Silverquill Pledgemage MTG Card

Silverquill Pledgemage - Strixhaven: School of Mages

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Vampire Cleric
Abilities	Magecraft
Released	2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Set code	STX
Power	3
Toughness	1
Number	233
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Denman Rooke

Key Takeaways

Silverquill Pledgemage excels in decks that utilize card draw and graveyard mechanics for card advantage.
This creature’s magecraft ability bolsters tactical play with instant and sorcery spell synergy.
Challenges include managing its specific mana cost and high investment for its mana curve.

Text of card

Magecraft — Whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, Silverquill Pledgemage gains your choice of flying or lifelink until end of turn.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Silverquill Pledgemage can contribute to card advantage by offering multicolor synergy in decks that aim for efficient card draw or graveyard recursion. Its presence can often necessitate a response from your opponent, effectively making them divert resources and potentially losing card equilibrium.

Resource Acceleration: As a 3/1 creature for three mana that fits seamlessly into the aggressive Silverquill archetype, this pledgemage can apply early pressure, potentially accelerating your resource damage against an opponent’s life total, which can be as critical as accumulating mana or cards in hand.

Instant Speed: With magecraft that triggers whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, the versatility at instant speed enables you to create a larger, lifelink or flying threat in the midst of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, thus enhancing both the tactical depth and surprise factor of your plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The twist to wielding the power of the Silverquill Pledgemage is a deck strategy that sometimes requires you to discard a card to activate its full potential. This can present a challenge when you’re already stretched thin on cards in hand and need to maintain your resources for crucial plays.

Specific Mana Cost: The Pledgemage comes with a mana cost that requires both white and black mana. This specificity can make it a bit of a puzzle piece in a deck, fitting in only if you’re committing to a Silverquill or multicolor strategy, potentially leaving mono-color enthusiasts looking elsewhere.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you look at the mana curve of your deck, Silverquill Pledgemage’s cost stands out. Needing three mana might seem modest at first glance, but it’s a significant investment in the early game. Especially when considering other cards in your deck that could provide similar or greater impact for a lesser cost, the Pledgemage’s worth might be weighed and found wanting.

Reasons to Include Silverquill Pledgemage in Your Collection

Versatility: Silverquill Pledgemage demonstrates remarkable flexibility across various deck builds. It fits comfortably in an aggressive strategy while offering substantial mid-game stability for more controlling decks. The ability to choose between flying or lifelink each time it attacks also allows for dynamic game play that can adapt to changing board states.

Combo Potential: As a mage-student with both the silverquill’s might and ability to leverage spells, this card synergizes exceptionally well with decks that aim to cast multiple spells in a turn. The prowess-like ability increases its power, making it an excellent addition to strategies focusing on instant and sorcery spells.

Meta-Relevance: In a gaming environment where creature-based combat is prevalent, Silverquill Pledgemage stands out. Its potential to either gain life or soar over ground-based blockers makes it relevant in a broad spread of match-ups. This adaptability ensures that it remains a solid pick for both casual and more competitive MTG players looking to refine their deck’s performance.

How to beat

Silverquill Pledgemage is a versatile creature that shines in multicolored decks within Magic: The Gathering. Its unique mechanic, which allows it to gain flying or lifelink depending on the spell’s color, can pose a challenge on the battlefield. To counteract this adaptable creature, players should consider removal spells that don’t rely on color. Unconditional removal such as “Murder” or “Doom Blade” can bypass the Pledgemage’s benefits by removing it from play without triggering its ability.

Control is also an effective strategy. Counter spells, like “Counterspell” or “Neutralize,” stop the Pledgemage before it even enters the battlefield, providing an efficient solution. Additionally, players can resort to sweepers like “Day of Judgment” or “Wrath of God” to clear the field of multiple threats, including the Pledgemage, without having to target it specifically.

Adjusting your play style can also be key. By limiting the spells that trigger the Pledgemage’s abilities, or by strategically timing your spells to avoid giving it an advantage, you can mitigate its impact. Overall, while the Silverquill Pledgemage is a formidable creature, there are multiple strategies and cards to consider when looking to maintain control of the game.

Cards like Silverquill Pledgemage

Silverquill Pledgemage is a unique creature card that finds its home within the multicolor decks of Magic: The Gathering. It shares similar trails with other mage types like the Storm-Kiln Artist, particularly in leveraging spellcasting to gain advantages. While the Storm-Kiln Artist grants you a Treasure token each time you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, the Silverquill Pledgemage uses its magecraft ability differently. Each time you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, it gains your choice of flying or lifelink until end of turn – a potentially game-shifting boon that can either protect against aerial threats or bolster your life total.

Another close relative is Clever Lumimancer, a creature that also benefits from the magecraft mechanic. However, Clever Lumimancer gains +2/+2 until end of turn for each spell cast, an effect more centered on offensive capabilities without the versatility of Silverquill Pledgemage’s choice-driven adaptability. Additionally, comparing it to the Skyclave Shade reveals a prioritization of resilience over dynamic magecraft prowess since Skyclave Shade can return from the graveyard – an ability the Pledgemage does not possess.

Despite the differences, these cards all emphasize the power of spells to trigger impactful effects, a common thread in Magic: The Gathering’s gameplay dynamic. Yet, among magecraft creatures, Silverquill Pledgemage stands out for its strategic flexibility and choice-based tactical opportunities.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Silverquill Pledgemage MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Silverquill Pledgemage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Silverquill Pledgemage has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Silverquill Pledgemage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2021-04-16	Each magecraft ability has a different effect, although they all have the same trigger condition, whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell.
2021-04-16	For example, if you control Archmage Emeritus and cast an instant or sorcery spell, Archmage Emeritus’s magecraft ability will trigger and you will draw a card.
2021-04-16	If an effect creates a copy of an instant or sorcery spell, this will also cause the magecraft ability to trigger.
2021-04-16	If an effect creates multiple copies of an instant or sorcery spell, magecraft abilities trigger once for each copy created by the effect.
2021-04-16	Some effects instruct you to copy an instant or sorcery card in a zone other than the stack. These copies do not cause magecraft abilities to trigger. However, most effects that do this also allow you to cast the copy, and casting the copy will cause magecraft abilities to trigger.