Tower Geist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage through selective draw, aligning well with graveyard-based strategies.
  2. Mana-specific and comes with a discard downside, potentially lessening its utility.
  3. Unique flying ability and card selection make it a niche, yet valuable asset.

Text of card

Flying When Tower Geist enters the battlefield, look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other into your graveyard.

Jenrik's tower is served by those who once sought to enter it uninvited.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Accessing additional cards is a cornerstone of winning strategies in MTG. With Tower Geist, you not only draw a card when it enters the battlefield, but you also get a look at the top two cards of your library, putting one into your hand and the other into your graveyard. This can be especially beneficial in decks where graveyard manipulation is key.

Resource Acceleration: While Tower Geist itself doesn’t directly provide typical mana acceleration, placing a card in the graveyard can indirectly accelerate your resources. It perfectly complements strategies that harness the power of the graveyard, setting up for potential reanimation spells or enabling mechanics like delve to cast powerful spells sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: Although Tower Geist is not an instant, its ability to set up your hand aids in maintaining a reactive playstyle. When you play Tower Geist, you improve your chances of drawing into instant speed interactions or threats, meaning you’re better prepared to respond to an opponent’s moves. This kind of foresight can give you the upper hand in tight matches where every decision counts.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of Tower Geist is that its ability forces you to discard a card after drawing two. This could potentially lead to a loss of valuable resources, making it less attractive if you’re trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Tower Geist requires a rather precise mana combination to cast—two generic and two blue mana. This could prove challenging in multicolor decks that might not consistently generate the needed blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at four mana for a 2/2 flyer that allows you to look at the top two cards of your library and put one in your hand, Tower Geist’s cost is on the higher side. There are cards in MTG that offer more efficient card selection or draw for a similar or lower investment, potentially making Tower Geist a less optimal choice in a competitive environment.


Reasons to Include Tower Geist in Your Collection

Versatility: Tower Geist is a solid choice for any blue-centered deck that benefits from deck manipulation and card draw. Its flying ability also gives it a defensive edge in the aerial combat zone.

Combo Potential: Upon entering the battlefield, this spirit offers card selection, which can fuel graveyard strategies or work well with reanimation tactics, providing a strategic advantage over the game.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to provide card advantage while presenting a flying threat, Tower Geist holds relevance in metas where card selection can tip the scales in games focused on incremental advantages and tempo plays.


How to beat

Tower Geist is a spirit card that adds strategic depth when joining the fray on the battlefield. Upon its entry, the ability to look at the top two cards of your library and put one into your hand and the other into your graveyard springs into action. This card filtering can give a player a slight edge, particularly in controlling the flow of gameplay. To tackle this flying adversary, consider using removal spells that can target creatures in the air or employ reach creatures that can block and potentially eliminate Tower Geist.

Counterspells also serve as an effective method, negating the Geist’s effect before it ever hits the table. Other strategies include graveyard manipulation, where cards that utilize the graveyard become an asset. Consequently, the ‘downside’ of sending one of the cards to the graveyard can be flipped to your advantage if your deck synergizes with such mechanics. In the game of quick wits and strategy, coming prepared with answers to threats like Tower Geist can make all the difference.

Ultimately, while Tower Geist offers a valuable glimpse into your upcoming draws, a well-rounded deck with adequate removal or countermagic ensures you’re not haunted by this spectral entity for long.


Cards like Tower Geist

Tower Geist is a spirited option within the range of creature cards that pair flying with card selection in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out by allowing its controller to look at the top two cards of their library, then picking one to add to their hand and sending the other to the graveyard. This mechanic is akin to the abilities found in cards like Augur of Bolas which lets you peek into your library for a potential instant or sorcery card, though it lacks the aerial advantage of Tower Geist.

When you scan the landscape for parallels, Sift through Sands comes into view. This card also filters through your deck and provides card advantage, but it doesn’t have the permanence of a creature like Tower Geist. On top of it, Sift through Sands is part of an Arcane combo chain, something Tower Geist doesn’t require. If we look at Cloudkin Seer, the comparison gets closer, as it too is a flyer that draws a card upon entering the battlefield. Still, Cloudkin Seer doesn’t grant the choice of cards or fill the graveyard, which can be crucial depending on your strategy.

In evaluating similar offerings, Tower Geist proves to be a unique blend of aerial threat and strategic library manipulation, securing its niche for players valuing both board presence and hand advantage.

Augur of Bolas - MTG Card versions
Cloudkin Seer - MTG Card versions
Augur of Bolas - Magic 2013 (M13)
Cloudkin Seer - Core Set 2020 (M20)

Cards similar to Tower Geist by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
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Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Phantom Monster - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Vapor - Chronicles (CHR)
Tradewind Rider - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Archivist - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Thieving Magpie - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Inga Rune-Eyes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Laboratory Drudge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Johnny, Combo Player - Unhinged (UNH)
Dream Prowler - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Clone - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Cytoplast Manipulator - Dissension (DIS)
Crookclaw Transmuter - Time Spiral (TSP)
Dreamborn Muse - Tenth Edition (10E)
Turtleshell Changeling - Lorwyn (LRW)
Glen Elendra Archmage - Eventide (EVE)
Fatestitcher - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Argent Sphinx - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Lumengrid Drake - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tower Geist MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and Magic Origins, 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 Tower Geist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tower Geist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2016-02-26. Illustrated by Izzy.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-02-03Dark AscensionDKA 532003normalblackIzzy
22015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 802015normalblackIzzy
32016-02-26Duel Decks: Blessed vs. CursedDDQ 302015normalblackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tower Geist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-01-22 If there’s only one card in your library when Tower Geist enters the battlefield, you’ll look at that card and put it into your hand.

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