Firmament Sage MTG Card
2021-09-24 - Number 53
2022-01-28 - Number 53
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Advantageous draws with class abilities; Firmament Sage fuels consistent resource access, enriching strategies.
- Mana acceleration on level-ups; enables faster, more impactful plays in tune with mana curves.
- Instant speed interaction allows strategic play without committing to main-phase actions.
Text of card
If it's neither day nor night, it becomes day as Firmament Sage enters the battlefield. Whenever day becomes night or night becomes day, draw a card.
The cause remained unclear, but the fact was undeniable: nights were lengthening faster than in any autumn past.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Firmament Sage has the capability to bolster your hand by triggering its draw effect every time you activate a class ability, which seamlessly integrates into strategies that prioritize class enchantments and synergies leading to a consistent flow of resources.
Resource Acceleration: Through its effect, Firmament Sage can accelerate your gameplay by providing additional mana each time you obtain a new class level, ensuring you keep up with the mana curve and enabling more impactful plays earlier in the game.
Instant Speed: This card also interacts favorably at instant speed, allowing for responsive play. You can navigate turns strategically, maximizing mana use, and seamlessly integrate Firmament Sage into your game plan without having to preemptively commit to a main-phase action.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Firmament Sage presents a challenge in maintaining hand advantage given its necessity for discarding a card upon casting. This mechanic can be a hindrance when your hand is already depleted, effectively forcing you to make tough decisions about resource allocation.
Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that demands a particular mana combination, this card can potentially complicate your deck-building strategy. The need for precise mana can render it less versatile, especially in multicolored decks that strive for a balanced mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The efficiency of Firmament Sage is somewhat offset by its higher mana cost. While it offers a unique ability, there are alternative cards in the game that achieve similar effects or provide more immediate board presence for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Firmament Sage in Your Collection
Versatility: Firmament Sage seamlessly integrates into a multitude of deck archetypes. Its ability to draw a card each time you cast a creature spell with flying makes it a valuable inclusion for decks that capitalize on flying creatures or aim to draw extra cards for an advantage.
Combo Potential: This card holds strong synergy with decks that play numerous flying creatures, potentially allowing you to draw multiple cards in a single turn. Also, it can be an integral part of engine combos that aim to cycle through the deck quickly to find key pieces or achieve a win condition.
Meta-Relevance: In environments heavy with flying creatures, Firmament Sage not only becomes a reliable source of card advantage but also fits well in decks designed to counter those strategies. Its presence on the board can turn the tide in games where maintaining card flow is crucial to outpace opponents.
How to beat
Firmament Sage is one of those cards in Magic: The Gathering that can catch an opponent off guard with its ability to grant an extra card draw to its controller each time they play a creature spell with flying. Therefore, hindering a player’s ability to outpace you with card advantage becomes the focal strategy when combating this card.
To effectively neutralize this threat, consider including spells that limit the casting of creature spells, such as countermagic or specific “can’t cast” effects. Removal spells targeting Firmament Sage directly can be a timely response to prevent any card draw from happening. Additionally, employing board wipes can reset the playing field—especially if your adversary relies heavily on flying creatures—and inhibit the Sage’s ability to generate additional value.
It’s important as well to adjust your strategy to not only deal with Firmament Sage but also any potential airborne onslaught that may accompany it. Defensive measures like reach or flying blockers and spells that strip creatures of flying can also turn the tide. In summary, prioritizing control and disruption will help keep Firmament Sage and its synergies in check.
Cards like Firmament Sage
Firmament Sage enters the arena of Magic: The Gathering as a unique creature card, blending the realms of spell-slinging and board presence. It stands shoulder to shoulder with cards like Gadwick, the Wizened, which also rewards players for casting spells with card draw. While Gadwick draws cards immediately upon casting and can potentially refill your hand, Firmament Sage requires setup, accruing knowledge counters for future payoffs.
Looking towards Archmage Emeritus, another peer in the schools of magic, we see a direct draw mechanic upon casting an instant or sorcery. Emeritus offers immediate gratification, unlike the incremental advantage from Firmament Sage. However, the Sage’s potential for a larger, single-turn draw burst must not be overlooked. Compare this to Sea Gate Oracle that provides card selection with its come-into-play effect, offering a more controlled but limited advantage.
In the wider context of gameplay, the Sage’s ability to progressively amass value could be a defining factor in longer matches where setup and synergy become critical. It is this delicate balance between immediate impact and long-term strategic planning that places Firmament Sage in a distinctive position within Magic: The Gathering’s diverse card pool.
Cards similar to Firmament Sage by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Firmament Sage MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Firmament Sage 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
Printings
The Firmament Sage Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Anastasia Ovchinnikova.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-09-24 | Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | MID | 53 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova | |
| 2 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 53 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Firmament Sage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Firmament Sage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-09-24 | Before a player untaps their permanents during the untap step, the game checks to see if the day/night designation should change. |
| 2021-09-24 | Day and night are designations that the game itself can have. The game starts as neither. Once the game becomes day (or less commonly, night), the game will be exactly one of them—day or night—going back and forth for the rest of the game. |
| 2021-09-24 | For more information about Day and Night and the Daybound and Nightbound abilities, please see the Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Mechanics atricle (https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/innistrad-midnight-hunt-mechanics-2021-09-02). |
| 2021-09-24 | If a triggered ability triggers whenever day becomes night or night becomes day, it only triggers if it was already either day/night and becomes the other. It does not trigger when the game becomes day or night for the first time. |
| 2021-09-24 | If it is day, and the active player of the previous turn cast no spells during their turn, it becomes night. |
| 2021-09-24 | If it is night, and the active player of the previous turn cast two or more spells during their turn, it becomes day. |
