Fugitive Wizard MTG Card
2003-02-03 - Number 38
2003-07-28 - Number 81★
2003-07-28 - Number 81
2005-07-29 - Number 80
2005-07-29 - Number 80★
2007-07-13 - Number 86
2014-07-18 - Number 56
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Even without direct card advantage, Fugitive Wizard supports strategies focusing on casting multiple spells.
- Efficient casting cost aids in early board development, allowing for mana flexibility in other plays.
- While lacking immediate impact abilities, it complements decks designed for instant-speed operations.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Although the Fugitive Wizard doesn’t directly generate card advantage in the traditional sense, its low casting cost can readily fit into a strategy that leverages numerous spells in a single turn, potentially working alongside cards that draw on casting spells or having a high number of wizards on the field.
Resource Acceleration: The Fugitive Wizard serves as an efficient piece in decks favoring early board presence. Its low cost helps to keep mana available for other plays, indirectly contributing to resource acceleration by allowing you to develop your board while still holding up mana for other responses.
Instant Speed: While the Fugitive Wizard itself isn’t an instant, it complements a deck that operates at instant speed. Its single blue mana cost makes it an easy play leaving resources open to cast instants or activate abilities that might change the state of the game during an opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Even though Fugitive Wizard does not ask you to discard cards, it’s often evaluated against other creatures that might provide value upon entering the battlefield or when discarded, which this card lacks.
Specific Mana Cost: Fugitive Wizard requires a single blue mana, which could restrict deck building exclusively to blue mana schemes or two-colored decks where mana consistency is key.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While one blue mana may seem low, the power and toughness of Fugitive Wizard do not compete well with other creatures available at a similar mana point, making it less desirable in a world of efficiently-costed creatures.
Reasons to Include Fugitive Wizard in Your Collection
Versatility: Fugitive Wizard’s simplicity allows it to seamlessly fit into many blue-centric decks that focus on spellcasting or need a low-cost creature for balance.
Combo Potential: As a one-mana creature, it can be a key piece in early-game combos or work with cards relying on a high creature count to amplify their effects.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that values cheap spells for mechanics like Prowess or Magecraft, Fugitive Wizard can become an unexpectedly effective tool in your arsenal.
How to beat
Fugitive Wizard is a simple yet potentially slippery card to encounter in MTG. With just a single blue mana to cast this 1/1 creature, it stands as a modest inclusion in any deck that could easily fly under your radar. However, despite its basic nature, overcoming this card requires strategic planning.
To effectively counter Fugitive Wizard, consider using removal spells that do not discriminate based on the creature’s power or toughness. These could include straightforward options like Fatal Push or Path to Exile, which can unceremoniously dispatch the Wizard regardless of its seeming insignificance. Board clearing spells, such as Wrath of God, can also be comprehensive solutions, especially if the Fugitive Wizard is part of a larger creature-based strategy.
Moreover, keeping the Wizard from becoming a threat in the first place can be key. Hinder your opponent’s ability to buff the Wizard with enchantments or equipments by having spells ready that can disrupt such plays. Remember, even the most humble creatures can evolve into substantial threats if given the right tools or synergies, but with the right plan, Fugitive Wizard can be easily managed.
Cards like Fugitive Wizard
Fugitive Wizard is an unassuming yet classic creature in Magic: The Gathering. As a basic one-drop creature, it finds company with other simple cards, such as Merfolk of the Pearl Trident. Both provide a quick and easy presence on the battlefield, though Merfolk carries the additional Merfolk creature type, which can be more synergistic in tribal decks. Unlike Fugitive Wizard, it has potential in decks focused on Merfolk synergies.
Another card worth mentioning alongside Fugitive Wizard is Walking Corpse. Both inhabit the one-mana slot, but Walking Corpse offers a little more in terms of power, being a 2/2 zombie. What sets Fugitive Wizard apart from Walking Corpse is essentially its simplicity and the absence of additional creature synergies, making it a bare-bones option for spell-focused introductions or for utilizing cards that capitalize on casting cheap spells.
While Fugitive Wizard doesn’t stand out with exceptional abilities or stats, it’s a suitable option for generic one-mana creatures within Magic: The Gathering. It offers an elemental piece in certain deck strategies that require cost-effective ways to initiate gameplay or benefit from the wizard creature type.
Cards similar to Fugitive Wizard by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Fugitive Wizard MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Eighth Edition, 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 Fugitive Wizard 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 Fugitive Wizard Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2014-07-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003-02-03 | Legions | LGN | 38 | 1997 | normal | black | Jim Nelson | |
| 2 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 81★ | 2003 | normal | black | Jim Nelson | |
| 3 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 81 | 2003 | normal | white | Jim Nelson | |
| 4 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 80 | 2003 | normal | white | Jim Nelson | |
| 5 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 80★ | 2003 | normal | black | Jim Nelson | |
| 6 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 86 | 2003 | normal | black | Mark Zug | |
| 7 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 56 | 2015 | normal | black | Mark Zug |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Fugitive Wizard has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
