Aether Adept MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Aether Adept grants card advantage via its creature-bouncing ability, disrupting enemy board setups efficiently.
  2. Pairing with flash enables Aether Adept to act at instant speed, adding a defensive surprise element to your strategy.
  3. While advantageous, Aether Adept requires careful deck construction due to its mana specificity and relatively high cost.

Text of card

When Æther Adept enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owner's hand.

Some mages do their best work in solitude. Others do their best work creating it.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aether Adept allows you to return a target creature to its owner’s hand when it enters the battlefield. This bounce effect can disrupt your opponent’s board presence, giving you a tactical edge and effectively providing you with a card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Though Aether Adept itself does not directly produce mana or tokens, the ability to reuse creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects can be considered a form of resource acceleration. It enables the recasting of your own creatures for added value, mimicking a form of acceleration by leveraging your available resources more effectively.

Instant Speed: While Aether Adept is not an instant, its ability can be effectively paired with cards that grant flash, allowing you to cast Aether Adept at instant speed. This can turn it into a surprise defensive tool, potentially saving you from lethal damage or ruining your opponent’s combat strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: If you’re playing Aether Adept, you must be willing to potentially give up other opportunities, as the card itself doesn’t provide an extra card in hand or any form of card draw, which may not always align with your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Aether Adept demands blue mana for casting. This means that it might not seamlessly fit in multi-colored decks or those with a color-heavy mana base outside of blue. It could lead to scenarios where you cannot play the card when needed due to a lack of the appropriate mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The three mana cost of Aether Adept, including double blue, is considered steep for its creature bouncing effect, considering there are other creatures or spells that achieve similar results or better for the same cost or less. This could slow down your tempo, particularly in fast-paced games where efficiency is paramount.


Reasons to Include Aether Adept in Your Collection

Versatility: Aether Adept’s ability to bounce creatures to their owner’s hand gives it a place in decks that capitalize on control and tempo strategies. This card can adapt to various situations, offering both offensive and defensive utility.

Combo Potential: The card fits snugly into wizard-themed decks or those that capitalize on enter-the-battlefield (ETB) triggers. Aether Adept can repeatedly extract value from other ETB effects or set up plays that clear the way for decisive strikes.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are perpetually popular in different formats, Aether Adept maintains relevance by disrupting opponents’ board presence, which can be crucial in swinging games. Its consistent performance against a wide array of decks ensures it remains a savvy pick for collectors and competitive players alike.


How to beat

Aether Adept, a utility creature from the realm of Magic: The Gathering, commands a unique position on the battlefield with its ability to return a creature to its owner’s hand upon entering the battlefield. This type of effect, often referred to as a “bounce” mechanic, can disrupt opponents’ strategies by removing pivotal creatures from play. However, this ability is not without its counters.

One effective method to mitigate the impact of Aether Adept is to utilize creatures with hexproof or shroud, making them impervious to being targeted by abilities. Another tactic is to play creatures with enter the battlefield effects of their own; this way, if they are bounced back to your hand, you can recast them for additional value. Instant-speed removal spells that can eliminate Aether Adept before its ability resolves are also a good option, ensuring it won’t stick around long enough to be a nuisance. Additionally, spells that grant your creatures indestructibility or protection from blue the turn Aether Adept is played can nullify the bounce effect.

Clever deck building and timely reactions can effectively counter Aether Adept’s disruptive entrance, allowing players to maintain control of the game flow and neutralize potential threats before they become problematic.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the versatile world of MTG, Aether Adept emerges as a tactical piece in the grand strategy. It’s not simply a card—it’s a potential game-changer in the right hands. As you reflect on this card’s pros and cons, and its comparison to other utility creatures, think about the value it can bring to your deck. Does it align with your tempo? Could it be the cornerstone of your next winning strategy? We encourage you to deepen your understanding of Aether Adept’s role in various game scenarios and explore how it can enhance your playstyle. Embark on your journey to MTG mastery with insightful tactics and curated recommendations. Discover more and optimize your deck with strategic savviness. Join us and elevate your MTG experience.


Cards like Aether Adept

Aether Adept serves as an intriguing utility creature within the blue spellcaster’s arsenal in Magic: The Gathering. This card shares its creature-bouncing functionality with other cards like Man-o’-War. Both cards allow players to return a creature to its owner’s hand upon entering the battlefield, effectively delaying opponents’ plans. Aether Adept’s advantages lie in its human and wizard typing, which can benefit from tribal synergies, particularly in decks that reward these types.

Sea Gate Oracle is another card that operates in the similar space of three-mana value creatures. While it doesn’t bounce creatures, it allows for a subtle form of card selection, enabling the controller to dig through their deck. Although it doesn’t impact the board the same way as Aether Adept, it still presents a valuable choice for decks seeking consistency over direct interaction.

When examining utility and synergistic potential in blue-centric decks, Aether Adept holds its own. Its specific blend of creature control combined with tribal interactions makes it a solid contender in many MTG strategies that favor manipulation of the battlefield and efficient creature effects.

Man-o'-War - MTG Card versions
Sea Gate Oracle - MTG Card versions
Man-o'-War - Visions (VIS)
Sea Gate Oracle - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)

Cards similar to Aether Adept by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
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Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
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Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Clam Session - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
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Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Clam Session - Unglued (UGL)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aether Adept MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Magic 2012, 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 Aether Adept and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Aether Adept Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2014-03-14. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-07-16Magic 2011M11 412003normalblackEric Deschamps
22011-07-15Magic 2012M12 412003normalblackEric Deschamps
32014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 122003normalblackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aether Adept has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2010-08-15 If there are no other creatures on the battlefield when Aether Adept enters the battlefield, it must target itself.

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