Reckless Amplimancer MTG Card
2021-04-23 - Number 141
2022-12-02 - Number 716
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Druid |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Quickly magnifies threat level, making it a formidable force that opponents must address in game play.
- Instant speed activation allows for flexible, strategic play and can catch opponents off guard.
- Discarding and specific mana costs are downsides, requiring careful deck construction and play style.
Text of card
: Double Reckless Amplimancer's power and toughness until end of turn.
"Linear growth? What am I, a first-year?"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: By potentially doubling its power and toughness each turn, Reckless Amplimancer can become a significant threat that demands an answer from your opponent, thereby tipping the scales in your favor over the course of the game.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly impacting your mana pool, Reckless Amplimancer allows for a more efficient use of mana. As it only requires a moderate initial investment and then scales its power without additional card deployment, it lets you maintain other resources in hand while still developing a formidable presence on the board.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate its power-increasing ability at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond during your opponent’s turn. This not only allows for surprise blocks or damage adjustments but also positions you to better manage your resources while keeping your strategic options open.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Reckless Amplimancer requires you to discard another card to activate its ability, which can set back your hand advantage, particularly detrimental in fast-paced games where card economy is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost demands both red and green mana, making it less flexible for inclusion in decks that run on a broader color spectrum or those that cannot consistently produce both types of mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To fully utilize the Reckless Amplimancer’s potential, a substantial investment is necessary. Its activation cost, which is high relative to its base stats, means it competes with other 4-mana spells that may provide immediate impact or more substantial board presence.
Reasons to Include Reckless Amplimancer in Your Collection
Versatility: Reckless Amplimancer offers adaptability to any deck looking to leverage mana ramp. As a creature that can amplify its power, it can be an early game threat or a late game finisher, fitting seamlessly into various playstyles.
Combo Potential: Being able to double its power and toughness can pave the way for explosive turns, especially when combined with effects that trigger upon dealing combat damage or creature size increases.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where board presence and sizeable creatures are crucial, Reckless Amplimancer holds its own. It can quickly outsize opponent’s creatures and dominate the battlefield, making it a worthwhile pick in creature-focused strategies.
How to beat
Reckless Amplimancer offers a unique dynamic on the battlefield that Magic: The Gathering players should be ready for. This creature forces adversaries to rethink their strategies with its mana-fueled growth capability. Neutralizing it early is key, as its power can balloon rapidly with its mana-growth ability. Tactics such as direct removal spells can efficiently address the threat it poses. Cards like Fatal Push can nip the Amplimancer in the bud before it amplifies beyond control.
It’s also wise to counter its ability activations directly. Counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak are great at stopping the Amplimancer’s potential expansion in its tracks. When considering board control, look at mass removal options such as Wrath of God to reset the playing field and eliminate the Amplimancer regardless of its size. Don’t forget that when not dealt with, the longer it stays in play, the more mana can be funneled into it, making it a bigger and bigger threat. Therefore, timing is essential in disrupting the Amplimancer’s game plan – act swiftly and decisively.
Overall, while Reckless Amplimancer can be a game-changer, know that it can be contained. As with many threats in Magic: The Gathering, a well-timed response is your greatest weapon. Prepare your deck with appropriate countermeasures, and the Amplimancer’s recklessness can swiftly be turned into a non-issue.
Cards like Reckless Amplimancer
Reckless Amplimancer joins the ranks of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering with the potential to swiftly escalate the threat level on the board. Its capabilities can be likened to other creature cards, such as Wild Beastmaster. Both cards share the strategy of leveraging their power to create game-altering advantages; however, where Wild Beastmaster grants a bonus to your other creatures based on its power, Reckless Amplimancer focuses on self-empowerment, doubling its own might and toughness.
When sizing up other similar creatures, Aquastrand Spider stands out for its graft ability, allowing the transfer of +1/+1 counters to other creatures, a subtle yet pivotal form of power augmentation different from Reckless Amplimancer’s direct growth. Yet, compared to the spider, Amplimancer boasts the capacity to double its stats independently and without the need for board presence or additional mana investment beyond its activation cost.
Fauna Shaman is another comparable card for its utility in sculpting your hand by discarding and searching for creatures, but it doesn’t offer the same explosive attack power progression as Reckless Amplimancer. Each card possesses unique attributes, and while they vary in approach, Reckless Amplimancer stands out for its aggressive and potential game-ending ability to become a massive threat if left unchecked.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Reckless Amplimancer MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Reckless Amplimancer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Printings
The Reckless Amplimancer Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Yigit Koroglu.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven: School of Mages | STX | 141 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yigit Koroglu | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 716 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yigit Koroglu |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Reckless Amplimancer 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 Reckless Amplimancer 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 | If a creature’s power is less than 0 when it’s doubled, instead that creature gets -X/-0, where X is how much less than 0 its power is. For example, if an effect has given Reckless Amplimancer -4/-0 so that it’s a -2/2 creature, doubling its power and toughness gives it -2/+2, and it becomes a -4/4 creature. |
| 2021-04-16 | If an effect instructs you to “double” a creature’s power, that creature gets +X/+0, where X is its power as that effect begins to apply. The same is true for toughness. |
