Maelstrom Muse MTG Card

Provides card advantage and potential to cast an additional spell, enriching strategic depth and value. Enhances play by offering resource acceleration and flexible mana after casting spells. Encourages strategy shifts by rewarding instant and sorcery plays, increasing unpredictability.
Maelstrom Muse - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Djinn Wizard
Abilities Flying
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Power 2
Toughness 4
Number202
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMichele Parisi

Text of card

Flying Whenever Maelstrom Muse attacks, the next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn costs less to cast, where X is Maelstrom Muse's power as this ability resolves.

She's an inspiration to everyone, even herself.

Cards like Maelstrom Muse

Maelstrom Muse is an intriguing creature card in Magic the Gathering that offers both a body on the battlefield and a potential ramp in mana. When drawing parallels with other cards, Maelstrom Muse has a kinship with cards like Goblin Electromancer, which similarly reduces the cost of instants and sorceries. Maelstrom Muse, however, provides this cost reduction in the form of colored mana, a slight yet impactful variation.

Another comparable card is Baral, Chief of Compliance, which not only decreases mana costs of instants and sorceries but also has the added advantage of looting whenever a counter spell is cast. Though Baral’s effect is more targeted towards control decks, it’s undeniable that both cards possess characteristics conducive to spell-slinging strategies. Lastly, we look at Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain. While Jhoira doesn’t reduce the cost of spells, she rewards you with card draw for casting historic spells, offering a different flavor of build-around potential.

Considering utility and synergy, Maelstrom Muse can be a robust component in decks that strive to cast numerous instants and sorceries quickly. Its ability to smooth mana costs, while providing an impactful presence, gives it a distinct position among its counterparts in Magic the Gathering.

Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Baral, Chief of Compliance - MTG Card versions
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - MTG Card versions
Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Baral, Chief of Compliance - MTG Card versions
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Maelstrom Muse is a key card for players looking to get ahead in their game through card advantage. Its ability to potentially cascade into another spell upon casting provides an opportunity to effectively play two spells for the cost of one, offering excellent value and a pathway to outmaneuver opponents.

Resource Acceleration: This card not only accelerates your resource but also diversifies your mana availability. Its ability to add mana in any combination of colors that your lands could produce after casting an instant or sorcery spell can ramp up your play and enable you to cast more demanding spells sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: The Maelstrom Muse doesn’t directly interact at instant speed; however, it rewards you for playing other instants and sorceries. This means you can optimize your strategy by holding back on casting spells until the last possible moment, thereby keeping your opponents guessing and potentially wasting their resources on threats that you can deal with reactively.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One notable downside of Maelstrom Muse is its requirement for you to discard a card upon casting it. This can deplete your hand quickly, making it a potential liability if your deck is already pressed for resources or if you are in a position where every card in hand counts for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Maelstrom Muse is color-intensive, needing two specific types of mana (blue and red) which can be challenging to muster in the early game, especially in a multi-color deck that may not have the right mana fixing in place. This may deter its inclusion in decks that cannot consistently produce both colors of mana when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Maelstrom Muse provides a boost in spellcasting potential, its four-mana investment can be steep. For what it offers, the mana cost is on the higher side when compared to other creatures or spells in its category that might give more immediate impact on the board state or provide utility for a lower cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Maelstrom Muse offers flexibility to any deck requiring an extra push in spell casting, as it grants you mana of any color that can catalyze a variety of powerful plays across turns.

Combo Potential: It shines in decks built around casting numerous spells in a single turn. The mana boost it provides can be the cornerstone for casting high-cost spells earlier than your opponent can handle.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where tempo plays are crucial, Maelstrom Muse keeps your deck up to speed. It solidifies its place in environments where casting efficiency and maintaining momentum can be game-deciding factors.

How to Beat Maelstrom Muse

Maelstrom Muse is a powerful card that mixes mana acceleration with a flying threat to dominate games in MTG. Being a versatile creature, it allows the player to cast their next spell using colored mana equal to the Muse’s power. To counteract its potential, consider using instant-speed removal spells such as Fatal Push or Heartless Act. These options can effectively remove Maelstrom Muse before it generates value from its cascade-like ability.

Silencing it with counterspells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto as it hits the stack can also be efficient, preventing any sort of advantage right from the start. Additionally, board wipes, which are indifferent to the power of creatures, like Wrath of God or Doomskar, are also effective when dealing with Maelstrom Muse by resetting the playing field. Staying ahead in the game may also involve outpacing the mana advantage it provides through ramping strategies or by applying pressure with your own threats to keep your opponent on the defensive.

Overall, disrupting your opponent’s plays and maintaining card advantage while preparing for potential threats is key when dealing with dynamic cards like Maelstrom Muse. Swift action and strategic planning will ensure that this enigmatic creature doesn’t turn the tides against you.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Maelstrom Muse MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Maelstrom Muse and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Maelstrom Muse has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-04-16 Maelstrom Muse’s cost reduction can reduce only generic mana in a spell’s total cost. It can’t reduce colored mana requirements.
2021-04-16 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you’re paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions (such as that of Maelstrom Muse’s triggered ability). The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.