Beetleform Mage MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Insect Wizard |
| Released | 2013-05-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dragon's Maze |
| Set code | DGM |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 54 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Marco Nelor |
Key Takeaways
- Beetleform Mage’s instant speed abilities enable surprise combat advantages and strategic flexibility.
- Demands for specific mana colors and high activation costs may hinder the card’s versatility.
- Combines well with cards that benefit from flying and +1/+1 counters, adding value to certain deck strategies.
Text of card
: Beetleform Mage gets +2/+2 and gains flying until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
"When the Simic say to take command of your life, we don't mean just your career." —Vorel of the Hull Clade
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Although Beetleform Mage itself may not directly allow you to draw cards, its versatility in combat either as an attacker or blocker can help you preserve your creatures on the board. This pseudo card advantage ensures that your key pieces remain in play, outlasting your opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: Beetleform Mage doesn’t directly contribute to resource acceleration in terms of providing additional mana. However, its ability to become a larger threat allows you to efficiently utilize your mana each turn, effectively giving you a better board presence and the potential to end the game quicker.
Instant Speed: One of the main advantages of Beetleform Mage is its ability to activate its abilities at instant speed. This not only allows you to surprise an opponent during combat but also enables you to make strategic decisions based on the evolving game state, keeping your opponent guessing whether you have other instant-speed interactions in hand.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Beetleform Mage doesn’t need you to discard cards to activate its abilities, the necessity of keeping mana open to utilize its powers can effectively leave you with fewer cards to play each turn, akin to a discard in terms of resource management.
Specific Mana Cost: Beetleform Mage requires both green and blue mana, making it more challenging to fit into multicolored decks that may not focus on Simic (green-blue) colors. This can limit its versatility and integration into diverse strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To activate Beetleform Mage’s ability, you need to pay three mana. This is quite a demand considering the ability only gives a temporary boost. Other cards at lower mana costs provide permanent buffs or additional effects, leading to potentially greater long-term value.
Reasons to Include Beetleform Mage in Your Collection
Versatility: Beetleform Mage is a multifunctional addition suited to decks that prize adaptability. This card can play both an aggressive and defensive role, capable of becoming a formidable flyer to attack or block when you need it most.
Combo Potential: With its ability to gain a temporary boost in power and toughness plus flying, Beetleform Mage works effectively in combos, particularly with cards that synergize with +1/+1 counters or those geared towards ‘flying’ strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In games where combat tricks and creature abilities can turn the tide, Beetleform Mage holds its own. Its ability to transform from a ground unit into a more potent flyer makes it a versatile threat in changing battlefield conditions.
How to beat
Beetleform Mage is an intriguing creature card with the ability to become a formidable attacker or blocker on demand. Its inherent power lies in the hybrid mana cost and the flexibility of its activated ability, providing both a power boost and flying. This makes Beetleform Mage a tactical asset, capable of slipping past ground-based defenses or deterring aerial threats.
To effectively counter this shapeshifting threat, consider using removal spells before the Mage’s ability is activated. Instants like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can dispatch the Mage without it ever taking to the skies. Ensnaring removal such as Pacifism or Narcolepsy are also effective, as they prevent the activation of its ability altogether, grounding the creature before it becomes a larger threat. Alternatively, outpacing the Mage with aggressive strategies or overwhelming the board with larger creatures can render its advantages moot. The key lies in minimizing its impact or removing it from play swiftly.
Even with its adaptability, Beetleform Mage is not insurmountable. By anticipating its transformations and employing strategic counters, this creature can be managed and controlled, preserving your chances for victory in any match.
Cards like Beetleform Mage
The imaginative world of creature cards in Magic the Gathering provides players with varying tactical advantages, and Beetleform Mage is a spellbinding example. As a multi-use creature with the ability to both grow bigger and fly, Beetleform Mage draws a comparison to cards like Aeromunculus. Much like our subject, Aeromunculus can increase power and toughness, with the bonus of having this ability at a lower activation cost. However, Aeromunculus lacks the flexibility of toggling flying at will.
Dive Down is another relative in terms of strategic defense, granting your creatures toughness and hexproof for a single mana. While it doesn’t bolster attack power like Beetleform Mage, it’s an excellent tool for sudden protection. Then there’s Zephyr Gull, a lesser-known card sharing the flight capability but it remains as a static flyer without the transformative growth that Beetleform Mage offers.
In weighing abilities against mana investment and in-game versatility, Beetleform Mage proves to be a multifaceted pick for players who value adaptability on the battlefield. Its dual function of stronger offense and evasive flight options offers an edge over similar single-attribute cards.
Cards similar to Beetleform Mage by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Beetleform Mage MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Beetleform Mage and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Beetleform Mage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Beetleform Mage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | Activating Beetleform Mage’s ability after it’s been blocked by a creature without flying or reach won’t cause it to become unblocked. |
| 2013-04-15 | If Beetleform Mage’s ability is activated by one player, then another player gains control of it during the same turn, the second player can’t activate its ability that turn. |
