Aphetto Alchemist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Abilities	Morph
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	64
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Spears

Key Takeaways

Able to untap itself or others, Aphetto Alchemist significantly boosts card advantage and play flexibility.
It’s pivotal for tempo, enabling extra spell casts and multiple ability activations within a single turn.
Despite mana and synergy constraints, it remains a formidable asset for combo-centered decks and meta play.

Text of card

oc T: Untap target artifact or creature. Morph o U (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for o3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)

He brews trouble.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aphetto Alchemist’s ability to untap artifacts or creatures, including itself, can be harnessed to reap additional benefits from permanents with tap abilities. This can lead to drawing more cards, thus amplifying your card advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to untap mana-producing artifacts or land creatures, Aphetto Alchemist can serve as a resource accelerator. This can enable you to deploy more spells or abilities in a single turn, effectively increasing your tempo and the resources at your disposal.

Instant Speed: Though the Alchemist’s ability is not an instant itself, it facilitates instant speed interactions by untapping permanents with flash or those that can be activated at instant speed. This capability allows you to stay reactive during your opponent’s turn, keeping up the pressure or responding to threats as they arise.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Aphetto Alchemist’s ability can be a drawback if it necessitates discarding cards to unlock its full potential or to synergize with other cards, which might deplete your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both generic and blue mana to play, restricting it to blue-centric or multicolored decks, possibly limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Aphetto Alchemist’s untap ability is versatile, the card itself comes with a mana cost that may be higher than other options in your deck, potentially slowing down your game plan.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aphetto Alchemist is impressively flexible, slotting into decks that thrive on untapping permanents. Its ability to untap not just itself but other creatures and artifacts adds a layer of functionality, supporting strategies that hinge on reusable effects or mana acceleration.

Combo Potential: With the capability to form powerful synergies, this card is a linchpin in numerous combo decks. It can be paired with cards like Illusionist’s Bracers to generate infinite untaps or with mana rocks for unrestricted mana production, enabling game-winning plays.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where artifacts and creature abilities are prevalent, Aphetto Alchemist can turn the tide of a game. It adapts well to various meta scenarios, granting players additional utility and strategic depth to outmaneuver opponents.

How to beat

Aphetto Alchemist is a versatile card known for its ability to untap artifacts, creatures, or itself, which can create formidable combos in Magic: The Gathering. To successfully counter this card, disrupting the synergy it relies on is essential. This can be achieved by removing the Alchemist from the battlefield before it becomes a persistent threat. Utilize instant speed removal such as Swords to Plowshares or Fatal Push to take it out before a combo can be assembled.

Another strategy is to deny your opponent the ability to untap their permanents. Cards like Linvala, Keeper of Silence or Cursed Totem shut down the Alchemist’s untapping ability entirely. Control decks that maintain a steady stream of countermagic can also keep the Alchemist in check. Being proactive with these strategies will help you prevent your opponent from leveraging Aphetto Alchemist to its full potential, thus safeguarding you from the persistent threats it can present in a match.

Overall, effective interaction and preemptive actions against an Aphetto Alchemist can lead to a significant advantage. Keeping your opponent from fully utilizing their resources places you in a commanding position on the battlefield, making it easier to navigate toward victory.

BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the nuances of cards like Aphetto Alchemist can transform your MTG experience, enhancing your resource management and unlocking new combo possibilities. Proactive use of the Alchemist can yield considerable card advantage and resource acceleration, asserting dominance over the board state. If you’re looking to optimize your deck’s performance or explore the realm of infinite combos, incorporating Aphetto Alchemist might be your next strategic move. Dive deeper into deck-building strategies, synergistic pairings, and counterplay techniques that will refine your gameplay. To elevate your MTG prowess and make every duel count, continue to learn and grow with us.

Cards like Aphetto Alchemist

Within the Magic: The Gathering realm, Aphetto Alchemist stands out as a potent card enabling players to untap not just another target permanent but itself as well, a trait offering diverse synergistic possibilities. In close comparison, Fatestitcher emerges as a notable companion, granting the power to untap or tap another target permanent, a duality that can be an asset depending on the situation. However, Aphetto Alchemist foregoes the tap ability for the advantage of a repeatable self-untap mechanism.

Examining Galvanic Alchemist, we see a card that shares the species and occupation with Aphetto Alchemist. This iteration, however, requires the Soulbond mechanic for activation, limiting its utility until paired with another creature. While Aphetto Alchemist is self-sufficient, Galvanic Alchemist offers more control flexibility once bonded.

Finally, determining which card holds superior value heavily relies on the deck’s strategy and composition. For those emphasizing consistency and standalone operability, Aphetto Alchemist is a premiere choice. On the contrary, those decks that capitalize on versatility might lean towards Fatestitcher or the conditional capabilities of Galvanic Alchemist.

Cards similar to Aphetto Alchemist by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aphetto Alchemist MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Aphetto Alchemist and other MTG cards: