Citizen MTG Card
2018-12-07 - Number 1
2019-05-03 - Number 16
2022-04-29 - Number 12
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Type | Token Creature — Citizen |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Citizen cards enable players to maintain a card advantage, crucial for outpacing opponents.
- Their ability to ramp up mana positions players to activate threats earlier in the game.
- Instant speed utility of Citizen cards allows for unpredictable and strategic plays.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Garnering extra cards is a cornerstone of victory, and the Citizen card provides a beneficial boost in hand size. With such an ability, staying ahead in the resource game against opponents becomes more feasible.
Resource Acceleration: Speed is of the essence in MTG, and a Citizen card that accelerates your mana base can pivot the game in your favor. By ramping up your resources, you’ll be able to deploy threats or answers ahead of schedule, potentially outpacing your adversary’s strategy.
Instant Speed: Flexibility in MTG cannot be overstated—with cards that operate at instant speed, your tactical depth increases. The Citizen card’s instant speed allows reactive play or end-of-turn surprises, keeping opponents on their toes and giving you the upper hand in the mind game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When playing a Citizen card, one of the drawbacks could be a discard requirement. Having to let go of a card from your hand could put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running low on options.
Specific Mana Cost: A Citizen card may demand a specific mana combination to cast. This specificity can be restrictive, binding the card’s playability to decks that align with its color identity and potentially leaving it out of many deck strategies where the mana cost doesn’t fit seamlessly.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Should a Citizen card have a higher casting cost relative to its benefits, this could pose issues. Players may find the mana investment steep, particularly if there are alternatives that can be played earlier in the game or offer more impactful results for the same mana expenditure, thereby impacting the card’s overall efficiency and play rate.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Citizen card stands out for its flexibility, as it can seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Whether you’re piloting a tribal-themed deck or one that capitalizes on token strategies, Citizen’s universal appeal ensures it remains a solid addition to any deck that values creature synergies.
Combo Potential: Citizens may play a crucial role in decks built around combo mechanics. Their ability to interact with numerous card effects that trigger off creature summons or specific creature types opens up opportunities for powerful plays that can dominate the board state.
Meta-Relevance: In ever-shifting metagames, a card like Citizen can adapt to multiple strategies, making it a prudent pick for players looking to stay competitive. Its versatility and synergy with prevalent deck themes can provide a steady edge against various opposing setups, keeping your collection meta-relevant.
How to Beat
The Citizen card is a special inclusion in the Magic: The Gathering ecosystem, often contributing to creature-based strategies. To effectively counter this card, players need to focus on removal spells that can address multiple creatures at once, as Citizens tend to swarm the battlefield in numbers, which can be overwhelming. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, are pivotal in clearing the slate and negating the incremental advantage Citizen cards provide.
Another strategy to employ against Citizens is to make use of spells with the exile effect. As Citizens rely on the graveyard to bounce back or to create additional value, having exile effects like Path to Exile or Settle the Wreckage can be incredibly advantageous. Utilizing these can ensure that the Citizens won’t return to the battlefield or used for other synergistic effects.
Lastly, it’s essential to gain a lead in card advantage. Cards such as Phyrexian Arena or Rhystic Study can outpace the singular threat that Citizen cards pose by providing incremental advantage over time. As such, while Citizens can proliferate and expand, these card advantage engines will ensure you have the answers you need when you need them, thus keeping you one step ahead of the Citizen threat.
Cards like Citizen
Within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Citizen card introduces a unique dynamic to creature-based strategies. Its similarities with other creature cards such as Llanowar Elves or Elvish Mystic are evident as they all provide a mana boost, enhancing the player’s ability to cast spells more quickly. However, what sets the Citizen card apart is its versatility in various deck archetypes due to its adaptability to different colors of mana.
Another card worth mentioning is Noble Hierarch. It provides not only a mana advantage but also Exalted, raising the power of individual attackers. While the Citizen card doesn’t bolster creatures’ strength in combat directly, its mana-fixing capability is a strategic asset in multicolored decks. Birds of Paradise further expands on the concept of mana diversity from a one-drop creature, offering a broader spectrum of colors compared to the Citizen card, though at the potential cost of card availability and deck construction considerations.
Analyzing the Citizen card in the context of its peers, we observe a solid choice for players who value consistent and flexible mana sources. It might not have the additional abilities some of its counterparts possess, but in decks that thrive on color versatility, it surely finds its place.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Citizen MTG card by a specific set like Ultimate Masters and War of the Spark, 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 Citizen 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
Printings
The Citizen Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-12-07 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 1 | 2015 | Token | Black | Michael Phillippi | |
| 2 | 2019-05-03 | War of the Spark | WAR | 16 | 2015 | Token | Black | Winona Nelson | |
| 3 | 2022-04-29 | Streets of New Capenna | SNC | 12 | 2015 | Token | Black | Maria Poliakova |
