Magus of the Library MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Released	2007-02-02
Set symbol
Set name	Planar Chaos
Set code	PLC
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	134
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Wayne Reynolds

Key Takeaways

Magus of the Library excels in card advantage and adapts to your hand size dynamics.
It’s versatile in mana generation but requires careful hand-size management.
Potential as a combo enabler makes it valuable in decks seeking synergy.

Text of card

: Add to your mana pool. : Draw a card. Play this ability only if you have exactly seven cards in hand.

The ancient books slowly crumbled, their secrets turning to dust. But their every word sings within the magus's head.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When it comes to Magus of the Library, one of the main strengths is its ability to offer consistent card advantage. By fulfilling the condition of having exactly seven cards in hand, you unlock the potential to draw additional cards, helping to sustain your hand size and increase your options as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This creature also plays a significant role in resource acceleration. Acting as a conditional mana dork, it can tap for a colorless mana or, with a full hand, for a mana of any color. This flexibility can be vital for casting key spells earlier than usual or optimizing your mana curve.

Instant Speed: While the Magus itself isn’t an instant, its card draw ability can be activated at instant speed. This allows you strategic leeway to pass your turn with seven cards and only draw if your opponent doesn’t force you to react, keeping them guessing about the full range of your capabilities.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Magus of the Library necessitates that your hand contains exactly seven cards to activate its ability. This can be challenging to maintain, especially in faster-paced games where hand size tends to fluctuate more frequently.

Specific Mana Cost: As a card requiring two green mana in its cost, Magus of the Library might not seamlessly fit into multicolored or colorless decks. Deck-builders need to ensure they have a consistent source of green mana, which could limit versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given that this creature costs three mana, including two that are color-specific, players may find it taxing on their mana resources in the early game, when establishing a board presence and mana availability is crucial. Plus, there are other one or two mana creatures that can generate card advantage more efficiently.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Magus of the Library’s flexibility makes it a prime candidate for various deck archetypes. Notably, those requiring consistent card draw or favoring mana efficiency greatly benefit from its inclusion.

Combo Potential: This card’s unique ability to draw extra cards pairs well with strategies aiming to assemble pieces of a combo, especially those that capitalize on having multiple cards in hand.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games can stretch longer and card advantage becomes key, Magus of the Library can be an essential resource, offering strategic depth and staying power against a range of decks.

How to Beat Magus of the Library

Magus of the Library can be a boon for any player looking to mirror the abilities of the iconic Library of Alexandria. Its power to draw cards when you’re holding exactly seven cards makes it a formidable tool for those seeking to maintain a full grip. However, overcoming this card relies on disrupting your opponent’s hand size to prevent the draw ability from triggering. Keeping their hand size under or over seven is key.

Strategies like forced discard effects or pressuring your opponent to play out their hand disturb the delicate balance the Magus needs. Cards such as Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can efficiently strip vital elements from your opponent’s hand. Additionally, applying pressure through threats or card advantage of your own can force plays that upset their optimal seven-card hold, stunting the Magus’s utility. On the flip side, aggro decks may push the opponent into using resources quickly, also bypassing the conditions that allow Magus of the Library to be effective.

In essence, ensuring the Magus of the Library never fulfills its potential means controlling the tempo of the game and keeping your opponent’s hand size in check, either through discard strategies or forcing them to play their cards, thus preventing the extra card advantage it grants when conditions are right.

Cards like Magus of the Library

In MTG, Magus of the Library is a unique blend of mana acceleration and card draw in a creature form. It’s akin to the classic card advantage engine Library of Alexandria, but housed on a creature body. When comparing it to the likes of Elvish Visionary, which provides an immediate card draw upon entering the battlefield, Magus of the Library has the potential for continuous draw, provided you have exactly seven cards in hand.

Another comparable card is Courser of Kruphix, which also synergizes with land play. While Courser of Kruphix allows you to play with the top card of your library revealed and play lands from the top, Magus of the Library focuses on the magic number of seven in your hand to either pump mana or draw a card. Synergies with cards that balance hand size, like Anvil of Bogardan, could prove invaluable when optimizing the Magus’s abilities.

Ultimately, Magus of the Library brings a strategic depth to deck building, focusing on hand size management to unlock its potential, setting it apart from other cards with different utilities but a unifying goal: to maximize card advantage and resource flexibility.

Library of Alexandria - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Magus of the Library MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos, 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 Magus of the Library and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Magus of the Library has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Magus of the Library 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	You may tap multiples of these in response to each other because the requirement for 7 cards is checked only at the time the ability is announced and not again when it resolves.