Mage-Ring Responder MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	7
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact Creature — Golem
Released	2015-07-17
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Origins
Set code	ORI
Power	7
Toughness	7
Number	232
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Adam Paquette

Key Takeaways

Provides solid card advantage by removing threats without losing card equity, enhancing board control.
Mana rocks and accelerators offset the high casting cost, enabling quicker and more frequent plays.
Untap synergies can disrupt opponents’ plans by delivering surprise interactions, maximizing its potential.

Text of card

Mage-Ring Responder doesn't untap during your untap step.: Untap Mage-Ring Responder. Whenever Mage-Ring Responder attacks, it deals 7 damage to target creature defending player controls.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mage-Ring Responder delivers powerhouse abilities that can swing the game in your favor. When this colossal artifact creature unleashes its ability, you remove threats from the board without losing card equity, maintaining or expanding your grip on the game.

Resource Acceleration: Although Mage-Ring Responder demands a stout seven mana to cast, savvy deckbuilders circumvent this by utilizing mana rocks and other resource acceleration methods, allowing for earlier deployment than its mana cost suggests.

Instant Speed: While Mage-Ring Responder itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its untap clause works brilliantly with cards that untap permanents swiftly. This synergy enables the Responder to reactivate its devastating ability unexpectedly, creating opportunities for instant-speed-like interactions during your opponents’ turns.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Continuing with Mage-Ring Responder requires a commitment to a specific mana structure with its need for seven mana, restricting flexibility in deck building. Players need to ensure a reliable source of colorless mana to make the most of this artifact creature.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana curve of a deck can be greatly affected by including Mage-Ring Responder due to its high demand of seven mana. This resource-intensive card may often be a dead draw early on, or too delayed to change the tide of the game when it’s finally played.

Discard Requirement: There is no direct discard requirement associated with Mage-Ring Responder; however, its seven-mana cost may indirectly lead to a situation where you’re forced to discard other cards because of hand size limits before having the opportunity to play it.

Reasons to Include Mage-Ring Responder in Your Collection

Versatility: Mage-Ring Responder doesn’t hinge on a specific deck type to make an impact. Its sheer power to potentially destroy a creature upon attacking adds a layer of threat that can be a game-changer in both casual and more competitive decks.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this behemoth can repeatedly untap—think cards like Padeem, Consul of Innovation for protection or Voltaic Key for untapping. It can be a centrepiece for combos that clear the board while swinging for massive damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors big creatures and leaves some players unprepared for artifacts, Mage-Ring Responder can bulldoze through defenses. It can single-handedly shift the game balance, making it a potent inclusion against decks that struggle with large, recurring threats.

How to beat Mage-Ring Responder

Mage-Ring Responder presents a formidable challenge on the battlefield with its colossal 7/7 stats. Its unmanned ability to destroy creatures it damages makes it an intimidating force once it’s active. Overcoming Mage-Ring Responder requires thoughtful strategy since it can potentially lay waste to blockers each turn.

Key to disabling this monumental artifact creature lies in never allowing it to have a presence. Counterspells such as Negate or Essence Scatter should be in your arsenal, ready to stop it from ever hitting the field. Should the Responder be in play, enchantment-based pacifism effects or exile spells like Path to Exile can neutralize or permanently remove it from the equation. Additionally, since Mage-Ring Responder requires seven mana to untap, maintaining pressure to force your opponent to deploy resources elsewhere can hinder its activation, providing you with opportunities to advance your board state and claim victory.

Ultimately, banishing the Mage-Ring Responder or consistently disrupting your opponent’s mana-flow is your best bet in ensuring that this mechanized behemoth doesn’t swing the duel in their favor.

Cards like Mage-Ring Responder

Mage-Ring Responder stands out among artifact creatures in MTG with its ability to dominate the battlefield. Comparable cards such as Colossus of Akros also carry a formidable presence – boasting a massive power and toughness. Colossus of Akros, much like our Responder, requires a substantial mana investment to become a major threat but lacks the direct removal ability upon attacking that Mage-Ring Responder provides.

Looking at Darksteel Colossus, we can see a similar high mana cost creature with the bonus of indestructibility. While this behemoth isn’t removed easily, it doesn’t offer the straightforward, dangerous assault on other creatures Mage-Ring Responder is known for. Lastly, we move to Myr Battlesphere, which creates an impact with multiple tokens rather than high individual power and toughness, but it cannot single-handedly dismantle a defense as Mage-Ring Responder can with its untapping and direct damage capacity.

While making comparisons, it is clear Mage-Ring Responder holds a unique position with its direct creature removal upon attacking, setting it apart from other gargantuan artifacts in the game. It’s this exceptional elimination ability that makes the Mage-Ring Responder a valuable pickup for players looking to clear the way to victory.

Cards similar to Mage-Ring Responder by color, type and mana cost

Mishra's War Machine - MTG Card versions

Death-Mask Duplicant - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mage-Ring Responder MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins, 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 Mage-Ring Responder and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mage-Ring Responder has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2015-06-22	The last ability triggers and resolves before blockers are declared. If the target creature is destroyed by the damage, it won’t be on the battlefield to block.