Wake the Reflections MTG Card
2013-05-03 - Number 10
2017-03-17 - Number 28
2019-11-07 - Number 269
2020-09-26 - Number MM3-28
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Populate |
Text of card
Populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of a creature token you control.)
"You see a bird, an oak, a packbeast. I see the potential for an army." —Lalia, Selesnya dryad
Cards like Wake the Reflections
Wake the Reflections stands out in the realm of token generation spells within Magic: The Gathering. Its similarity to other token creatives such as Gather the Townsfolk is evident, with both cards producing creature tokens. However, Wake the Reflections has a unique twist — it capitalizes on populate, allowing players to copy a creature token they already control. In contrast, Gather the Townsfolk simply puts two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield, or five if you have less than 5 life.
Another parallel can be drawn with Rootborn Defenses. While it also features the populate mechanic, it comes with the added bonus of making your creatures indestructible for the turn. It provides dual utility, granting both protection and token amplification. Other spells like Sundering Growth not only allow you to populate but also destroy a target artifact or enchantment, which can be crucial in certain matchups.
Ultimately, Wake the Reflections provides a nifty niche for those looking to expand their token swarm quickly and efficiently. Its cost-efficiency can be pivotal for decks aiming to capitalize on large numbers of tokens and overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers.
Cards similar to Wake the Reflections by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wake the Reflections offers a unique form of card advantage by populating – or duplicating – a token you control. This ability can effectively double the impact of your most powerful tokens, tipping the scales in your favor without the need to draw additional cards.
Resource Acceleration: Populating at a low mana cost can significantly accelerate your in-game resources. By cloning a token that generates mana or has other resource-advancing abilities, Wake the Reflections can rapidly enhance your board position to establish a strong lead.
Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Wake the Reflections enables strategic planning, allowing you to expand your token army at a crucial moment of your turn. This can set up advantageous attacks or defenses that might catch an opponent off-guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Wake the Reflections does not directly require discarding, but as a situational card, it often leaves you desiring a more proactive play over holding it for the optimal moment, thus it indirectly pressures your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: While the mana cost is not demanding, being a white spell, Wake the Reflections restricts itself to decks that run white mana, possibly narrowing its utility in a diverse meta.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite costing only one white mana, Wake the Reflections can feel costly given it only populates—which may not always translate to high value, especially compared to other low-cost spells that might offer immediate impact on the game state.
Reasons to Include Wake the Reflections in Your Collection
Versatility: Wake the Reflections provides the ability to create instant board presence by populating token creatures. This can bolster strategies in token-generating decks or serve as a quick way to multiply an army.
Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that capitalize on the “populate” mechanic. In combination with cards that create powerful tokens, Wake the Reflections can be the key to explosive turns, often at a very low mana cost.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors go-wide strategies, this card can significantly contribute to the deck’s success. Especially relevant during turns where overwhelming the opponent with creature tokens can decide the game.
How to beat
Wake the Reflections is a unique spell that populates the battlefield by creating a token that’s a copy of a creature token you already control. To outplay this card, it’s essential to manage the tokens it aims to replicate. Controlling the token population with board wipes or targeted removals before Wake the Reflection reflects substantial value will limit its impact. Removal spells like Doom Blade for creatures or Echoing Truth for copies can be effective countermeasures.
Another strategy is to use counterspells to prevent Wake the Reflections from resolving in the first place, which is especially pertinent in formats where players frequently rely on token-generating strategies. Spells like Mana Leak or Negate can be a timely and cost-effective deterrent. Lastly, keeping an eye on the token generators themselves and denying your opponent the foothold needed to capitalize on Wake the Reflections can dismantle their strategy from the foundation up.
Conclusively, the key to suppressing the advantage gained from Wake the Reflections lies in preemptive measures and maintaining control over the board state. By anticipating this maneuver, one can deploy the right tactics to mitigate or fully negate the threat it represents.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wake the Reflections MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze and Modern Masters 2017, 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 Wake the Reflections and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Wake the Reflections Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-05-03 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Cynthia Sheppard.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-05-03 | Dragon's Maze | DGM | 10 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard | |
| 2 | 2017-03-17 | Modern Masters 2017 | MM3 | 28 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 269 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | MM3-28 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cynthia Sheppard |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wake the Reflections 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 Wake the Reflections card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | Any “as -his creature] enters the battlefield” or “ -his creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the new token will work. |
| 2013-04-15 | If you choose to copy a creature token that’s a copy of another creature, the new creature token will copy the characteristics of whatever the original token is copying. |
| 2013-04-15 | If you control no creature tokens when you populate, nothing will happen. |
| 2013-04-15 | The new creature token copies the characteristics of the original token as stated by the effect that put the original token onto the battlefield. |
| 2013-04-15 | The new token doesn’t copy whether the original token is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any noncopy effects that have changed its power, toughness, color, and so on. |
| 2013-04-15 | You can choose any creature token you control for populate. If a spell or ability puts a token onto the battlefield under your control and then instructs you to populate (as Coursers’ Accord does), you may choose to copy the token you just created, or you may choose to copy another creature token you control. |