Cult Guildmage MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Shaman
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	164
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Victor Adame Minguez

Key Takeaways

Offers card advantage and strategic depth with instant speed abilities, enhancing gameplay dynamism.
Demands careful hand, and mana management, presenting both a strength and a challenge.
Potential for being a game-changer in black-red decks, with multi-use and meta-relevance.

Text of card

, : Target player discards a card. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery. , : Cult Guildmage deals 1 damage to target opponent or planeswalker.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cult Guildmage allows you to draw an additional card at the cost of mana and tapping, providing a steady flow of options and maintaining card advantage over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly offering resource acceleration, the card’s abilities can indirectly lead to resource gains by disrupting opponent strategies and maintaining control of the game’s pace.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Cult Guildmage’s abilities at instant speed ensures you can adapt to evolving game states, maximizing strategic depth and effective response times.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cult Guildmage’s ability is contingent on discarding a card, a potential setback if your hand is already depleted or contains valuable spells.

Specific Mana Cost: Activating the guildmage’s abilities requires a strict mana combination, demanding both black and red, which can restrict its incorporation into multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its tapped ability costing four mana, the Cult Guildmage can feel burdensome expense-wise, particularly when alternative options might provide similar benefits for less.

Reasons to Include Cult Guildmage in Your Collection

Versatility: Cult Guildmage fits comfortably into Rakdos decks or any black-red combination, excelling in strategies that manipulate opponents’ hands and boards. Its ability to force discards and deal direct damage provides flexible responses to various in-game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card’s tap ability works well with untap mechanics, unlocking the potential for multiple uses in a single turn. Also, its direct damage can be amplified by cards that increase spell damage, adding a layer of tactical depth.

Meta-Relevance: As creature-based strategies fluctuate in popularity, Cult Guildmage can act as a deterrent against opponents’ creatures-focused decks. Its presence on the board can impact opponents’ decisions, making them play more cautiously due to its direct damage threat.

How to beat

The Cult Guildmage is a multifaceted creature card in Magic: The Gathering, prized for its potential to control the game by manipulating both the hand and the battlefield. Its first ability allows players to whittle down their opponent’s hand, while the second can turn the tide by controlling creatures. However, there are effective strategies to counteract this card’s influence.

To surpass the challenges posed by Cult Guildmage, one must cut off its mana supply, as both abilities require mana investments. Utilizing instant-speed removal could put a swift end to the Guildmage before it wreaks havoc. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push are exemplary tools to eliminate it promptly, ensuring it can’t activate its abilities.

Another tactic is to target the player’s resources. Thwarting land development or imposing limits through cards like Damping Sphere could stem the Guildmage’s advantage. Similarly, deploying creatures or spells that can’t be targeted by abilities or that punish the opponent for activating them can turn Cult Guildmage’s assets into liabilities. In summary, although Cult Guildmage offers versatility, the key to beating it lies in swift removal or strategic resource restriction.

Cards like Cult Guildmage

Cult Guildmage stands out in the realm of creature cards with versatile abilities. This card is often compared to Rakdos Guildmage, which shares the same guild affinity and also provides dual utility. However, where Rakdos Guildmage restricts players to choose one of the abilities per turn, Cult Guildmage does not, granting players more strategic flexibility during their turns.

Similarly, we observe Goblin Electromancer, a creature that reduces the cost of instant and sorcery spells. While it doesn’t offer direct damage or manipulation like Cult Guildmage, its cost-reduction ability can be pivotal in spell-heavy decks, establishing a complementary role. Murmuring Mystic is another card warranting comparison; it might lack the direct opponent interaction provided by Cult Guildmage but instead excels in creating Bird Illusion tokens, which can rapidly populate the battlefield and shift the game’s momentum.

Ultimately, Cult Guildmage is a versatile choice for players building a Rakdos-themed deck in MTG. Its ability to fit into multiple strategies and to impact the game both directly and subtlety earns its place in the nuanced world of Magic: The Gathering.

Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cult Guildmage MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Cult Guildmage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cult Guildmage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal