Jace's Ruse MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	2019-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	War of the Spark
Set code	WAR
Number	273
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Clint Cearley

Key Takeaways

Card advantage is crucial, and Jace’s Ruse helps players sift through decks for impactful plays.
Resource acceleration expedites strategy execution, a key utility of Jace’s Ruse.
Instant speed allows Jace’s Ruse to unexpectedly disrupt opponent tactics effectively.

Text of card

Return up to two target creatures to their owner's hand. You may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Jace, Arcane Strategist, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle.

"The Eternals can recognize faces. They just think I look like a blue minotaur."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jace’s Ruse allows players to stay ahead by deftly navigating through their decks to access more options and set up game-changing plays.

Resource Acceleration: This card acts as a catalyst, quickening the pace at which players can roll out their strategies by providing essential mana resources when they’re most needed.

Instant Speed: Flexibility is key in MTG, and Jace’s Ruse operates at instant speed, offering a surprise element that can disrupt opponents’ plans and tilt the scales in your favor right when it counts.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jace’s Ruse requires a player to discard another card, which could deplete valuable hand resources, especially in situations where maintaining card advantage is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands both blue mana and another color, making it less flexible for decks that are not tailored around a blue-centric mana base, potentially restricting its playability across different deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the necessity to invest a sizeable amount of mana to cast Jace’s Ruse, players might find themselves at a tempo disadvantage, especially when alternative spells could accomplish similar goals for less mana, thus affecting the card’s overall efficiency.

Reasons to Include Jace’s Ruse in Your Collection

Versatility: Jace’s Ruse offers flexible gameplay options, fitting well into blue-based control or combo decks. A card that can manipulate both player’s libraries and hands is a valuable asset in any match-up.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that care about the number of spells cast or specific instant and sorcery interactions, Jace’s Ruse becomes a powerful tool. It can enable intricate combos, creating unexpected avenues to victory.

Meta-Relevance: Given the evolving landscape of competitive play, Jace’s Ruse’s ability to disrupt an opponent’s strategies while reinforcing your own can be crucial. It slots into decks that aim to maintain tempo and can turn the tides against various popular deck types.

How to beat Jace’s Ruse

Jace’s Ruse is a spell that can throw a wrench in your opponent’s gears by providing both protection and disruption. A savvy player can counter this card by keeping track of their opponent’s mana and strategically playing around the potential for Jace’s Ruse to be cast. It’s crucial to maintain a reserve of instant-speed removal or counter spells that can be used in response to this magic trick.

Another effective strategy is to apply persistent board pressure. By steadily developing a presence on the battlefield, you force the Jace’s Ruse caster to make difficult decisions about when to save their key spells for the card’s play. Moreover, playing cards that have effects when cast or enter the battlefield can minimize Jace’s Ruse’s impact, as the value is gained regardless of the spell’s outcome on the stack.

Ultimately, outsmarting Jace’s Ruse involves playing a tight, well-timed game, with a focus on flexible and reactive strategies that accommodate the sudden shifts it brings to the table. Your preparedness and forethought will ensure that this trick doesn’t leave you floundering and that your endgame remains uninterrupted.

Cards like Jace's Ruse

Jace’s Ruse is a tactician’s delight in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, nestling itself into a unique spot among blue sorceries. It bears some resemblance to the likes of Redirect, which also allows a player to shift the target of spells or abilities. However, Jace’s Ruse offers an additional layer by permitting a player to ship any nonland permanent of their choosing back to its owner’s hand. Redirect lacks this bounce effect, focusing solely on the redirection tactic.

Within the same thematic spectrum, we encounter Narset’s Reversal. Much like Jace’s Ruse, this instant spell is adept at meddling with the opponent’s plays, yet it rebounces the original spell to its owner’s hand while copying its effects for the caster’s benefit. Although both cards share the strategic disruption of opponent’s plans, Narset’s Reversal’s copy effect provides a different angle of utility.

Honing in on functionality and strategic value, Jace’s Ruse provides a compelling choice for players who want to undermine their opponent’s strategy effectively. Its combination of disrupting opponent’s spells and bouncing permanents gives it a distinguished spot in the toolkit of blue spell manipulators in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Jace's Ruse by color, type and mana cost

Temporal Manipulation - MTG Card versions

Ribbons of the Reikai - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jace's Ruse MTG card by a specific set like 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 Jace's Ruse and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jace's Ruse has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-05-03	You may cast Jace’s Ruse without choosing any target creatures. You’ll just search for Jace, Arcane Strategist. However, if you choose any targets and all of those targets become illegal before Jace’s Ruse resolves, the spell won’t resolve and you won’t search.