Dungeon of the Mad Mage MTG Card
| Type | Dungeon |
| Abilities | Scry,Treasure |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | 20 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by |
Text of card
Yawning Portal — You gain 1 life. (Leads to: Dungeon Level) Dungeon Level — Scry 1. (Leads to: Goblin Bazaar, Twisted Caverns) Goblin Bazaar — Create a Treasure token. (Leads to: Lost Level) Twisted Caverns — Target creature can't attack until your next turn. (Leads to: Lost Level) Lost Level — Scry 2. (Leads to: Runestone Caverns, Muiral's Graveyard) Runestone Caverns — Exile the top two cards of your library. You may play them. (Leads to: Deep Mines) Muiral's Graveyard — Create two 1/1 black Skeleton creature tokens. (Leads to: Deep Mines) Deep Mines — Scry 3. (Leads to: Mad Wizard's Lair) Mad Wizard's Lair — Draw three cards and reveal them. You may cast one of them without paying its mana cost.
Cards like Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Dungeon of the Mad Mage, a unique card in MTG, stands out for its intricate adventure into the titular dungeon. It’s akin to other “venture into the dungeon” cards, like Nadaar, Selfless Paladin, which also begins a journey through the dungeons upon entering the battlefield or attacking. While Nadaar focuses on recurring dungeon entries, it does not automatically bypass the first room as Dungeon of the Mad Mage can, when combined with the right plan.
Another compare-worthy card is Barrowin of Clan Undurr, presenting a similar dungeon delving ability. Where Barrowin differs, however, is in its synergy with other creatures, granting an untap ability each time you complete a dungeon room, which Dungeon of the Mad Mage does not. Lastly, there’s the Planeswalker Ellywick Tumblestrum, who extracts value from dungeons with her “venturing” loyalty ability and offers the potential for enormous card advantage.
These comparative insights reveal that Dungeon of the Mad Mage brings a distinct strategic dimension to the game, offering players a deeper exploration of the dungeon concept in MTG, particularly beneficial when crafting a dungeon-centric deck with long-term advantages.
Cards similar to Dungeon of the Mad Mage by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dungeon of the Mad Mage offers multiple opportunities to delve deeper into its levels, uncovering treasures like extra card draws. This can dramatically shift the flow of the game, providing players with more options and responses to their opponent’s moves.
Resource Acceleration: As you maneuver through its labyrinthine corridors, this card can potentially ramp your resources. It can unlock shortcuts to more powerful spells ahead of schedule, giving you the room to deploy a stronger board presence or react decisively to threats.
Instant Speed: While the card itself isn’t an instant, the ventures into the dungeon it enables can be triggered at instant speed through other cards and abilities. This symbiosis maximizes mana utilization and allows for strategic moves in the midst of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing at what horrors—or wonders—the dungeon holds next.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Venturing into the Dungeon of the Mad Mage, a player must be prepared for twists and turns. While this card offers the promise of intricate gameplay, it also comes with a caveat – the need to set up or discard other valuable cards. This can prove to be a setback when options are already scarce on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: The magic imbued within the corridors of the famed dungeon does not come cheap. Casting spells tied to this card requires not just any mana, but a tailored assortment that may clash with your existing mana base, rendering the card dormant in your hand at critical moments.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The eerie depths of the Dungeon demand a hefty toll. To harness the card’s potential, a sizeable investment of mana is inevitable. With a cost that can eclipse other cards in efficiency, players must weigh the opportunity cost. The card’s benefits are locked behind this barrier, a disadvantage when pace and efficiency are necessary.
Reasons to Include Dungeon of the Mad Mage in Your Collection
Versatility: The card offers a unique adventure for your creatures, presenting diverse effects which could benefit a wide array of deck strategies, particularly in Commander where board states and game plans vary drastically.
Combo Potential: As players delve through the dungeon’s rooms, each stage could interact with cards reliant on dungeon progress, such as triggering abilities that activate upon completing a room or receiving bonuses from other cards that are dungeon-centric.
Meta-Relevance: In metas that focus on longer, grindier games, Dungeon of the Mad Mage can shine by providing incremental value and advantageous outcomes that could tilt the game in your favor over the course of multiple turns.
How to beat
Dungeon of the Mad Mage is a unique card in Magic: The Gathering that transports players on an underground adventure through a sequence of decision points. Encountering this card’s effects requires strategic planning, much like navigating the twisting corridors of a subterranean labyrinth. To counter this venture, consider using cards that can either prevent your opponent from initiating the dungeon adventure or mitigate its impacts through graveyard interaction dealing with creatures or spells that can exile or shuffle it back into the library.
Employing enchantment removal or counterspells strategically can disrupt your opponent’s ability to reap the benefits of the Dungeon’s deeper levels. Additionally, focus on accelerating your own game plan can often outpace the incremental value generated by the Dungeon of the Mad Mage. This card’s impact is built over time, so adopting an aggressive strategy can often end the game before your adversary fully exploits the Dungeon’s potential. Also note, keeping the board clear of creatures that activate the Dungeon’s delve ability puts you in a position to maintain control of the game.
Ultimately, dealing with Dungeon of the Mad Mage comes down to a blend of prevention, board control, and strategic speed. By understanding the tempo of your deck and the ways it can adapt to this adventurous challenge, you stand a strong chance of subduing the complexities it presents in a match of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dungeon of the Mad Mage MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Dungeon of the Mad Mage and other MTG cards:
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