Stonebound Mentor MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit Advisor |
| Abilities | Scry |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 239 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Svetlin Velinov |
Key Takeaways
- Stonebound Mentor’s card advantage grows from graveyard synergy, aiding decks specialized in self-mill or reanimation.
- The Mentor requires careful hand management due to its discard trigger, potentially risking critical card loss.
- In deck construction, it serves as a versatile tool for strategies focused on maximizing graveyard interactions.
Text of card
Whenever one or more cards leave your graveyard, scry 1.
Quintorius beamed, his mind eager to absorb every historical fact the spirit wanted to divulge.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Stonebound Mentor provides an edge by allowing you to scry every time a graveyard gets a new card, thus subtly increasing your chances of drawing the cards you need to win.
Resource Acceleration: This reliable three-drop creature can synergize with decks that focus on self-mill or reanimation strategies, potentially accelerating your game plan by giving you access to your key pieces faster.
Instant Speed: While the Stonebound Mentor itself isn’t an instant, it interacts beneficially with instant-speed spells that fill your graveyard, like cards with the Flashback or Jump-start mechanic, turning an ordinary instant into an advantage-generating tool.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Stonebound Mentor necessitates the discarding of a card for its ability to trigger. This condition can be a setback when your hand is already depleted or when vital cards in hand are too valuable to lose.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific mana composition to cast — one red and two colorless mana. This may not seamlessly fit into decks that are not based around red mana or multi-colored decks not featuring red.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three total mana, the mentor’s ability may not justify the cost when compared to other cards in the same mana range that could provide a more immediate or impactful advantage on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include Stonebound Mentor in Your Collection
Versatility: Stonebound Mentor is a valuable addition to strategies that benefit from graveyard interactions. Its ability to draw you a card after a creature leaves your graveyard makes it a universal fit for decks that leverage self-mill or reanimation tactics.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combos that repeatedly cycle creatures in and out of the graveyard. Its synergy with cards that sacrifice creatures for greater effects allows for consistent card draw and fuels your hand for continued plays.
Meta-Relevance: In-game environments that are heavy on creature removal, Stonebound Mentor provides persistent value as it turns each creature’s demise into a new draw opportunity. It keeps your hand healthy in attrition-based games, maintaining pressure on your opponent.
How to beat
Stonebound Mentor brings a novel dynamic to the playfield, bolstering your strategic depth in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its ability to dredge up the past, it allows you to peel cards off your deck upon drawing, effectively placing them directly into your graveyard. This can be a boon for graveyard-based strategies, but it also presents a clear counterplay opportunity.
Negating the advantage that Stonebound Mentor provides requires a twofold approach. Firstly, controlling your opponent’s graveyard is paramount. Utilize cards like Scavenging Ooze or Rest in Peace to wipe away the potentially potent plays before they can take hold. Secondly, deploying efficient removal spells ensures that Stonebound Mentor doesn’t linger on the battlefield, this includes creatures like Skyclave Apparition or direct removal spells such as Path to Exile, which bypass the mentor’s influence without delay.
Ultimately, Stonebound Mentor can be a powerhouse if left unchecked. Yet, with vigilant management of the graveyard and preemptive creature control, you can diffuse its impact and maintain dominance over your match in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Stonebound Mentor
Stonebound Mentor brings unique dynamics to the gameplay in Magic: The Gathering, much like its counterparts that dabble in the retrieval of cards from the graveyard. It has a familiar echo to Tymaret, Chosen from Death, which allows players to exile up to two target cards from graveyards. But Stonebound Mentor has a distinct advantage with its ability to offer consistent draw by revealing cards upon escaping.
Another peer in revealing strategies would be Wall of Omens, which provides an immediate card draw upon entering the battlefield. While Wall of Omens offers a defensive edge, Stonebound Mentor’s emphasis is on synergizing with strategies that revolve around the graveyard, setting it apart with a different strategic direction. Additionally, Satyr Wayfinder shares a graveyard interaction by enabling players to dig for land cards and shuffle others into the graveyard, subtly supporting a longer-term plan. Unlike Satyr Wayfinder, Stonebound Mentor effectively turn escapes into drawing opportunities.
When evaluating the effectiveness of Stonebound Mentor in a deck that thrives on graveyard interactions, it’s evident that its ability to convert escaping actions into card advantage is an invaluable asset. This makes it a card that cannot be easily ignored in specific MTG strategies focusing on recurring resources.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Stonebound Mentor 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 Stonebound Mentor 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Stonebound Mentor 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 Stonebound Mentor 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 multiple cards leave your graveyard as part of the same event, Stonebound Mentor’s ability will trigger only once. |