Roilmage's Trick MTG Card


Roilmage's Trick - Battle for Zendikar
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Converge
Released2015-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameBattle for Zendikar
Set codeBFZ
Number83
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJohann Bodin

Key Takeaways

  1. Roilmage’s Trick proffers card draw and instant-speed flexibility, enhancing reactive play and game control.
  2. Its restrictive mana cost and discard condition may deter inclusion in decks with diverse mana sources or tight hands.
  3. This card stands distinct for tapping creatures and drawing cards, carving a niche in interactive spell strategies.

Text of card

Converge — Creatures your opponents control get -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to cast Roilmage's Trick. Draw a card.

Weather on Zendikar is unpredictable—unless you're the one telling it what to do.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Roilmage’s Trick is a consummate tool for players looking to bolster their hand contents. Casting it during a complex game scenario can give you the upper hand by drawing additional cards, increasing the chances of having the right response to an opponent’s threats.

Resource Acceleration: Not only does this card help keep your hand filled, but it also disrupts opponents by creating tokens that can tap for mana. This acceleration is pivotal as it gives you an edge to cast more spells or powerful creatures ahead of schedule, potentially swinging the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: One of the biggest advantages with Roilmage’s Trick is its instant speed capability, promoting flexibility in gameplay. You can stay reactive and adaptable, choosing the optimal moment to cast it, whether that’s at the end of your opponent’s turn or in the midst of a battle to surprise and outpace adversaries.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Roilmage’s Trick requires players to discard a card. This effect can be a downside, especially when a player’s hand is already depleted or if the discarded card is crucial for later strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific combination of blue and generic mana. This requirement can be restrictive for decks that run on a tight mana base or multi-color decks that may struggle to produce the right mana at the right time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its cost set at three generic and one blue mana, Roilmage’s Trick could be considered costly compared to other cards within the same category. Players might find more cost-efficient spells that offer similar or better effects without impacting their hand.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Roilmage’s Trick offers flexibility by disrupting opponents with its instant-speed ability to tap creatures which could swing the tide of battle in your favor, making it a versatile choice for various deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that capitalize on the number of tapped creatures your opponent controls, potentially enabling powerful combos or enhancing existing synergies within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by creature-heavy decks or aggressive strategies, including Roilmage’s Trick can be a smart response, providing you with the means to stall the opponent’s onslaught and establish your own board presence.


How to Beat

Roilmage’s Trick is an intriguing instant card in Magic: The Gathering that grants the ability to tap your opponent’s creatures, providing a surprising shift in the battlefield dynamic. Similar to cards such as Frost Breath or Blustersquall, it can momentarily stifle your opponents’ offensive tactics, by not only tapping their creatures but also drawing you a card if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.

To effectively counter Roilmage’s Trick, consider deploying spells that provide hexproof or shroud to your creatures, precluding them from becoming targets of such abilities. Dive Down or Swiftfoot Boots are exemplary cards that can shield your powerful assets from Roilmage’s adverse effects. Another strategy involves leveraging cards like Grand Abolisher or Dragonlord Dromoka, which restrict your opponent from casting spells during your turn, thereby safeguarding your attack phase from surprising setbacks.

While Roilmage’s Trick can be a tactical asset, skillful deckbuilding, and strategic gameplay can provide a robust defense against this card’s potential to disrupt your march to victory. Focusing on protective spells and proactive measures can ensure your creatures remain untapped and ready to engage, maintaining the offensive pressure essential for dominating the game.


Cards like Roilmage's Trick

Roilmage’s Trick is an interesting card in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering’s interactive spell suite. Like Roilmage’s Trick, AEtherize also disrupts creatures, sweeping them back to a player’s hand, yet AEtherize solely targets attacking creatures. This can create an unexpected twist during combat but doesn’t have the card draw feature of Roilmage’s Trick. Conversely, we have AEtherspouts, which serves a similar surprise factor against attackers and gives more control over the game by sending them to the top or bottom of the library – but again, without the card draw benefit.

Another relevant comparison is with Cyclonic Rift, a card that can reset the entire board in the late game. Roilmage’s Trick stands out in that it’s more limited in scope but can be an early game twist with its card draw element, a key distinction for players looking for incremental advantages. Divination emerges as a competitor when the focus is on card draw, yet it lacks the interactive aspect that defines Roilmage’s Trick.

Overall, Roilmage’s Trick can be a strategic card, offering a blend of creature disruption and card advantage. This combination positions it uniquely among both defensive spells and card draw spells, thus carving its niche in the decks of MTG players.

Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Divination - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Divination - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Roilmage's Trick by color, type and mana cost

Deflection - MTG Card versions
Ray of Command - MTG Card versions
Inspiration - MTG Card versions
Turnabout - MTG Card versions
Quash - MTG Card versions
Foil - MTG Card versions
Thwart - MTG Card versions
Plagiarize - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Cryptic Command - MTG Card versions
Fold into Aether - MTG Card versions
Part the Veil - MTG Card versions
Gifts Ungiven - MTG Card versions
Surging Aether - MTG Card versions
Careful Consideration - MTG Card versions
Gifts Given - MTG Card versions
Discombobulate - MTG Card versions
Permafrost Trap - MTG Card versions
Bone to Ash - MTG Card versions
Sudden Storm - MTG Card versions
Deflection - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ray of Command - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Inspiration - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Turnabout - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Quash - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Foil - Prophecy (PCY)
Thwart - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Plagiarize - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fact or Fiction - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Cryptic Command - Amonkhet Invocations (MP2)
Fold into Aether - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Part the Veil - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Gifts Ungiven - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Surging Aether - Coldsnap (CSP)
Careful Consideration - Modern Masters (MMA)
Gifts Given - Happy Holidays (HHO)
Discombobulate - Tenth Edition (10E)
Permafrost Trap - Worldwake (WWK)
Bone to Ash - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Sudden Storm - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Roilmage's Trick MTG card by a specific set like Battle for 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 Roilmage's Trick and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Roilmage's Trick has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-08-25 If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied.
2015-08-25 If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the mana spent to pay those costs will count. For example, if an effect makes sorcery spells cost more to cast, you could pay to cast Radiant Flames and deal 4 damage to each creature.
2015-08-25 If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero.
2015-08-25 The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend.
2015-08-25 Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can’t choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can’t ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana.
2015-08-25 You can cast Roilmage’s Trick even if your opponents control no creatures. You’ll simply draw a card.

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