Thunderscape Familiar MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Kavu |
| Abilities | First strike |
| Released | 2001-02-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Planeshift |
| Set code | PLS |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 76 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Daren Bader |
Text of card
First strike Black spells and green spells you play cost o1 less to play.
Thunderscape masters release familiars to help guide their apprentices down the thunderscape path.
Cards like Thunderscape Familiar
Thunderscape Familiar is an intriguing creature card that shares similarities with others that reduce the mana cost of spells. Its kinship is most closely related to cards like Nightscape Familiar, Sunscape Familiar, and Stormscape Familiar, which each reduce the cost of spells of particular colors. While Thunderscape Familiar lowers the cost of red and green spells, Nightscape Familiar does the same for red and blue spells, emphasizing flexibility in different deck builds.
Sunscape Familiar reduces the cost of green and white spells and comes with an extra ability to draw a card, offering a slight advantage in terms of utility. Conversely, Stormscape Familiar brings cost reduction to white and blue spells, alongside flying, which grants it a strategic edge in terms of evasion. Although each Familiar comes with its own secondary ability, the core appeal remains their capability to streamline mana usage.
In essence, for players looking to optimize the casting of red and green spells, Thunderscape Familiar stands out as a beneficial ally, smoothly integrating into decks built around these colors, and enhancing the dynamics of spell casting economy in the game of MTG.
Cards similar to Thunderscape Familiar by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thunderscape Familiar reduces the cost of your red and green spells, indirectly leading to a higher pace of play and allowing you to draw into your deck more efficiently. This can sustain or build your hand, keeping you equipped with resources to outmaneuver opponents.
Resource Acceleration: The cost reduction effect of Thunderscape Familiar acts as a form of resource acceleration, enabling you to deploy more spells sooner than usual. This can be particularly impactful for decks that rely on a quick build-up of board presence or that combo with multiple red or green spells in a single turn.
Instant Speed: While Thunderscape Familiar itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the mana savings it provides can keep your reserves open. That means you can react with instant speed spells, offering strategic flexibility and the potential to surprise an adversary during their turn, without sacrificing your development.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Thunderscape Familiar may lower the cost of red and green spells, players must remain aware of this card’s requirement to potentially discard for other effects or synergies within their deck. This could lead to a deficit in hand size, putting you at a disadvantage in longer games.
Specific Mana Cost: Thunderscape Familiar’s utility is somewhat limited by its mana cost, which is rigid in requiring one black and one generic mana. This makes it less flexible for inclusion in multicolored decks that don’t heavily feature black mana or run a tight mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although it offers a cost reduction for other spells, Thunderscape Familiar itself comes at the expense of two mana. For decks looking to optimize mana curves, there might be reluctance to allocate two mana for a creature that doesn’t immediately impact the board state or offer a substantial threat.
Reasons to Include Thunderscape Familiar in Your Collection
Versatility: Thunderscape Familiar brings cost-reduction to the table, making spells that share its colors, particularly red and black spells, more mana-efficient to cast. This capability makes it fit seamlessly into a broad array of deck strategies that are looking to optimize spellcasting.
Combo Potential: As a creature that lowers the casting cost of certain spells, it holds the potential to combo with storm or cascade mechanics found within its color identity, enabling a faster and more impactful execution of combos in-game.
Meta-Relevance: Depending on the metagame, where red and black spells might be dominant due to their power or the presence of specific deck archetypes, having Thunderscape Familiar can be a strategic move to gain a slight edge over opponents by casting powerful spells ahead of curve.
How to beat
Thunderscape Familiar challenges players with its cost-reduction ability for red and green spells, making it a subtle but strategic asset in Magic: The Gathering matchups. When facing this familiar, it’s essential to address its presence quickly as it allows your opponent to cast powerful spells sooner than usual. Efficient removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can deal with the creature before the cost reduction becomes a significant advantage. Strategies that limit the number of creatures on the battlefield, such as board wipes or control decks, also prove effective against it.
Another approach is to outrun the familiar’s advantage by focusing on a faster, more aggressive game plan. By placing early pressure on your opponent, you can force them to defend rather than capitalize on the cost-reducing benefits of Thunderscape Familiar. If your deck is versatile, incorporating both removal and rapid assault, you’ll be well-positioned to navigate around the challenges posed by this card and secure victory.
Ultimately, recognizing the potential acceleration Thunderscape Familiar affords and including answers to it in your deck will be key in mitigating its impact on the game. Swiftly executed strategies will prevent your opponent from making the most of this card’s value-enhancing ability.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thunderscape Familiar MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Thunderscape Familiar and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thunderscape Familiar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thunderscape Familiar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Can never affect the colored part of the cost. |
| 2004-10-04 | If a spell is both black and green, you pay less, not less. |
| 2004-10-04 | If this card is sacrificed to pay part of a spell’s cost, the cost reduction still applies. |
| 2004-10-04 | The effect is cumulative. |
| 2004-10-04 | The generic X cost is still considered generic even if there is a requirement that a specific color be used for it. For example, “only black mana can be spent this way”. This distinction is important for effects which reduce the generic portion of a spell’s cost. |
| 2004-10-04 | The lower cost is not optional like with some other cost reducers. |
| 2004-10-04 | This can lower the cost to zero, but not below zero. |