Ardent Dustspeaker MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Minotaur Shaman |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 92 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Mads Ahm |
Text of card
Whenever Ardent Dustspeaker attacks, you may put an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library. If you do, exile the top two cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn.
"The Founder Dragons weren't even hatched when this scroll was written!"
Cards like Ardent Dustspeaker
Ardent Dustspeaker is an intriguing role-player in red’s arsenal of sorceries and instants interaction in Magic: The Gathering. It somewhat mirrors the functionality of cards like Goblin Dark-Dwellers, which also allow for the casting of spells from the graveyard. However, Ardent Dustspeaker requires the additional setup of attacking to access that spell again, while Goblin Dark-Dwellers offers immediate value upon entering the battlefield without the need for combat.
Lightning Rift is another card that red players might weigh against Ardent Dustspeaker. While Lightning Rift deals damage to any target as you cycle or discard cards, it lacks the Dustspeaker’s potential to directly impact the board with additional spells. Nevertheless, Lightning Rift provides continuous value over time without requiring to engage in combat.
Furthermore, comparing Ardent Dustspeaker to Outpost Siege reveals a different angle of recurring value. Outpost Siege can mimic the Dustspeaker’s effect to an extent through its ‘Khans’ mode by exiling the top card of your library each turn. Yet, it doesn’t provide the flexibility to choose from multiple spells and requires no specific trigger like attacking.
To sum up, Ardent Dustspeaker finds its niche by granting recurring access to a variety of spells mid-to-late game while encouraging and rewarding aggressive play strategies in Magic: The Gathering.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ardent Dustspeaker aids in sifting through your deck by allowing you to cast spells from your graveyard thus providing long-term value and replenishing your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card synergizes well with mana-generating cards or effects, giving you access to more resources to play impactful spells sooner than your opponents.
Instant Speed: While Ardent Dustspeaker itself isn’t an instant, it allows for the casting of instants from your graveyard during your turn, which can dramatically shift the pace of the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ardent Dustspeaker requires an initial investment that by discarding a card you may not have the luxury to do, especially in a game where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: With its strict red and generic mana cost, Ardent Dustspeaker isn’t as flexible as a multi-colored or colorless card might be, which could constrain deck-building options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For five mana, many players expect a game-shifting effect, and while Ardent Dustspeaker does provide card advantage, its impact might not measure up, considering the other powerful options available.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Ardent Dustspeaker brings flexibility to your deck, thriving in environments that reward playing spells from the graveyard. This red creature can seamlessly plug into various red-based or multicolored strategies that appreciate casting more spells each turn.
Combo Potential: When combined with other cards that put spells in the graveyard, Ardent Dustspeaker helps churn through your deck for value plays. It synergizes well with spellslinger decks, adding layers of interaction and extending the reach of your spells each round.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where resource advantage is crucial, the ability to play additional spells from the graveyard can offer a significant edge. Ardent Dustspeaker’s potential to provide extra card advantage and maintain tempo makes it a worthwhile inclusion in decks prepared to leverage those aspects.
How to beat Ardent Dustspeaker
Ardent Dustspeaker can be an intriguing dynamic on the battlefield within Magic: The Gathering. This card, primarily found in red mono-decks or Boros (red and white) spell-slinging strategies, rewards players for casting spells from their graveyard. As a 3/4 Minotaur Shaman, it offers a durable body and a unique form of card advantage once it taps.
To gain the upper hand against Ardent Dustspeaker, consider using removal spells that can exile it from the game, negating the opportunity for recursion. Cards like Path to Exile or Declaration in Stone handle this embodied wisdom of the ancients effectively. Moreover, graveyard hate cards, such as Relic of Progenitus or Rest in Peace, can shut down its ability to churn through the graveyard, crippling its utility and keeping its inherent advantage in check. Countermagic also proves to be effective, be ready to counterspell it upon casting or leverage bounce spells to disrupt your opponent’s tempo. Utilizing such strategic counters not only mitigates Ardent Dustspeaker’s impact but also maintains the pressure on your opponent’s resources.
In evaluating cards that present a recurring benefit to opponents, such as Ardent Dustspeaker, disrupting their strategy and leveraging efficient removal or disruption tools are pivotal for maintaining control in a match, ultimately turning the tides in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ardent Dustspeaker MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Ardent Dustspeaker and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ardent Dustspeaker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ardent Dustspeaker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-04-16 | Any cards exiled with Ardent Dustspeaker that you don’t play remain exiled. You will not be able to play them on later turns, even if Ardent Dustspeaker’s ability triggers again. |
| 2021-04-16 | Playing the cards exiled with Ardent Dustspeaker follows the normal rules for playing those cards. You must pay their costs, if any, and you must follow all applicable timing rules. For example, if one of the cards is a creature card, you can cast that card by paying its mana cost only during your main phase while the stack is empty. |
| 2021-04-16 | The cards exiled by Ardent Dustspeaker’s ability are exiled face up. |
| 2021-04-16 | Unless an effect allows you to play additional lands that turn, you can play land cards exiled with Ardent Dustspeaker only if you haven’t played a land yet that turn. In most cases, if you exile two land cards, you won’t be able to play both. |
| 2021-04-16 | You may play those cards that turn even if Ardent Dustspeaker leaves the battlefield or another player gains control of it. |