Onyx Mage MTG Card

Onyx Mage offers card advantage and selective drawing for strategic play. Instant speed casting allows responsive play to opponents’ actions. Demands careful hand management due to discard activation cost.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Released	2011-07-15
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2012
Set code	M12
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	103
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Izzy

Text of card

: Target creature you control gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

"We wield death and darkness, powers that make lesser mages tremble in fear." —Onyx creed

Cards like Onyx Mage

The Onyx Mage card enriches the roster of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering with its unique functionalities. A close counterpart is the Dark Confidant, a creature that also thrives on giving its controller extra draws at the potential cost of life. While Dark Confidant does this at the upkeep stage without any mana cost, Onyx Mage demands mana investment for each activation but offers the strategic advantage of selective usage, empowering players to tailor their plays to the current game state.

Another comparison could be drawn with the Whisperer of the Wilds. Although this creature does not enable card draws, it generates mana and potentially accelerates gameplay, much like how the Onyx Mage can impact the board by transforming dead draws into new opportunities. Lastly, we look at Pain Seer, a creature with an inspired mechanic that reveals cards and draws while chipping away at the user’s life total—akin to Onyx Mage’s philosophy that power comes at a price, but without the mana control.

Ultimately, Onyx Mage’s capacity to blend creature presence with draw-power on demand situates it intriguingly among MTG’s array of utility creatures, offering both tactical advantage and deck adaptability.

Whisperer of the Wilds - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Onyx Mage by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Onyx Mage card can be incredibly effective for gaining an edge in card resources. It enables you to potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy by selectively drawing the spells you need when you need them.

Resource Acceleration: This card adeptly helps in ramping up your mana resources. With the right deck synergy, it can serve as a catalyst to deploy your heavy hitters early in the game or activate pivotal abilities that require a substantive mana investment.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed flexibility ensures you can respond adeptly to your opponent’s moves. Whether it’s during their end step or in response to an unfavorable play, the ability to cast the Onyx Mage card at instant speed is a strategic advantage in any match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Onyx Mage necessitates discarding a card to activate its ability, posing a challenge during moments when card advantage is crucial to maintain.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both black and generic mana which can restrict deck-building options, especially for those seeking to maintain a more flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost at the higher end of the spectrum for its abilities, Onyx Mage may not be the most mana-efficient option available within the current meta, potentially impacting its playability.

Reasons to Include Onyx Mage in Your Collection

Versatility: Onyx Mage excels in a variety of deck archetypes with its capability to grant deathtouch. This ability can be pivotal, ensuring your smaller creatures can trade with larger threats on the board.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in synergistic settings, where giving deathtouch can interact with other cards to create board control or enable high-value trades, vital for advancing your in-game position.

Meta-Relevance: With constant shifts in MTG games, Onyx Mage might become a significant asset, especially if creature-heavy or aggressive decks dominate the play environment. Its ability to deter attacks or serve as a deterrent can be crucial for stalling opponents and steering the game in your favor.

How to Beat Onyx Mage

Onyx Mage is a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to give a creature deathtouch until end of turn. This can turn any of your creatures into a deadly blocker or offensive threat, transforming combat calculations dramatically. To counter this strategic play, it is essential to limit the Onyx Mage’s ability activations. This can be achieved through removal spells, which are effective at eliminating creatures regardless of their size or abilities. Instant-speed removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can catch your opponent off-guard, removing Onyx Mage before it has a chance to impact the board.

Another tactic involves including distractions or alternative threats that demand the opponent’s attention away from utilizing Onyx Mage optimally. Building a wide board presence with numerous creatures can dilute the impact of deathtouch by overwhelming your opponent with targets. Focusing on creatures with abilities that mitigate combat interaction, like hexproof or indestructible, can also be a key strategy to overpower the Onyx Mage or render it ineffective.

Overall, the trick in outmaneuvering Onyx Mage lies in pressure and timing. Maintaining a flexible approach with your resources and understanding the tempo of the game is crucial to successfully countering an opponent’s Onyx Mage in MTG play.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Onyx Mage MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012, 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 Onyx Mage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Onyx Mage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2011-09-22	Multiple instances of deathtouch on the same creature provide no additional benefit. A creature dealt damage by a creature with multiple instances of deathtouch is destroyed only once.