Rayne, Academy Chancellor MTG Card
1999-06-07 - Number 43
2020-09-26 - Number UDS-43
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Wizard |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Whenever you or a permanent you control is the target of a spell or ability controlled by one of your opponents, you may draw a card, and if Rayne, Academy Chancellor is enchanted, you may draw another card.
Cards like Rayne, Academy Chancellor
Rayne, Academy Chancellor is a unique card in Magic: The Gathering, revered for its ability to capitalize on opponents’ actions. Within the realm of drawing extra cards, Rhystic Study is a card that presents a parallel advantage, drawing cards whenever an opponent casts a spell unless they pay additional mana. Just like Rayne, it allows players to benefit from opponents’ moves without the need for direct combat or interactions.
Consecrated Sphinx is another high-value creature with a comparable benefit. It triggers off each card an opponent draws, doubling its yield and compounding a player’s card advantage. While Rayne requires a player’s permanents to be targeted to draw, Consecrated Sphinx calls for no such condition, allowing for a more passive strategy.
Finally, Phyrexian Arena offers a similar constant draw but differs from Rayne in its inevitability. It doesn’t rely on opponents’ actions at all, granting a new card each upkeep at the cost of 1 life. Each of these cards allows for different strategies to flourish, with Rayne, Academy Chancellor enabling a more interactive and reactionary playstyle that can powerfully deter opponents’ targeting strategies.
Cards similar to Rayne, Academy Chancellor by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Rayne, Academy Chancellor provides a consistent source of card advantage. With her on the board, each time an opponent targets a spell or ability at you or a permanent you control, you get to draw a card. This allows you to replenish your hand, ensuring you have answers and threats at your disposal.
Resource Acceleration: While Rayne herself does not directly produce mana, the cards drawn thanks to her ability can lead to drawing into mana sources or ramp spells. This indirect resource acceleration keeps the engine of your deck running smoothly, allowing you to outpace your opponents in both resources and options.
Instant Speed: The ability to gain card advantage at instant speed with Rayne is a major boon. Whenever your opponent targets your cards on their turn, you draw in response, potentially giving you immediate new resources to utilize during your next turn. This reactive capability keeps you flexible and adaptive in the face of your opponent’s actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Rayne, Academy Chancellor, while there’s no direct discard cost, its ability relies on you losing another card (either from play or hand) to trigger, which could be detrimental when you’re trying to maintain hand advantage or board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both generic and blue mana, specifically two blue, which can be restrictive for multicolored decks that might struggle to consistently produce the necessary blue mana sources, making it less versatile than cards with a more flexible mana cost.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of three mana, Rayne, Academy Chancellor may come into play later than other impactful cards or enchantments in blue that offer immediate card draw or control abilities. This potentially slows down your game plan in faster-paced matches.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Rayne, Academy Chancellor offers a significant advantage in decks that synergize with spells and abilities, as she can draw you a card whenever your permanents become targets of spells or abilities your opponents control. This opens up opportunities in a vast array of blue-based control or combo decks.
Combo Potential: Her ability to generate card draw pairs excellently with cards that have targeting abilities. Use her in conjunction with targeted spells or abilities to turn any interaction with your board into an opportunity to gain more resources, fueling your strategy and outpacing your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where spot removal and targeted effects are commonplace, Rayne, Academy Chancellor shines by turning potential setbacks into card advantage. Especially in formats like Commander, where every card drawn can tip the balance, her passive ability keeps you ahead in the resource game. This makes her a powerhouse in interactive and reactive game states.
How to Beat
Rayne, Academy Chancellor lends a unique resilience to a player’s spells and permanents in Magic: The Gathering by allowing you to draw a card whenever it or another permanent you control becomes the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. While on the surface this might seem hard to counteract, there are strategic ways to diminish Rayne’s influence on the game.
Utilizing global effects that don’t target, such as board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation, can remove Rayne without triggering her effect. Another tactic is to bypass her abilities altogether by pressuring your opponent with untargetable creatures, using cards with hexproof or shroud to minimize the card advantage they gain. Prioritizing removal spells that exile, like Path to Exile, or that cause the player to sacrifice a creature, such as Diabolic Edict, can subvert Rayne’s ability as they don’t target the card directly, reducing the chance for your opponent to draw. Denying card advantage is key, and using discarding strategies, like Thoughtseize or Duress, can disrupt your opponent’s hand and strategy rendering Rayne less effective.
Additionally, having counterplay for when Rayne triggers is wise. Strategies that benefit from each card your opponent draws, such as Underworld Dreams, can turn Rayne’s advantage against her. With the right setup, Rayne, Academy Chancellor can be managed effectively, ensuring that this potent card doesn’t overrun the flow of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Rayne, Academy Chancellor MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny and The List, 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 Rayne, Academy Chancellor 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
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Printings
The Rayne, Academy Chancellor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-06-07 and 1999-06-07. Illustrated by Matthew D. Wilson.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-06-07 | Urza's Destiny | UDS | 43 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Matthew D. Wilson | |
| 2 | The List | PLST | UDS-43 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Matthew D. Wilson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Rayne, Academy Chancellor has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Rayne, Academy Chancellor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If a spell or ability targets multiple permanents you control or targets you and one or more of your permanents, this triggers once for each such target. |
| 2004-10-04 | The “if” in the card text does not have a special meaning. You check if this card is enchanted when the ability resolves and draw 1 or 2 cards. |
| 2005-08-01 | When casting an Aura on this card, the triggered ability will resolve before the Aura enters the battlefield. |