Duskmantle Guildmage MTG Card


Duskmantle Guildmage - Gatecrash
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Abilities Mill
Released2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set nameGatecrash
Set codeGTC
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number158
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySlawomir Maniak

Key Takeaways

  1. Uniquely combines mill effects with damage to disrupt opponents and accelerate wins in a control or mill deck.
  2. Instant speed abilities allow for flexible, strategic plays that can adapt to the opponent’s actions in real-time.
  3. Restrictive mana cost and deck synergy requirements may limit this card’s use to specific blue-black builds.

Text of card

: Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player loses 1 life. : Target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Duskmantle Guildmage offers a unique ability to potentially lead to significant card advantage. When combined with mill strategies or effects that force an opponent to draw additional cards, Guildmage can turn those into direct damage, disrupting your opponent’s game plan while whittling down their life total.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources in the conventional sense, Duskmantle Guildmage’s second ability can serve as a win condition that accelerates the game’s conclusion. By controlling the flow of the match and converting mill and card interactions into damage, the Guildmage can expedite victory.

Instant Speed: The activated abilities of Duskmantle Guildmage can be used at instant speed, offering flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions. This allows for strategic plays that can be made during your opponent’s end step or after they have committed to a particular action, optimizing the timing of your damage conversion.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Duskmantle Guildmage ability can force you or your opponent to discard, which might backfire if you’re already low on cards. This can hinder your hand management and strategic planning during crucial turns in a game.

Specific Mana Cost: Duskmantle Guildmage demands a precise combination of blue and black mana to cast. This restricts its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana, potentially excluding it from a wider range of deck builds that don’t operate on a Dimir (blue-black) mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Guildmage’s abilities have the potential to steer a game in your favor, activating either comes at the cost of three mana each time. This can be quite steep, especially when considering the tempo of the game and other actions you may need to spend mana on during a turn, limiting how often and when you can effectively use the abilities.


Reasons to Include Duskmantle Guildmage in Your Collection

Versatility: Duskmantle Guildmage can seamlessly integrate into a variety of blue and black deck archetypes due to its ability to manipulate both players’ minds. It acts as a deterrent for opponents considering large draw spells or graveyard strategies.

Combo Potential: With the right set of cards, Duskmantle Guildmage has the potential to create devastating combos. It is infamous for its powerful interaction with cards like Mindcrank, setting up an engine that can deplete an opponent’s library quickly.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta proliferated with graveyard strategies or decks that rely heavily on card draw, Duskmantle Guildmage offers double-edged utility. It can deal damage while disrupting the opponent’s plans, making it a relevant choice for controlling the pace of the game.


How to beat

Duskmantle Guildmage is a notable card known for its ability to set up a potent combo in Magic the Gathering, particularly in mill decks. The card’s first ability allows you to grind your opponent’s deck while its second ability turns that mill into direct damage. This combo can lead to a quick demise if not interrupted. Defeating this strategy involves disrupting the combo pieces. Counterspells are effective here, preventing the Guildmage or critical mill cards from resolving.

Another viable strategy is to remove the Guildmage before the combo can be activated. Instants like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can take the Guildmage out swiftly regardless of its status on the board. Alternatively, graveyard interaction through cards like Tormod’s Crypt can negate the damage ability by keeping your graveyard empty, making it harder for your opponent to achieve their win condition.

Speed is another factor. Outpacing the mill strategy by focusing on an aggressive, creature-heavy deck that can overwhelm your opponent before they establish their combo could also lead to victory. In conclusion, maintaining control and pressure are key aspects when facing a Duskmantle Guildmage combo in your next game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Duskmantle Guildmage carves a niche in MTG decks, particularly those favoring intricate control and mill strategies. As we’ve explored, its versatile abilities cater to players looking to turn the tide of the game through cunning manipulation of their opponent’s deck and life total. If you’re eager to elevate your MTG expertise, incorporating this unique creature into your repertoire could be the game-changer you seek. Uncover more strategic insights, enhance your deck-building skills, and find other critical components to enrich your MTG collection. Join us to deepen your understanding and secure those satisfying victories on the battlefield.


Cards like Duskmantle Guildmage

Duskmantle Guildmage is a unique creature in the landscape of MTG, offering a versatile blend of abilities that cater to control and mill strategies. Its closest relatives include the likes of Jace’s Phantasm, which capitalizes on an opponent’s hefty graveyard to become a sizable threat. While Jace’s Phantasm banks on the accumulation of cards in the opponent’s graveyard to beef up its power, Duskmantle Guildmage takes a more active role by directly manipulating both the deck and the life total of the adversary.

Lurking Informant, acknowledges the Guildmage’s pedigree for managing the top cards of a library, but differs in execution by providing a steady, repeatable mill effect rather than a combo burst potential. However, the Guildmage’s second ability to turn any card drawn by an opponent into lost life points, offers a unique twist that its counterparts do not.

In summary, while other cards share the milling theme, Duskmantle Guildmage’s ability to disrupt and turn the tide of a game through its combination of milling and life-loss ability creates a unique niche. This card finds its strength not solely in milling opponents but also in creating a direct threat to their life total, underlining its unique position within MTG’s vast array of creatures.

Jace's Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Lurking Informant - MTG Card versions
Jace's Phantasm - Magic 2013 (M13)
Lurking Informant - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Cards similar to Duskmantle Guildmage by color, type and mana cost

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Vedalken Ghoul - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Hibernation Sliver - Commander Masters (CMM)
Drowned - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Woodlot Crawler - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Returned Phalanx - Masters 25 (A25)
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Disciple of Deceit - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
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House Guildmage - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Lazav, the Multifarious - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Dimir Spybug - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Duskmantle Guildmage MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Duskmantle Guildmage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Duskmantle Guildmage has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-01-24 Each time the first ability resolves, a delayed triggered ability is created. Whenever a card is put into an opponent’s graveyard that turn, each of those abilities will trigger. For example, if you activate the first ability twice (and let those abilities resolve) and then activate the second ability targeting an opponent, that player will lose a total of 4 life. Each card put into that player’s graveyard will cause two abilities to trigger, each causing that player to lose 1 life.
2013-01-24 The delayed triggered ability created won’t trigger if a token permanent is put into an opponent’s graveyard.
2013-01-24 The first ability considers each of your opponents. You don’t choose just one of them.

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