Sunscape Master MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 2000-10-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Invasion |
| Set code | INV |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 42 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alan Rabinowitz |
Key Takeaways
- Sunscape Master offers card rebound, which could decisively swing the tide of card advantage.
- Its dual mana ability accelerates resources, pivotal for casting multiple spells or reacting swiftly.
- Instant speed actions with Sunscape Master introduce unpredictability and strategic depth against opponents.
Text of card
o Go G, oc T: Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn. o Uo U, oc T: Return target creature to its owner's hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sunscape Master offers a unique mechanism that can potentially rebound cards. This allows players to reuse certain spells or abilities, thereby providing an opportunity to generate card advantage over time, crucial in outpacing your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: By untapping two lands with its first ability, Sunscape Master can effectively increase your mana resources, giving you the much-needed acceleration during critical moments of the game. This asset allows for more flexibility and the potential to cast more spells within a single turn.
Instant Speed: The capacity to use Sunscape Master’s abilities at instant speed grants players the tactical advantage of surprise and adaptability. You can respond immediately to threats or opportunities, making this card a versatile tool for maintaining board control and disrupting opponent strategies.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sunscape Master demands that you part with another card in your hand to activate its powerful abilities. This can put you at a disadvantage, particularly in the late game when every card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost requires a precise combination of mana types, making it somewhat restrictive. Decks not running both blue and white mana might find it challenging to integrate Sunscape Master efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana investment needed to get Sunscape Master on the field, it occupies a slot where players could place more immediate threats or defenses. It competes with other four-cost creatures and spells that could potentially offer quicker or more impactful results.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sunscape Master, being a part of the Invasion block, adds a diverse functionality to decks that lean on creature control and lifegain. It’s tailored to fit well in multi-color decks, particularly those that include blue and white mana sources.
Combo Potential: This card interacts superbly with strategies that exploit tapping and untapping creatures. It can enable infinite combos or simply provide value turn after turn, making it a key piece for certain combo decks.
Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where control decks are prevalent, Sunscape Master can become a recurring threat. Its ability to either counter spells or safeguard other creatures makes it a strategic piece in matches against decks that seek to maintain board dominance.
How to beat
Sunscape Master is a unique card that steps into the arena with bant-color allegiance and presents a unique combination of abilities designed to present a multifaceted challenge to MTG players. Bearing both life gain and creature control features, Sunscape Master requires a strategic approach to be effectively countered. Your best move is to employ instant-speed removal spells before your opponent has the mana to utilize Sunscape Master’s abilities.
Understanding the timing of spells is also critical. Since Sunscape Master’s abilities are activated, you can disrupt your opponent’s plans by removing it during their upkeep or in response to activation, before the effect resolves. This forces them to invest mana without getting the intended benefit. Counterspells are great too; if you’re anticipating it being played, be ready with counter strategies, especially during the early game when mana is scarce.
Deck builders, remember to include versatile answers in your deck that can handle creatures like Sunscape Master that have the potential to take over the game if left unchecked. By staying one step ahead and using your resources wisely, you can dull the Sunscape Master’s shine and keep your footing in the match.
Cards like Sunscape Master
Sunscape Master is an intriguing creature card that brings versatility to the battlefield. This card shares some similarities with creatures like Cerulean Wisps, both of which facilitate the untapping of a target creature. However, Sunscape Master offers more strategic options, allowing you to either untap two target creatures with its white ability or gain two life with its blue ability. Unlike Cerulean Wisps, which provides an immediate draw card benefit, Sunscape Master requires a strategic setup to maximize its potential.
Comparatively, Galepowder Mage also dances within the realm of creature control, albeit through a different mechanism. It allows you to exile another target creature and then return that creature to the battlefield under its owner’s control at the end of turn. While it doesn’t provide the flexibility of Sunscape Master’s two distinct abilities, Galepowder Mage offers a unique way to reset or reuse enter-the-battlefield effects.
Assessing these similar cards highlights Sunscape Master’s dual utility. Depending on your deck’s strategy and the flow of the game, Sunscape Master can either help maintain board control by untapping creatures or contribute to your life total, making it a multifaceted card in Magic: The Gathering that caters to diverse gameplay approaches.
Cards similar to Sunscape Master by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sunscape Master MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Sunscape Master 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sunscape Master has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sunscape Master 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 | The first ability only affects creatures you control at the time the ability resolves. |
