Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage MTG Card


Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage - Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Jace
Released2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set nameIxalan
Set codeXLN
Loyalty 5
Number280
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byClint Cearley

Key Takeaways

  1. Granting card advantage, Jace allows players to keep a full hand while controlling the game tempo.
  2. Requires careful deck construction due to specific blue mana costs and potential late-game play.
  3. Despite close competition, Jace’s mid-range mana cost and capabilities make it a versatile asset.

Text of card

+1: Draw a card. +1: Untap all creatures you control. −9: Gain control of up to three target creatures.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage shines in granting card superiority by allowing you to untap all creatures you control and then draw a card. This helps you maintain a full hand while applying pressure on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: His +1 ability is a subtle form of acceleration, setting you up to use creature abilities or remain defensive while still advancing your board state.

Instant Speed: Although not instant speed himself, Jace’s -9 ultimate can instantly turn the tide of a game. It gives you an emblem with “Whenever you cast a spell, target opponent puts the top five cards of their library into their graveyard.” This can usher in a swift victory, leveraging the power of your spells beyond their immediate effects.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage demands a stratagem where you’re able to sustain card advantage. Without an ample hand size, getting the most from Jace’s abilities might prove challenging, as card advantage on the battlefield is key to leveraging his full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: The blue-intensive mana cost of Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage can constrain deck building, as it requires a significant commitment to blue mana sources. This can potentially limit the card’s inclusion to primarily blue decks, possibly sidelining it in more color-diverse strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, this Planeswalker comes into play relatively late. While the abilities can be impactful, in faster-paced games, there’s a possibility of it being a turn too late, especially when facing aggressive strategies that aim to win quickly.


Reasons to Include Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage in Your Collection

Versatility: Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage is a planeswalker that can seamlessly slide into a variety of blue-based decks. With the ability to draw cards, unsummon creatures, and potentially manipulate entire boards with its ultimate, this card provides great flexibility in both casual and competitive formats.

Combo Potential: This card possesses substantial combo potential, allowing players to synergize with untapping mechanisms or proliferate strategies to use its loyalty abilities multiple times. Jace’s ability to create strategies around drawing cards and controlling opponents’ creatures adds layers of intricacy to gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by creature-heavy decks, Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage stands out as a card that can slow down the tempo of opponents while advancing your own game plan. It fits well into control decks that aim to maintain board presence, making it a relevant choice for players who want to keep pace with current trends.


How to Beat Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage

Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage serves as a robust planeswalker card in MTG, armed with abilities to control the game. To overcome this particular card, players should prioritize direct damage spells or creatures with haste to pressure Jace before he can amass loyalty and activate game-changing abilities. It’s vital to keep the board clear of blockers so you can reach him directly. Utilizing instant speed removal or burn spells during your opponent’s turn optimizes your damage output, making it difficult for them to keep Jace on the battlefield. Counterspells are also effective as they can interrupt your opponent’s strategy, leaving Jace vulnerable. Furthermore, by applying continuous pressure, you force your opponent to use Jace’s abilities defensively, rather than offensively, undermining their planned synergies and setting you up for victory. Timing and maintaining board presence are key when facing off against this cunning mind mage.


Cards like Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage

Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage is a cornerstone in the space of planeswalker cards within Magic: The Gathering. He mirrors other planeswalker abilities like untapping two target creatures similar to Ajani Goldmane’s power. Yet set apart, Jace’s ultimate ability to cast spells from your hand without paying their mana costs transcends Ajani’s creature-focused statistics boost.

Close to Jace’s strategic depth is Teferi, Temporal Archmage, which also offers versatile control over the game’s flow, including untapping permanents. Where Jace’s strength lies in his straightforward loyalty abilities, Teferi expands on this with his option to provide card draw. However, Teferi’s higher loyalty and cost reflect a different balance in the game, making Jace a more accessible option for those early in their planeswalker journey.

Ultimately, Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage finds its niche in MTG decks that thrive on alignment between creature manipulation and spell-slinging prowess. While other planeswalkers offer competition, Jace’s versatility at a mid-range mana cost provides a balanced approach for players looking to impose control in a match.

Ajani Goldmane - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - MTG Card versions
Ajani Goldmane - Lorwyn (LRW)
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - Commander 2014 (C14)

Cards similar to Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage by color, type and mana cost

Mordenkainen - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - MTG Card versions
Mu Yanling - MTG Card versions
Will Kenrith - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret, Cruel Machinist - MTG Card versions
Jace, Arcane Strategist - MTG Card versions
Mu Yanling, Celestial Wind - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Timeless Voyager - MTG Card versions
Mordenkainen - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - Commander Masters (CMM)
Mu Yanling - Global Series Jiang Yanggu & Mu Yanling (GS1)
Will Kenrith - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Tezzeret, Cruel Machinist - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Jace, Arcane Strategist - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Mu Yanling, Celestial Wind - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Teferi, Timeless Voyager - Core Set 2021 (M21)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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, Ingenious Mind-Mage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-09-29 In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well, and any effects that give the player control of permanents immediately end.
2017-09-29 The control-change effect of Jace’s last ability lasts indefinitely. It doesn’t wear off during the cleanup step or when you lose control of Jace.

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