Research Assistant MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 2014-07-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic 2015 |
| Set code | M15 |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 77 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Svetlin Velinov |
Text of card
, : Draw a card, then discard a card.
There are many words and phrases that can cause an experienced wizard to tremble in fear. Chief among them is "oops."
Cards like Research Assistant
Research Assistant is another intriguing piece in the puzzle that is mana manipulation and card advantage in Magic: The Gathering. Bearing semblance to cards like Merfolk Looter and Thought Courier, Research Assistant offers players the power to filter through their deck. Each of these cards has a tap ability that allows for drawing and then discarding a card, but Research Assistant requires an additional two mana to activate this feature.
Among its counterparts, Azure Mage stands out with its mana-intensive draw ability, which does not involve discarding. Though this offers a purer form of card advantage, it comes at a notable increase in mana cost compared to Research Assistant’s filter ability. Similarly, Looter il-Kor also lets players draw and discard, with the added benefit of being unblockable, thus providing an alternate avenue of pressure on opponents.
Ultimately, Research Assistant finds its niche in MTG for players who favor flexibility and control over their deck’s flow, albeit at a higher cost than some of its counterparts. It might not be the mightiest, but its flavor and functional adaptability earn it a spot in setups geared towards deliberate card selection and long-term strategy.
Cards similar to Research Assistant by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Research Assistant offers an incremental way to look through your deck, helping you find key pieces and maintain a hand superiority against your opponents. By converting less useful cards in the moment into new draws, it helps sustain your options and keeps the pressure on your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: This card grants the ability to filter through your deck, potentially thinning it of unnecessary draws and speeding up your access to the more crucial spells. While not direct ramp, the selection process can trim down the time to reach valuable resources within your deck.
Instant Speed: One of the subtle abilities of Research Assistant is its instant-speed activation. This flexibility allows interactive gameplay, enabling you to hold up mana for reactive plays or end-of-turn actions, thereby keeping your opponents guessing and making efficient use of your resources.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the strategic world of MTG, the Research Assistant demands that a card be discarded to activate its ability. This can put players in an uncomfortable spot if they’re clutching crucial cards they’d rather not lose.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana needed to summon Research Assistant includes blue mana, making it exclusive to decks that can produce this color. This requirement potentially hinders deck diversity and may not align with all strategic approaches.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to utilize Research Assistant’s ability is not negligible when weighed against other cards with similar effects. Savvy players might find that the investment isn’t quite justified when there are options that strike a better balance between cost and utility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Research Assistant offers utility across various deck builds, being a blue creature with loot ability, it enables players to streamline their hand by discarding unneeded cards, all while fostering graveyard strategies.
Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies that capitalize on card draw and discard mechanics. Its synergy with graveyard-utilizing cards can be a game-changer in decks designed to leverage the combined power of spells in hand and in the graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: Given its role in shaping hand contents and graveyard dynamics, Research Assistant holds its ground in environments where control decks seek incremental advantages. Its ability to selectively churn through the deck makes it relevant in matchups that hinge on key card interactions.
How to beat
Overcoming Research Assistant in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategic approach. This utility creature facilitates card draw through its tap ability, promoting hand refinement for your opponent. However, there are several techniques to negate its benefits. Utilizing removal spells or abilities that can target creatures without summoning sickness is key, as opponents need to tap Research Assistant to activate its ability. Cards that restrict creature activations or tap abilities can also hinder the Research Assistant’s effectiveness. Using instant-speed interaction is advantageous, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s attempts to draw and keep their board under control.
Another method to deal with Research Assistant is by applying pressure on the game’s tempo. Aggressive play, bolstered by swift creatures and damage spells, can challenge your opponent’s capability to spare mana for card draw, forcing them into a defensive stance. This often results in Research Assistant being relegated to a blocker, instead of an asset for card advantage. Furthermore, enchantments or artifacts that inhibit the abilities of creatures or punish tapping for non-mana abilities can further suppress Research Assistant’s contribution to your opponent’s strategy.
In essence, maintaining board control, employing instant-speed interaction, and accelerating the tempo are effective strategies against Research Assistant, ensuring that its impact on the game’s card flow is minimized while pressuring your opponent.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Research Assistant MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015, 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 Research Assistant 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Research Assistant has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |