Prism Array MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 5 |
Rarity | Rare |
Type | Enchantment |
Abilities | Converge,Scry |
Text of card
Converge — Prism Array enters the battlefield with a crystal counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it. Remove a crystal counter from Prism Array: Tap target creature.: Scry 3. (Look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
Cards like Prism Array
Prism Array occupies a unique space within MTG’s world of enchantments with its versatility. Its closest relatives include cards like Crystal Array, which also offers a way to manipulate mana colors but lacks Prism Array’s capacity for tapping creatures. Meanwhile, the card Chamber Sentry exhibits flexibility in mana usage, letting players charge it with any color, but similarly forfeits the control over creatures that Prism Array possesses.
Protean Hulk is yet another multitasking creature that can fetch a variety of cards from your deck to the battlefield, but it can’t directly influence the battlefield like Prism Array can by controlling opponent’s creatures. On the other end of the spectrum, Door to Nothingness presents an alternative win condition by tapping and requiring multi-color investment, yet it is a one-time use artifact and doesn’t offer the continuous board control provided by Prism Array.
Ultimately, Prism Array’s concoction of color filtering, creature control, and its converge ability to handle multiple threats at once sets it apart from others. While it requires a specific deck build to really shine, its multifaceted nature makes it a card worth considering for any player looking to exert dominance across the plethora of situations presented in a game of MTG.
Cards similar to Prism Array by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: As a versatile enchantment, Prism Array provides potential card advantage by enabling scry actions. This helps filter your draws, ensuring you get the cards you need when you need them.
Resource Acceleration: Prism Array’s ability to tap for mana of any color can be harnessed for resource acceleration, allowing you to play spells outside your deck’s primary colors or simply giving that extra push to cast high-cost cards earlier.
Instant Speed: Capable of being activated at instant speed, Prism Array’s removal option can disrupt your opponent’s strategies during their turn. This flexibility allows for powerful defensive plays as you manage the board state on the fly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Requires a rather intricate setup by needing a card from each color to fully utilize its Converge ability, potentially causing hand-depletion just to activate its powers.
Specific Mana Cost: Sports a multicolored casting cost, demanding all five colors which can pose a challenge for decks not fine-tuned for such mana diversity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana and additional resources required to exploit its abilities, Prism Array may be deemed inefficient compared to cards with lower activation costs and immediate impact.
Reasons to Include Prism Array in Your Collection
Versatility: Prism Array’s ability to function as both a colorful multifaceted mana fixer and a control tool makes it a unique addition to decks that capitalize on diverse mana requirements or enchantment synergies.
Combo Potential: With its charge counters, Prism Array works well in decks that are built around proliferate mechanics or ones that manipulate counters to unlock powerful combinations and interactions.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that heavily features multicolored spells or decks, Prism Array can serve as a flexible answer to a variety of threats while also facilitating the casting of your own multicolored arsenal.
How to beat
Prism Array is a multifaceted enchantment in MTG that challenges players with its versatility. At its core, it’s a card capable of controlling the battlefield with its ability to tap creatures. To effectively counter this card, it’s critical to target its weaknesses. Spot removal of enchantments is a strong strategy — cards like Naturalize or Disenchant can dismantle Prism Array’s influence from the game. Additionally, playing around its color-dependent abilities by employing a mono-colored deck can reduce its effectiveness, as Prism Array requires convergence to maximize its potential.
Considering its higher casting cost and the need for a variety of colors, efficient mana ramping can also provide a competitive edge. This can be done by accumulating resources quickly to outpace the Prism Array player before they have a fully operational board. Lastly, it’s important to maintain a diverse suite of threats, as Prism Array can only tap one creature per turn. By overwhelming the enchantment with numerous threats, you dilute its controlling power, thereby tilting the scales in your favor against this kaleidoscopic challenge.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Prism Array MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar and Battle for Zendikar Promos, 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 Prism Array and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Prism Array Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by Philip Straub.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 81 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Philip Straub | |
2 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar Promos | PBFZ | 81s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Philip Straub |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Prism Array has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Prism Array card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2015-08-25 | If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied. |
2015-08-25 | If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the mana spent to pay those costs will count. For example, if an effect makes sorcery spells cost more to cast, you could pay to cast Radiant Flames and deal 4 damage to each creature. |
2015-08-25 | If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero. |
2015-08-25 | The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend. |
2015-08-25 | Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can’t choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can’t ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana. |