Jace, Architect of Thought MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Jace
Loyalty 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage through ability activations, crucial for maintaining a strong hand.
  2. Dual blue mana cost may restrict deck integration, affecting its versatility.
  3. Retains meta relevance, excelling in control strategies and disrupting opponents.

Text of card

+1: Until your next turn, whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks, it gets -1/-0 until end of turn. -2: Reveal the top three cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library in any order. -8: For each player, search that player's library for a nonland card and exile it, then that player shuffles his or her library. You may cast those cards without paying their mana costs.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jace, Architect of Thought rewards card advantage through his +1 and -2 abilities. The first gives you the option to draw a single card depending on your opponent’s deck, while the latter lets you reveal the top three cards in your library, adding one to your hand and the rest to the bottom of your deck. This card dynamic maintains a flowing hand even when your draw isn’t favorable.

Resource Acceleration: Although Jace doesn’t provide resource acceleration in the traditional sense like his other versions, he pressures opponents into not attacking him. This indirectly saves your life points, providing a sort of resource acceleration by conserving your in-game vitality.

Instant Speed: Although Jace isn’t an instant speed card, his power lies in his flexibility. You can activate his abilities during your main phases, giving you the power to influence the game when it suits you best, much like instant speed spells. This makes him an intimidating presence on the board, forcing opponents to adapt their strategy accordingly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A major drawback of Jace, Architect of Thought card is the discard requirement. This card bears an inherent disadvantage as it necessitates you to discard a card from your hand or the field, which can be a huge setback when you’re low on resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Jace, Architect of Thought carries a specific mana cost with dual blue-colored mana needed. This could limit its usage and make it less versatile. It becomes difficult to incorporate it into different decks, particularly those that don’t heavily feature blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to get Jace, Architect of Thought into the game is relatively high, requiring four mana in total. There are other options in the card pool that could provide more efficient card draw or resource generation at a lower cost, making it a trade-off to ponder upon.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Jace Architect of Thought, a Planeswalker card, is renowned for its flexibility. It seamlessly works with various deck types and players can use it to manipulate both their own and their opponents’ decks. Its ability to decrease the power of opponent’s creatures or extract cards from your library enhances the playability quotient.

Combo Potential: There is an array of potential card combos that Jace pairs with. Leveraging the second ability of Jace alongside cards like Enter the Infinite can turn the tide of games in your favor. In sync with other control tools, it makes for a powerful and versatile combo piece.

Meta-Relevance: Jace Architect of Thought remains relevant in the current game meta, especially when it comes to control strategies. It can sow confusion in the opponent’s strategies while stacking your deck with advantageous cards. Due to this, it retains a high stature in the control archetype dynamics.


How to beat

Jace, Architect of Thought entry in Magic: The Gathering sphere sparked a diversity of reactions and strategies among players. With its ability to pen down opponents’ strengths, the card presents a uniquely compelling challenge. Comparable to Mind Sculptor, this card enjoys a more permissive cost yet exerts similar pressures on opponents. However, despite its strengths, a discerning player can find ways to thwart its impact.

Consider creatures with Hexproof or Protection from Blue. Since Jace, Architect of Thought presents as blue, using such assets can provide immunity to his -2 ability. Another alternative is employing swift, low-cost minions. By maintaining an accelerated pace, this card’s effect can be anticipated and effectively diluted.

Increased countermagic could also be useful. Spells like Negate and Dissipate can interfere with Jace’s summoning. Still, remember the timing – disrupting Jace at an early phase of a spell chain is more effective. Also, rallying allies for a concerted assault or using direct damage spells can eliminate Jace before he starts wielding his influence.

In summary, while Jace, Architect of Thought is a forceful card, it’s not invincible. By employing a nuanced combination of pace, protection, and disruption, it can be successfully thwarted, opening new opportunities for triumphant gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deep into MTG is an ever-evolving adventure that challenges your strategic skills. Jace, Architect of Thought stands out as a valuable Planeswalker card, boosting your deck with its versatile abilities and potent draw mechanics. Whether shaping your collection or strategizing for control in the current meta, including Jace can be a game-changer. For players eager to exploit every angle and derive maximum value from each card interaction, understanding the nuances of Jace is key. Ready to sharpen your deck-building expertise and outmaneuver opponents? Explore comprehensive strategies and deck techs with us for a winning edge in your next MTG challenge.


Cards like Jace, Architect of Thought

Jace, Architect of Thought is a force to be reckoned with in the Magic: The Gathering universe. This card’s abilities clearly correlate with the likes of Teferi, Time Raveler, and Narset, Parter of Veils. Still, Jace stands out with its unique functions surrounding mini Fact or Fictions. Much like Teferi, Jace also manipulates opponents’ creatures, undermining their power in a carefully curated strategic move, yet it does so without the added advantage of locking out instant speed spells.

Another parallel can be drawn with Narset, whose renowned passive ability restricts opponents from drawing more than one card each turn. Jace, however, leans towards granting more choices for card selection and arguably more control over the unfolding game dynamic. Yet, it falls short in terms of speed and resource management when compared to Narset.

In totality, despite sharing features with other stellar Planeswalkers, Jace, Architect of Thought, stands apart courtesy of its strategic advantages, providing enhanced flexibility and granting players the alluring possibility of drawing the right card at the right moment in Magic: The Gathering battles.

Teferi, Time Raveler - MTG Card versions
Narset, Parter of Veils - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Time Raveler - War of the Spark (WAR)
Narset, Parter of Veils - War of the Spark (WAR)

Cards similar to Jace, Architect of Thought by color, type and mana cost

Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - MTG Card versions
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Master of Time - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh - MTG Card versions
Jace, the Mind Sculptor - MTG Card versions
Jace, the Living Guildpact - MTG Card versions
Kiora, the Tide's Fury - MTG Card versions
Jace, the Perfected Mind - MTG Card versions
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries - The List (PLST)
Teferi, Master of Time - Core Set 2021 Promos (PM21)
Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Jace, the Mind Sculptor - Double Masters (2XM)
Jace, the Living Guildpact - Magic 2015 (M15)
Kiora, the Tide's Fury - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Jace, the Perfected Mind - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jace, Architect of Thought MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Jace, Architect of Thought and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jace, Architect of Thought Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 442003normalblackJaime Jones
22014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 12003normalblackIgor Kieryluk
32020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1142015normalblackJaime Jones
42022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 932015normalblackJaime Jones
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8512015normalblackJaime Jones

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jace, Architect of Thought has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Jace, Architect of Thought card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2012-10-01 For each library, the search is complete only when you explicitly say it is. For example, you can look through one player's library, set that library down, look at another player's library, choose a nonland card in the first library, then choose a nonland card in the second library. Don't reveal any cards from those libraries to any other player until you exile them.
2012-10-01 If a card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
2012-10-01 If you can't cast a card, perhaps because there are no legal targets available, or if you choose not to cast one, it will remain exiled. Jace's ability won't allow you to cast it later.
2012-10-01 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't pay alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
2012-10-01 Jace's first ability creates a delayed triggered ability that triggers whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks. It doesn't matter which player or planeswalker that creature is attacking.
2012-10-01 Piles can be empty. If one of the piles is empty, you choose to put all the revealed cards in your hand or on the bottom of your library.
2012-10-01 When casting a card this way, ignore timing restrictions based on the card's type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast
-his card] only during combat,” must be followed.
2012-10-01 When resolving Jace's third ability, you search each player's library (including yours) and exile the nonland cards before casting any of them.
2012-10-01 You cast the cards by putting them on the stack one at a time, choosing modes, targets, and so on. The last card you cast will be the first one to resolve.
2012-10-01 You pick one of your opponents when Jace's second ability resolves. The ability doesn't target that opponent. All players may see the revealed cards and offer opinions. You (not your opponent) choose which pile is put into your hand and which pile is put on the bottom of your library.

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