Sage's Row Savant MTG Card

Sage’s Row Savant aids in card selection, smoothing out draws to align with your game strategy. The card faces limitations in multicolor decks due to its specific mana requirements. Its scrying ability makes it a valuable piece in any blue-based strategic deck build.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Vedalken Wizard
Abilities Scry
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

When Sage's Row Savant enters the battlefield, scry 2.

The streets of Ravnica are full of former guild members now using their institutional skills for personal gain.

Cards like Sage's Row Savant

Sage’s Row Savant has found its place in the realm of creature-based card selection in MTG. This card resonates with the essence of strategic play, much like its cousin Omenspeaker. Both creatures allow you to scry when they enter the battlefield, aiding in deck manipulation. However, Sage’s Row Savant offers a deeper scry of two cards compared to the singular scry from Omenspeaker, providing a slight edge in forecasting upcoming rounds.

Another parallel can be drawn with Augur of Bolas, a creature that rather than scrying, lets you reveal the top three cards of your library and add an instant or sorcery card to your hand. Although Augur of Bolas is specific in its benefits, Sage’s Row Savant doesn’t limit your foresight to card type, allowing for a more versatile deck sculpting technique.

In the ecosystem of MTG, each card serves a pivotal role in deck optimization. Sage’s Row Savant stands as a testament to this by offering a robust scry ability that’s crucial for players aiming to strategize their next move. It’s this flexibility and foresight that solidify its position among similar MTG cards.

Omenspeaker - MTG Card versions
Augur of Bolas - MTG Card versions
Omenspeaker - MTG Card versions
Augur of Bolas - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Sage’s Row Savant enters the battlefield, it immediately helps you sculpt your hand by enabling you to look at the top two cards of your library, then put one into your hand and the other into your graveyard. This smooths out draws and can potentially net you the right answers or threats at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: While Sage’s Row Savant itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, its ability to filter cards effectively can help you dig for land drops or key spells that accelerate your game plan, ensuring that you’re efficiently progressing towards your strategy every turn.

Instant Speed: This particular card does not have an instant speed interaction; however, it sets the stage for instant speed shenanigans. The information gained by seeing the upcoming cards can inform decisions on when and what to play at instant speed later on, thus indirectly impacting your instant speed plays with informed decision-making.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sage’s Row Savant requires players to have specific cards in hand to utilize its ability fully, which can be a setback when hand size is low or when trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of blue mana, potentially restricting its incorporation into multi-color decks that might struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its cost set at two mana for a 2/1 creature that provides card selection rather than card advantage, there are other creatures or spells that could be more mana-efficient for the same or even a broader effect.

Reasons to Include Sage’s Row Savant in Your Collection

Versatility: Sage’s Row Savant offers consistency in decks requiring card selection. Its ability to scry upon entering the battlefield makes it a flexible addition to various blue-based strategies, ensuring you get the spells or lands you need when you need them.

Combo Potential: In combination-themed decks, the scry action from this creature can set up the perfect draw to execute complex plays. This can be essential for decks that rely on specific interactions between cards to win games.

Meta-Relevance: Given its role in fine-tuning your next moves, Sage’s Row Savant’s value increases in metas where precise plays and anticipatory strategy are key. It’s a smart pick for players looking to refine their decks’ responses to ever-shifting competitive landscapes.

How to beat

Sage’s Row Savant is a card that can strengthen a player’s hand by providing card selection early in the game. This creature allows its controller to scrutinize the top of their library, helping to set up future draws strategically. To overcome its advantage, the key is to limit its usefulness or remove it from the battlefield. Since it only has 2 toughness, any removal spell or ability that can deal at least 2 damage should be effective.

A well-timed Lightning Bolt or similar direct damage spell can take out the Savant before its controller can derive too much benefit from its library manipulation. Additionally, it’s important to maintain pressure on the opponent to force difficult decisions – whether to block with their Savant and lose their card selection advantage or take damage and risk falling behind on board presence. Countering or discarding strategies can also disrupt the rhythm the Sage’s Row Savant player is trying to establish. In essence, dealing with it quickly and efficiently will prevent your opponent from gaining the upper hand in the duel.

In summary, while Sage’s Row Savant offers valuable card selection, addressing it proactively with removal or disruption ensures it doesn’t provide long-term advantages to your opponent in the match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sage's Row Savant MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Jumpstart, 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 Sage's Row Savant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sage's Row Savant Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Bastien L. Deharme.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 492015NormalBlackBastien L. Deharme
22020-07-17JumpstartJMP 1712015NormalBlackBastien L. Deharme
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 3412015NormalBlackBastien L. Deharme
42024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 972015NormalBlackBastien L. Deharme

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sage's Row Savant has restrictions

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