Capricious Sorcerer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 1997-05-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Portal |
| Set code | POR |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 43 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Zina Saunders |
Text of card
On your turn, before you attack, you may tap Capricious Sorcerer to have it deal 1 damage to any one creature or player.
Cards like Capricious Sorcerer
Capricious Sorcerer presents a unique twist in the ranks of MTG’s pinger creatures—a group of creatures with abilities that can directly deal damage to creatures or players. This card shares similarities with Prodigal Sorcerer, commonly referred to as “Tim,” a card that also offers the ability to tap for direct damage. Capricious Sorcerer, however, introduces a quirky limitation: it can only target creatures you control, pushing players to craft more strategic and often unconventional plays.
Comparatively, Goblin Sharpshooter steps up as a significant upgrade with the potential for multiple activations in a single turn cycle, thanks to its untap feature upon a creature’s death. Cunning Sparkmage, meanwhile, enters the fray with the advantage of having haste, granting it the ability to tap for damage immediately with no waiting for summoning sickness to wear off. When laying out the landscape of tap-to-damage creatures, the quirkiness of Capricious Sorcerer ensures it a notable spot for players seeking to manipulate and take advantage of its ungainly, yet potentially synergistic, targeting restriction.
Through the lens of strategic deck building and gameplay manipulation, Capricious Sorcerer stands out for its ability to create distinctive interactions on the battlefield compared to its more straightforward counterparts in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Capricious Sorcerer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Capricious Sorcerer gives players the tactical edge by enabling targeted damage. This ability can be used to control the board, remove key creatures, or chip away at your opponent’s life total. While it doesn’t directly draw you cards, the potential to remove an opponent’s creature allows you to indirectly maintain card superiority.
Resource Acceleration: While the Capricious Sorcerer itself doesn’t generate additional resources, its potential to eliminate mana dorks or other creatures that provide your opponent with resource acceleration can be pivotal. By controlling the board, you prevent your opponent from gaining a significant resource advantage.
Instant Speed: The ability to deal damage at instant speed grants you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategies. This can be particularly disruptive during the combat phase or in response to your opponent casting spells that would buff or protect their creatures, allowing for efficient timing of plays without committing to them prematurely.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One noteworthy downside of Capricious Sorcerer is its inherent functionality requiring precise timing and situational awareness to optimize its impact. Players need to gauge the best moment for its use, as misuse can lead to wasted potential or unfulfilled strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Deck construction can be somewhat constrained by Capricious Sorcerer’s blue mana-specific cost. This limitation requires players to include sufficient blue mana sources, which may skew the deck’s mana base and affect the inclusion of cards from other colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given its casting cost and the effect it provides, Capricious Sorcerer’s performance may falter in comparison to other options. Cards with lower mana costs, or those that offer more flexible or versatile abilities, might be a better fit in a deck where economy and efficiency are prized.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Capricious Sorcerer is a classic card that slots into various blue-based control or trickster decks. Its ability to deal damage directly allows for precise plays, such as picking off weakened creatures or finishing a player with low health.
Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with effects that untap creatures or copy activated abilities. In the right deck, Capricious Sorcerer serves as a linchpin for intricate combos that disrupt your opponent’s board or generate advantageous effects each turn.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-present focus on creature-based strategies, having a repeatable source of direct damage can be a trump card. Capricious Sorcerer provides a persistent threat to opposing creature-based plays, influencing opponents’ tactics and maintaining relevance in various meta environments.
How to Beat Capricious Sorcerer
The Capricious Sorcerer from Magic the Gathering is a card that demands attention on the battlefield. This tricky creature comes with the ability to ping any target for one damage, a feature that can disrupt your strategies by picking off smaller creatures or chipping away at your life total. When facing this spellcaster, one effective strategy is to remove it from play as quickly as possible. Cards like Shock or Lightning Bolt are perfect for dealing with the Sorcerer efficiently.
Another approach is to utilize cards that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructible, thereby negating the Sorcerer’s damage-dealing ability. Ensuring that your creatures’ toughness exceeds the single point of damage Capricious Sorcerer can inflict each turn can also be a key to dominating the game state, allowing your stronger creatures to remain on the board and press the advantage against your opponent.
Capricious Sorcerer requires a plan for its persistent ability. Incorporating direct removal spells, protective measures, and sturdy creatures into your game are essential steps to gaining the upper hand and ensuring that the Sorcerer’s mischief is kept to a minimum, leading you towards victory in your Magic the Gathering duels.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Capricious Sorcerer MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Capricious Sorcerer 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 Capricious Sorcerer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Predh | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Capricious Sorcerer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-09-20 | If a turn has multiple combat phases, the ability can only be activated before the beginning of the declare attackers step of the first combat phase in that turn. |