Professor of Zoomancy MTG Card

Generates Pest tokens for board advantage and life gain during both players’ turns. Use Pest tokens for mana acceleration or to boost creature-dependent spells. Instant speed capabilities ensure surprise board developments and strategic depth.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bear Druid
Power 4
Toughness 3

Text of card

When Professor of Zoomancy enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 black and green Pest creature token with "When this creature dies, you gain 1 life."

She's brilliant, if a bit overbearing.

Cards like Professor of Zoomancy

The Professor of Zoomancy card introduces players to a unique blend of creature buffs and token generation in Magic: The Gathering. It stands parallel to cards like Augmenter Pugilist, which also offers a substantial creature for its cost but lacks the Professor’s capability to bolster the player’s board presence with Pest tokens. Augmenter Pugilist thrives on its own strength, though it does not directly contribute additional creatures to the battlefield like Professor of Zoomancy does.

Looking at Basri’s Lieutenant, another noteworthy comparison comes to light. This card provides a protective keyword with vigilance and creates a valuable token when it or another nontoken creature dies. While Basri’s Lieutenant is defensive in nature, the Professor of Zoomancy focuses on immediate board development by creating a Pest token upon entering the battlefield.

Amidst the spectrum of similar cards, Professor of Zoomancy carves its niche by offering a dual advantage: the immediate value of a body on the board and the incremental advantage of Pest token generation, enhancing its utility in creature-oriented and token synergistic decks within Magic: The Gathering.

Basri's Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Basri's Lieutenant - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Professor of Zoomancy stands out by enabling you to consistently populate your board with Pest tokens whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell. These tokens not only serve as blockers but can also be sacrificed for life gain or used as fodder for various card abilities, ensuring a steady advantage over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: The Pest tokens created by Professor of Zoomancy are more than just creatures; they represent potential resources. When you’ve amassed a number of these tokens, you can utilize them to accelerate your plays by sacrificing them for additional mana with cards that convert creatures into mana, or to empower spells that depend on the number of creatures you control.

Instant Speed: While Professor of Zoomancy itself isn’t an instant, it enhances your strategy at instant speed by creating Pest tokens during your own turn or your opponent’s turn when casting those quick spells. This flexible timing allows you to adapt to the battlefield’s state, keeping your opponents guessing and forcing them to consider the potential for increased board presence at any moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While harnessing the knowledge of the Professor of Zoomancy, players need to contend with a discard requirement to fully leverage its abilities. This can be strategically detrimental, especially when the hand size is critical to maintaining advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The Professor of Zoomancy card requires a concrete commitment to green mana, which may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or color-flexible decks. This can be restricting for players who value a varied mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the need for a relatively high mana cost to summon the Professor of Zoomancy, players might find themselves weighing other options. Other creatures or spells in the same mana range could potentially offer more immediate impacts on the game state, leaving the Professor as a less tempting choice at pivotal moments.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Professor of Zoomancy can seamlessly integrate into various deck types, adding value particularly to those decks that capitalize on creature-based strategies and creature buffs.

Combo Potential: With its ability to create a Pest token upon casting, this card allows players to synergize with strategies that thrive on token generation and sacrifice mechanics for benefits.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creature tactics are prominent, Professor of Zoomancy’s contribution to board presence and incremental life gain can be a subtle yet impactful advantage.

How to beat

Professor of Zoomancy presents itself as a staple for any deck that leverages creatures, especially in the realm of limited play. This card not only bolsters your line-up with an extra body but also ushers in a 1/1 Pest creature token to the battlefield, which could turn the tide by providing you extra life when it dies.

To effectively counter this card, removal spells are your best bet. Since Professor of Zoomancy has moderate toughness, direct damage spells or those that cause creatures to fight or exchange power and toughness are particularly effective. Board wipes can also be invaluable, especially if the Professor has already generated several Pest tokens. Enchantment-based removal that bypasses the death trigger, like Banishing Light, is another avenue worth exploring to mitigate the Professor’s field presence.

In essence, dealing with Professor of Zoomancy hinges on timely removal to prevent your opponent from capitalizing on the advantage that this card—and the tokens it generates—provide. Thus, maintaining control over the board is crucial, and incorporating a mix of removal spells that can address both single targets and wider threats will serve you well in outmaneuvering decks that rely on this proficient professor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Professor of Zoomancy // Professor of Zoomancy MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven Art Series and Strixhaven Art Series, 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 Professor of Zoomancy // Professor of Zoomancy and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Professor of Zoomancy // Professor of Zoomancy Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Rudy Siswanto.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-04-23Strixhaven Art SeriesASTX 182015Art seriesBorderlessRudy Siswanto
22021-04-23Strixhaven Art SeriesASTX 18s2015Art seriesBorderlessRudy Siswanto
32021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 1402015NormalBlackRudy Siswanto

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Professor of Zoomancy has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal