Minamo MTG Card
2009-09-04 - Number 24
2018-12-25 - Number 50
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Plane — Kamigawa |
Key Takeaways
- Minamo enables card plays each turn, creating a consistent advantage and superior board control.
- Its untapping ability at instant speed offers strategic flexibility, adapting swiftly to game dynamics.
- The card can impose limitations when specific mana or high costs are involved, impacting tempo.
Text of card
Whenever a player casts a spell, that player may draw a card. Whenever you roll chaos, each player may return a blue card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Minamo opens the door to extra card plays each turn, enabling a stronger hand and maintaining the upper hand over your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: Acting as a versatile mana source, Minamo can untap critical permanents to optimize your resource usage, effectively accelerating your game plan.
Instant Speed: The ability to utilize Minamo at instant speed grants flexibility, allowing you to adapt to the evolving game state and capitalize on the most opportune moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside to the Minamo card is the potential requirement to discard cards to activate certain abilities. This can leave players at a disadvantage, particularly when their hand is depleted and each card in it holds significant value.
Specific Mana Cost: Minamo’s abilities often necessitate blue mana, which means it may not fit seamlessly into all deck builds, especially those that run on a multicolor scheme or that need a more varied mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Some players may find Minamo’s activation cost high when compared to other land cards which provide similar benefits at a lesser mana value. This can slow down gameplay for those looking to maintain tempo and efficiency throughout their matches.
Reasons to Include Minamo in Your Collection
Versatility: Minamo, School at Water’s Edge, is a land card that provides not only a reliable source of blue mana but also the unique ability to untap legendary permanents. This characteristic allows it to be a functional part of several deck types, from commander-centric builds to those that leverage powerful legendary creatures and artifacts.
Combo Potential: The untap ability of Minamo can be a key component in executing game-winning combos. It pairs well with cards that have tap abilities for infinite loops or to generate overwhelming advantages, making it a potent card in any player’s arsenal.
Meta-Relevance: Minamo, School at Water’s Edge, holds its place in metas where legendary permanents dominate or where untap mechanics can be exploited. Its presence can make a significant impact in games, especially in formats like Commander or Legacy where the legendary theme is prevalent.
How to Beat
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge is a legendary land card that holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering. It’s a versatile utility land capable of untapping other legendary permanents, including itself, which can be a nuisance to deal with. But like every card, it has its vulnerabilities.
To counteract Minamo, consider using land destruction effects or cards that specifically restrict the use of activated abilities. Applying pressure through aggressive strategies can also be effective, forcing the Minamo player to use resources on defense rather than leveraging their utility land. Moreover, cards that deny the untap step of the opponent can shut down Minamo’s primary function, reducing the card to a simple Island.
Control decks with counterspells can also be strategic, as they can prevent key legendary spells that synergize with Minamo from ever hitting the board. Timing is critical, and by disrupting the synchronization between Minamo and other legendary permanents, one can negate the advantage it provides the opponent, thus evening the playing field.
Cards like Minamo
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge stands out within a distinct niche of land cards in Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarity to cards such as Oboro, Palace in the Clouds which also offers unique non-mana abilities tied to legendary lands. Unlike Oboro, Minamo doesn’t have a self-bouncing mechanism but instead presents an untap ability that can be crucial for reusing activated abilities of legendary creatures or permanents.
Comparable in function, we see Gaea’s Cradle, although with a focus on tapping for mana equivalent to the number of creatures controlled, connecting land to creature dominance. It lacks the flexibility Minamo offers by untapping other permanents but makes up for this in the potential for massive mana generation in creature-heavy decks. Additionally, the Maze of Ith deserves mention for its defensive utility by removing a creature from combat, albeit without generating any mana.
In essence, Minamo’s synergy with legendary permanents and immediate untap potential places it in a league of versatile lands conducive to strategies revolving around key legendary card usage, thus securing its position as a valued asset in many MTG decks.
Cards similar to Minamo by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Minamo MTG card by a specific set like Planechase Planes and Planechase Anthology Planes, 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 Minamo 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 Minamo Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-09-04 and 2018-12-25. Illustrated by Charles Urbach.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-09-04 | Planechase Planes | OHOP | 24 | 2003 | Planar | Black | Charles Urbach | |
| 2 | 2018-12-25 | Planechase Anthology Planes | OPCA | 50 | 2015 | Planar | Black | Charles Urbach |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Minamo card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | A face-up plane card that’s turned face down becomes a new object with no relation to its previous existence. In particular, it loses all counters it may have had. |
| 2009-10-01 | A plane card is treated as if its text box included “When you roll {PW}, put this card on the bottom of its owner’s planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck off that planar deck and turn it face up.” This is called the “planeswalking ability.” |
| 2009-10-01 | If an ability of a plane refers to “you,” it’s referring to whoever the plane’s controller is at the time, not to the player that started the game with that plane card in their deck. Many abilities of plane cards affect all players, while many others affect only the planar controller, so read each ability carefully. |
| 2009-10-01 | Minamo’s first ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. |
| 2009-10-01 | The chaos ability doesn’t target the cards it will return, so they’re not chosen until resolution. As the ability resolves, first the active player may choose a blue card in their graveyard, then each other player in turn order does the same, then all cards chosen this way are returned to their owners’ hands. Once a card is chosen, it’s too late for players to respond. |
| 2009-10-01 | The controller of a face-up plane card is the player designated as the “planar controller.” Normally, the planar controller is whoever the active player is. However, if the current planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn’t leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until they leave the game or a different player becomes the active player, whichever comes first. |
