Spawnbinder Mage MTG Card

The Mage’s cohort ability provides continuous creature tapping, significantly stalling opponent strategies. Its low casting cost integrates well early on, facilitating strategic plays and board development. Being able to activate its ability at instant speed presents unexpected challenges for opponents.

Spawnbinder Mage - Oath of the Gatewatch

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Wizard Ally
Abilities	Cohort
Released	2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set name	Oath of the Gatewatch
Set code	OGW
Power	2
Toughness	4
Number	35
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Text of card

Cohort — , Tap an untapped Ally you control: Tap target creature.

"Follow me. Step lightly. And resist the urge to kick them."

Cards like Spawnbinder Mage

The distinct functionality of Spawnbinder Mage enhances Magic: The Gathering’s line-up of creature control cards. It shares a kinship with fellow creature-tappers such as Blinding Mage, which allows players to tap target creatures at will. However, Spawnbinder Mage introduces a unique twist—the requirement of using mana along with a cohort to tap an opposing creature, offering a strategic layer in utilizing allies.

Examining Gideon’s Lawkeeper, we find a card that demonstrates the standalone tapping ability without external costs, simplifying the process but lacking the ally synergy of Spawnbinder Mage. Conversely, Icy Manipulator, while not a creature card itself, stands out with its broader utility, enabling the tapping of any card type but at a higher activation cost.

Upon comparing the aspects of control and utility among these cards, it’s clear that Spawnbinder Mage holds a special niche, particularly for decks that capitalize on cohort mechanics and ally interactions, thus establishing its unique position in the tapestry of control options within Magic: The Gathering.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Casting Spawnbinder Mage can be a strategic way to gain an upper hand in creature control. By utilizing its cohort ability, you are able to repeatedly tap down an opposing creature without losing card economy, effectively stalling your opponent’s plans while you develop your board state.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to mana production, Spawnbinder Mage’s low casting cost can smoothly fit into your curve, enabling you to allocate resources more effectively in the early to mid-game. This allows for a quicker deployment of other threats or answers in your deck.

Instant Speed: Spawnbinder Mage itself may not have flash, but the flexibility of its activated ability at instant speed is key. It enables you to surprise an opponent by tapping their potential attackers or blockers during their turn, keeping you in control of the pace of combat without having to commit to a play until the most opportune moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The downside to leveraging Spawnbinder Mage’s ability often involves a resource trade-off, obliging players to discard a card. This requirement could be particularly costly when your hand is already running low on spells and options, placing you at a potential disadvantage against opponents with fuller grips.

Specific Mana Cost: Spawnbinder Mage demands a precise mana arrangement to cast – one colorless and one white. This cost composition may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or mana-intensive decks, potentially restricting its integration to certain deck archetypes or strategies that can consistently provide the right type of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Spawnbinder Mage sits at a higher bracket where players expect significant impact from their creatures. Other cards in the same cost range may offer more immediate or potent effects, which makes the choice to include Spawnbinder Mage in your deck a matter of careful deckbuilding consideration.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spawnbinder Mage is a flexible addition to any deck that capitalizes on tapping and untapping creatures. Its ability to control the board by immobilizing potential threats makes it a good fit for decks focused on manipulating creature states.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with decks that aim to create lock-down scenarios, by pairing it with cards that untap creatures, you can effectively neutralize multiple threats each turn, making it a strategic piece in a combo-centric deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are dominant, Spawnbinder Mage’s ability to keep high-value targets tapped down offers a competitive edge. Its relevance rises especially in limited formats like Draft or Sealed where control elements are crucial.

How to beat

Spawnbinder Mage presents an engaging dynamic in Magic: The Gathering games. Known for its control ability, the card can bind an opponent’s creature each turn, potentially troubling if left unchecked. Nevertheless, you can outmaneuver Spawnbinder Mage’s restrictions through several strategies. Creature removal spells are a reliable solution, swiftly eliminating the Mage before its ability becomes a recurring nuisance. Utilizing instants like Lightning Bolt ensures the Mage doesn’t stick around to be a thorn in your side.

Additionally, enchantment-based removal spells can bypass the Mage’s ability, nullifying its effect without the need to engage in combat. Cards like Pacifism effectively neutralize threats without having to remove them from the board. Incorporating a variety of these responses in your deck enhances resilience against control tactics that cards like Spawnbinder Mage embody.

By analyzing your deck’s strengths and incorporating flexible answers, you can mitigate the influence of cards like Spawnbinder Mage in your MTG matches, securing your creatures’ freedom and maintaining an edge over control-heavy opponents.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spawnbinder Mage MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Spawnbinder Mage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spawnbinder Mage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-01-22	To activate a cohort ability, the Ally with that ability must have been under your control continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn. Informally, it can’t have “summoning sickness.” However, the other Ally you tap can be one that just came under your control. (Note that tapping the second Ally doesn’t use -he tap symbol].)