resources efficiently. This increased mana flexibility opens up a wider array of plays, allowing for a smoother curve and quicker deployment of threats.
Instant Speed: The versatility of Arcum’s Weathervane shines with its instant speed operations. This allows strategic players to adjust their board state in response to the evolving game without sacrificing the tempo or the element of surprise. Whether it’s refining the deck mid-game or making crucial mana adjustments, this card performs when you need it most – on the fly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Arcum’s Weathervane comes with the need to discard a card to activate certain abilities. This requirement can be particularly taxing when your hand is running low, as it forces you to make tough decisions on resource management, potentially sacrificing your long-term game plan.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of this artifact’s abilities is dependent on a particular mana cost that may not align seamlessly with all types of decks. This specialized cost can be restrictive and often necessitates a deck to be built with this card in mind, potentially reducing its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment to make use of Arcum’s Weathervane’s full potential is relatively steep when weighed against other cards that serve a similar function. Players may find that the mana could be better spent on alternatives that offer more immediate or impactful benefits to the state of play.
Reasons to Include Arcum’s Weathervane in Your Collection
Versatility: Arcum’s Weathervane stands out due to its ability to adapt across various deck types. It’s particularly useful in decks that aim to manipulate land types on the fly, offering a strategic advantage in the game.
Combo Potential: As a card that can easily align with land-based strategies, it opens up possibilities for combos in decks that capitalize on land-type changes. Whether enabling domain, landfall abilities, or enhancing strategies around snow-covered lands, its utility cannot be overstated.
Meta-Relevance: Considering decks that value the manipulation of land types or benefit from snow synergies, Arcum’s Weathervane can emerge as a tactical choice. In a meta where land interaction is key, its role becomes even more pronounced, adding an interesting layer to gameplay.
How to beat
Arcum’s Weathervane is a lesser-known card that can be a sly addition to a Magic: The Gathering player’s arsenal, particularly in formats that allow for snow-covered lands. This artifact enables a clever player to manipulate land types and reap the benefits of having control over snow-covered lands. However, strategies to counter this card exist and can be quite effective.
The key to beating Arcum’s Weathervane often lies in preventing your opponent from gaining the upper hand with their lands. Land destruction or land type changing spells curtail the utility of Arcum’s Weathervane. Running direct enchantment removal, such as Disenchant, will allow you to disable Weathervane’s functionality efficiently. Also, playing versatile counterspells can disrupt your opponent’s attempt to set up their Weathervane combo and help maintain the tempo in your favor. Lastly, having aggressive plays that apply pressure early can outpace the set-up time that Arcum’s Weathervane requires, forcing your opponent on the defensive without fully utilizing their strategy.
Understanding and anticipating how Arcum’s Weathervane may be used in the game enables you to craft a decisive plan. By employing an effective mixture of land interaction and control elements, you can steer clear of the wintry storm that Arcum’s Weathervane seeks to bring to the match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Arcum's Weathervane MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Coldsnap Theme Decks, 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 Arcum's Weathervane and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Arcum's Weathervane Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2006-07-21. Illustrated by Tom Wänerstrand.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 310 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Tom Wänerstrand | |
| 2 | 2006-07-21 | Coldsnap Theme Decks | CST | 310 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tom Wänerstrand |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Arcum's Weathervane has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Arcum's Weathervane card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2006-10-15 | Adds the snow or removes the snow supertype to or from a land. Adding snow doesn’t overwrite other supertypes. |
| 2006-10-15 | Can’t be used on a dual land to add the Snow Supertype even though it is a basic land subtype. You can use it on any land to remove the snow supertype. |