Azure Mage MTG Card

Azure Mage provides a reliable card draw mechanism, ensuring a well-stocked hand at instant speed. Flexibility in mana usage makes Azure Mage a formidable tool in maintaining gameplay tempo. The card’s draw ability at instant speed offers tactical advantages during any phase of the game.

Magic 2012 (M12)
2011-07-15 - Number 45

Commander 2014 (C14)
2014-11-07 - Number 98

Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
2017-03-17 - Number 31

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Power	2
Toughness	1

Text of card

: Draw a card.

"We draw our power from the infinite ocean of the mind, where all manner of things can be conceived." —Azure creed

Cards like Azure Mage

Azure Mage stands out in the Magic: The Gathering landscape as a remarkable mana-sink and card draw engine among creature cards. Its closest kin in terms of functionality includes cards like Archivist, which also allows a player to spend mana to draw cards. While Archivist offers continuous card drawing for a fixed four mana, it lacks the modality and instant speed Azure Mage provides, granting strategic flexibility during both the player’s turn and opponents’ turns.

Another comparable card is Murmuring Mystic. Though it does not draw cards itself, it converts spells into flying tokens, emphasizing a different form of utility over Azure Mage’s direct card advantage. While Azure Mage excels in drawing cards, Murmuring Mystic excels in building a board presence.

Ultimately, Azure Mage’s instant-speed card draw ability positions it favorably for players who value the ability to adapt and capitalize on unspent mana at any point in the game. Its strength lies in turning late-game unused resources into potential card advantage, setting it apart from its counterparts in the creature card category of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Azure Mage by color, type and mana cost

Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Azure Mage enables continuous card draw with its activated ability. This card allows you to pay mana and draw a card repeatedly, ensuring you’re never short on options and keeping your hand filled with potential answers or threats.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Azure Mage can indirectly promote mana usage efficiency. By holding mana for its draw ability, you can maximize turn-by-turn resource allocation, ensuring your lands are never idle and you’re always applying pressure or responding to the game’s flow.

Instant Speed: The power of Azure Mage lies in its flexibility, thanks to its instant speed activated ability. You can end your opponent’s turn by drawing and refreshing your hand, which could yield the perfect response or set up a strategic play for your next turn without missing a beat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Azure Mage allows you to draw cards, it doesn’t come without its downside. Each draw requires you to expend another card, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if your hand is already running low.

Specific Mana Cost: Azure Mage demands a very particular breed of mana to function—blue and untapped at that. This requirement could pose a challenge in multicolored or heavily stacked decks where blue mana isn’t readily available or reserved for more impactful spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To activate Azure Mage’s ability, you need a substantial mana investment. At two mana for each activation, you may find yourself facing a trade-off between developing your board presence and drawing more cards, a decision that isn’t always simple considering the tempo of most games.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Azure Mage fits seamlessly into a variety of blue-based decks, providing both a steady source of card advantage and a mana sink for late-game scenarios. Whether you’re running control, combo, or midrange, the flexibility it offers is a considerable asset to any strategy.

Combo Potential: With its ability to draw cards, Azure Mage can be a key component in setting up game-winning combinations. It’s particularly effective in decks that untap creatures to get extra value or in those that capitalize on large hand sizes.

Meta-Relevance: Blue decks that can adapt to various meta environments often stay at the top of the game. Since Azure Mage provides an ongoing threat that requires an answer, it can pressure opponents to act prematurely or risk falling behind in card advantage, making it a valuable addition in an ever-shifting metagame.

How to Beat

Azure Mage is a versatile card in the realm of MTG, offering players the ability to draw extra cards at a relatively low cost. As with any magic card, formulating a strategy to beat it is all about understanding its strengths and weaknesses. The mage’s power lies in its mana sink capability, allowing continuous card draw if left unchecked. Therefore, your key to success is disruption—deny your opponent the opportunity to exploit Azure Mage’s ability.

Consider employing spot removals like Murder or Doom Blade to eliminate the mage before your opponent gains significant card advantage. Additionally, counter spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent the mage from even entering the battlefield. If you prefer a more passive approach, cards that restrict activated abilities such as Pithing Needle or Cursed Totem will render Azure Mage inert, cutting off the flow of extra cards to your opponent’s hand.

A strategic mix of removal, counters, and ability restrictions can ensure that Azure Mage doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. Understand the timing and manage your resources wisely to keep this card’s potential in check, thereby maintaining control of the game’s pace and direction.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Azure Mage MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012 and Commander 2014, 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 Azure Mage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Azure Mage Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-07-15 and 2017-03-17. Illustrated by Izzy.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2011-07-15	Magic 2012	M12	45	2003	Normal	Black	Izzy
2	2014-11-07	Commander 2014	C14	98	2015	Normal	Black	Izzy
3	2017-03-17	Modern Masters 2017	MM3	31	2015	Normal	Black	Izzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Azure Mage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal