Samite Alchemist MTG Card
1995-10-01 - Number 13a
1995-10-01 - Number 13b
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Samite Alchemist provides unique card advantage by saving creatures, turning the tide defensively.
- Its instant speed activation grants strategic responses to opponents’ surprise maneuvers.
- However, discarding cards for activation could be detrimental in certain game situations.
Text of card
o Wo W, oc T: Prevent up to 4 damage to a creature you control. Tap that creature. The creature does not untap during your next untap phase.
"Powders and potions are nothing compared to faith." —Baris, Serra Inquisitor
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Samite Alchemist may not draw cards directly, but it enables a unique form of card advantage by potentially saving key creatures from otherwise lethal situations. Its ability can turn cards that have outlived their usefulness into critical defensive tools.
Resource Acceleration: While the Samite Alchemist itself doesn’t generate additional mana or resources directly, it allows you to use creatures that might not contribute to your current board state in a new way, effectively accelerating your defensive capabilities and synergizing well with creatures that have beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects.
Instant Speed: The Alchemist’s ability can be activated at instant speed, offering you flexibility in response to your opponents’ actions. This can be particularly advantageous when defending against surprise attacks or in response to direct damage spells, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategies during critical moments of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Samite Alchemist’s abilities necessitate discarding cards to activate, which can be a significant drawback when your hand is already depleted or when each card is critical to your game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Samite Alchemist requires both white and generic mana, which could restrict its playability only to decks that can consistently produce the specific color combination, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial investment of three mana for a creature that does not immediately impact the board, there are more mana-efficient options for creature-based strategies, making the Samite Alchemist a less optimal choice especially when facing fast-paced decks.
Reasons to Include Samite Alchemist in Your Collection
Versatility: Samite Alchemist offers dynamic options for deck builders. Its ability to prevent damage can be a flexible tool in both defensive and combo-oriented decks, allowing you to protect key creatures or even your own life total when necessary.
Combo Potential: Utilizing its damage prevention ability, Samite Alchemist has the potential to pair well with effects that trigger upon damage being prevented or directed elsewhere. This opens up a plethora of creative combinations and synergies in decks looking to capitalize on such mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies dominate, Samite Alchemist can serve as an effective countermeasure. The ability to prevent damage can be particularly relevant against decks that rely on dealing combat damage to achieve victory, making it a strategic inclusion in your collection.
How to beat
The Samite Alchemist card presents a unique challenge within the MTG landscape, mostly due to its ability to manipulate damage thresholds. This ability enables players to prevent or redirect damage in ways that could prolong games or disrupt opponent strategies. However, as with any card, there are strategies to overcome its influence on the battlefield.
One straightforward approach is to employ removal spells that bypass the Alchemist’s abilities. Cards that cause exile or force a player to sacrifice a creature can effectively neutralize the Alchemist without triggering its protective effects. Additionally, focusing on spells or abilities that dispatch multiple creatures at once can overwhelm the Alchemist’s defensive potential, such as board wipes or mass removal effects.
It’s also beneficial to attack a deck containing Samite Alchemist on multiple axes, leveraging direct damage to planeswalkers or pressuring life totals through alternative means. Intrinsically, understanding and anticipating your opponent’s reliance on Samite Alchemist for defense allows you to adapt your tactics, folding in indirect damage or leveraging effects that limit the opponent’s actions per turn. With this knowledge, an MTG player can craft a plan to overcome the defensive barriers that Samite Alchemist introduces to the game.
Understanding Samite Alchemist
Diving into the multifaceted world of MTG reveals gems like the Samite Alchemist, a unique card that offers intriguing gameplay. This card shares some similarities with others in its ability to manipulate outcomes on the battlefield. When assessing it alongside its peers, we can draw interesting parallels and contrasts that underscore its role in a strategic deck.
Cards like Samite Alchemist
The Samite Alchemist, a specialist in protection, presents a certain kinship with cards such as Healer’s Hawk or Alabaster Mage, both known for their life-linked abilities, although they serve different roles. Samite Alchemist stands out with its ability to prevent damage to other creatures by transforming that damage into something constructive. This trait resonates with effects found in cards like Mending Hands or Cho-Manno’s Blessing, which also offer damage prevention. However, the Alchemist does so with a unique alchemical flair by converting potential harm into beneficial resources for players, establishing a proactive defense mechanism.
Another point of comparison is with the card Tivadar’s Crusade. While both cards come with their own nuances, Tivadar’s Crusade directly destroys a certain creature type, goblins, which contrasts the Alchemist’s approach to preventing damage rather than outright destroying creatures. It’s this distinction between preemptive protection and direct action that gives the Samite Alchemist its niche in MTG gameplay strategies.
In essence, the Samite Alchemist offers a blend of both defense and resource strategy, carving its niche among cards that share its groundwork of protection but with an alchemical twist that can turn the tide of the game in your favor.
Cards similar to Samite Alchemist by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Samite Alchemist MTG card by a specific set like Homelands and Homelands, 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 Samite Alchemist 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 Magic products
Printings
The Samite Alchemist Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 1995-10-01 and 1995-10-01. Illustrated by Tom Wänerstrand.
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Samite Alchemist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
