Treasure Map // Treasure Cove MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeArtifact
Abilities Scry,Transform,Treasure

Key Takeaways

  1. Treasure Map ensures card advantage by scrying and evolving into a draw-capable land.
  2. It accelerates resources and aids mana-fixing through colorless Treasure tokens.
  3. The card’s flexibility shines with instant-speed treasure activation for mana.

Text of card

, : Scry 1. Put a landmark counter on Treasure Map. Then if there are three or more landmark counters on it, remove those counters, transform Treasure Map, and create three Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The transformation of Treasure Map into Treasure Cove ensures a steady stream of card advantage. Scrying each turn fine-tunes your draws, while eventually flipping into a land that taps for extra card draw by sacrificing Treasures, keeping your hand full and options open.

Resource Acceleration: Not only does Treasure Map create colorless Treasure tokens which ramp up your mana, but these tokens also help in fixing mana for multicolored decks, ensuring you can play your spells on time and keeping you ahead in the race for board presence.

Instant Speed: While the initial ability to scry is used at sorcery speed, the treasures you amass offer instant-speed flexibility. This allows you to crack them for mana during your opponent’s end step or in response to actions, ensuring you make the most efficient use of your resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other artifacts that you can play without losing hand advantage, the Treasure Map card requires players to discard cards under certain conditions. This can be particularly detrimental during late-game scenarios where each card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Activating the scry ability of Treasure Map entails a two-mana cost, including one generic and one colorless mana. This can pose a challenge for multi-colored decks that are already mana-hungry or have specific mana curve considerations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To transform Treasure Map into Treasure Cove and get the most value out of it, a total investment of five mana over several turns is needed. This is a significant investment when compared to other cards in the format that could offer immediate benefits for the same or lower cost.


Reasons to Include Treasure Map in Your Collection

Versatility: Treasure Map is a standout card that can seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Its capability to scry each turn improves deck consistency, and the resulting Treasure tokens enhance mana availability across colors.

Combo Potential: The transformation of Treasure Map into Treasure Cove, alongside the Treasure tokens, opens up numerous combo possibilities. It pairs well with cards that interact with artifacts, leveraging those treasures for much more than just mana acceleration.

Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and ability to fit into multiple strategies, Treasure Map maintains a solid position within the current meta. It’s particularly useful in slower-paced games where setting up the right board state is key to victory.


How to beat

Conquering a Treasure Map in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic maneuvers. This artifact is known for its ability to transform into Treasure Cove, providing its controller with an ongoing source of card advantage and mana acceleration. The key to overcoming it lies in timing and resource management. One effective strategy is to engage in artifact removal before the map can transform, utilizing spells like Abrade or Naturalize to target and destroy it preemptively.

The secondary approach revolves around countering the card-drawing prowess. Players can limit the advantage provided by Treasure Cove by using cards like Narset, Parter of Veils, which restricts the number of cards the opponent can draw each turn. Additionally, aggressive decks might attempt to pressure the Treasure Map controller, forcing them to use resources defensively, thus disrupting their strategic setup. Cards with direct player damage, such as Shock or Lightning Bolt, can shift the focus away from long-term strategy to immediate survival for the Treasure Map holder.

In essence, combatting Treasure Map involves a mix of removing key pieces before they become a problem and asserting pressure to keep the opponent off-balance. This delicate balance of attack and disruption is crucial in ensuring that the value generated by Treasure Map doesn’t lead to your downfall in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the ins and outs of a card like Treasure Map can significantly elevate your MTG gameplay. Revel in the strategic card advantage and mana acceleration it provides, which can be pivotal in turning the tide of battle. Whether you’re looking to optimize your deck or disrupt your opponent’s plans, remember that timing and resource management are your best assets. Join us to delve deeper into the intricacies of Treasure Map and other such game-changing cards, ensuring your arsenal is primed for victory. Dive into our comprehensive guides and strategies to harness the full potential of your MTG card collection.


Cards like Treasure Map // Treasure Cove

Treasure Map is a distinctive artifact from the world of MTG, standing out in its ability to provide card filtering and eventual treasure generation. It echoes elements seen in cards like Thaumatic Compass, which allows players to search their library for basic lands. But unlike Thaumatic Compass, Treasure Map doesn’t tutor lands directly to the battlefield. Instead, it evolves, transforming into a land that generates three Treasure tokens, thus fostering mana acceleration and resource flexibility.

Cards such as Journeyer’s Kite share the reliability of land fetching, but lack Treasure Map’s ability to become a land itself. Then there’s Seer’s Sundial, which similarly involves a land mechanic to draw cards, albeit with a higher mana commitment. Both provide valuable utility, yet the transformative nature and the strategic depth of Treasure Map offer a distinctive advantage. With a modest activation cost, it not only scrys but also flips to become Treasure Cove, which is key to ramping up one’s mana pool and providing on-demand card draw.

Gleaning the possibilities across similar MTG artifacts reveals that Treasure Map holds a unique place. Its combination of card selection, potential mana boost, and value over time can be a game changer, orchestrating plays that pivot the tide of matches in your favor.

Journeyer's Kite - MTG Card versions
Seer's Sundial - MTG Card versions
Journeyer's Kite - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Seer's Sundial - Worldwake (WWK)

Cards similar to Treasure Map // Treasure Cove by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Ankh of Mishra - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Swiftfoot Boots - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Elsewhere Flask - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Treasure Map // Treasure Cove MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan Promos and Ixalan, 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 Treasure Map // Treasure Cove and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Treasure Map // Treasure Cove Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 250s2015transformblackCliff Childs
22017-09-29IxalanXLN 2502015transformblackCliff Childs
32023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 602015transformblackCliff Childs
42023-11-17The Lost Caverns of IxalanLCI 3912015transformblackNestor Ossandon Leal
52023-11-17The Lost Caverns of IxalanLCI 2672015transformblackNestor Ossandon Leal

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Treasure Map // Treasure Cove has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-09-29 If Treasure Map leaves the battlefield before its ability resolves, you can't put a landmark counter on it. However, if it somehow already had three landmark counters on it before it left the battlefield, you'll get three Treasures.
2017-09-29 If a third landmark counter is put on Treasure Map by something other than the resolution of its first ability (as modified by any applicable replacement effects), you won't remove those counters, transform Treasure Map, or get Treasures yet. You'll have to wait until you activate its first ability again.
2018-01-19 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Ixalan mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/ixalan-mechanics).

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