Duskmantle Seer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Vampire Wizard
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Gains card advantage on upkeep, offering more plays and options during your turn.
  2. Enables resource acceleration by potentially drawing cheaper spells to cast more.
  3. Instant speed ability during upkeep can disrupt opponent strategies unexpectedly.

Text of card

Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, each player reveals the top card of his or her library, loses life equal to that card's converted mana cost, then puts it into his or her hand.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Duskmantle Seer, each of your upkeep phases could potentially draw you an additional card, tipping the scales toward a fuller hand and more options.

Resource Acceleration: Although not direct mana acceleration, revealing cheaper spells off Duskmantle Seer can amount to casting more spells per turn, effectively accelerating your resources.

Instant Speed: While Duskmantle Seer itself isn’t an instant, its ability triggers during the upkeep, allowing you to benefit from fresh draws even before your main phase begins, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy with new, unexpected plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Duskmantle Seer doesn’t directly force you to discard cards, its reveal and lose life mechanic can inadvertently pressure you to play a lower-curve deck, potentially limiting your card choices to avoid high life loss.

Specific Mana Cost: Duskmantle Seer requires both blue and black mana for casting, making it less versatile for multicolor decks that may struggle with mana consistency, particularly in fast-paced games where a streamlined mana base is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana to cast—two generic, one blue, and one black—Duskmantle Seer comes with a hefty price tag when considering that its ability can also negatively impact its controller, unlike other creatures or spells at a similar cost that offer more controlled advantages.


Reasons to Include Duskmantle Seer in Your Collection

Versatility: Duskmantle Seer can be a key player in a variety of blue or black decks, notably in those working towards a strategic life total balance. Its ability to provide a regular card draw fits in with many archetypes and gives you an upper hand on your opponents.

Combo Potential: The Seer’s ability to reveal the top card of each player’s library can lead to powerful combos, especially when paired with cards that manipulate or benefit from the top of the library. Its synergy with cards that punish opponents for drawing or having a high casting cost is undeniable.

Meta-Relevance: In most metas, knowledge is power, and Duskmantle Seer grants you insight into your opponent’s next draw which can be a significant advantage. Particularly in metas saturated with high casting cost spells, the Seer can serve as a formidable force, potentially causing substantial damage to your opponent’s life total each turn.


How to beat

Duskmantle Seer stands out as a unique flying threat that offers a curious blend of advantages and drawbacks. As a card that beckons both you and your opponent to reveal the top card of your libraries and lose life equal to the cards’ mana costs, Duskmantle Seer can alter the game’s pace in surprising ways. To effectively counter this card, attention to life total management can’t be overstated. Prioritizing the removal of the Seer is key, whether that means deploying instant speed removal spells before your upkeep or setting up counter measures which can minimize the life loss, such as lifelink creatures or damage prevention abilities.

A strategy against Duskmantle Seer often involves dictating the flow of your deck’s card costs. Utilizing cards with lower mana costs ensures that the life loss incurred during each of your upkeeps remains manageable. Another method includes the implementation of hand disruption techniques to remove the Seer before it hits the battlefield, thus maintaining the balance of the game in your favor. Ultimately, by focusing on mitigating life loss, maintaining a steady stream of low-cost cards, and disrupting your adversary’s field, you can navigate the challenges posed by Duskmantle Seer and secure your standing in the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of deck building in MTG often means embracing the unique and the powerful — cards like Duskmantle Seer. The advantages it brings highlight the importance of strategic play and in-depth deck tuning. Whether you’re constructing a deck that capitalizes on card draw, manipulating life totals, or setting up lethal combos, including Duskmantle Seer could be your gateway to a more dynamic gameplay experience. Navigating through both its pros and cons, you can turn the tide of the game in your favor. Dive deeper into sophisticated play strategies and optimize your collection—learn more with us and embrace the full potential of your MTG endeavors.


Cards like Duskmantle Seer

Duskmantle Seer stands out in the pantheon of creatures that influence card draw within the MTG universe. Likened to Dark Confidant, which is lauded for its role in decks that aim to efficiently draw additional cards. Both creatures offer the invaluable benefit of card access at the cost of life points. Nevertheless, Duskmantle Seer brings a unique symmetric effect to the table, compelling both players to reveal the top card of their libraries and lose life equal to that card’s mana cost, further influencing the game’s dynamic.

We can also look at Nightveil Specter’s ability to exile the top card of an opponent’s library when dealing combat damage, allowing you to play those cards. While this is a powerful disruption tool, it can’t match the Seer’s potential for direct life loss and immediate card gain. Moreover, the Seer’s built-in evasion with flying gives it a distinct advantage in combat situations.

In evaluating these comparisons, the weight of strategic benefits Duskmantle Seer offers is evident. In decks designed to manipulate life totals and card advantage, it arguably shines with more versatility and impact across the board than its counterparts.

Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions
Nightveil Specter - MTG Card versions
Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions
Nightveil Specter - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Duskmantle Seer MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and Conspiracy: Take the Crown, 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 Duskmantle Seer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Duskmantle Seer Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-02-01GatecrashGTC 1592003NormalBlackKev Walker
22016-08-26Conspiracy: Take the CrownCN2 2022015NormalBlackKev Walker
32018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1762015NormalBlackKev Walker
42024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 1882015NormalBlackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Duskmantle Seer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-01-24 The cards put into hands this way are not “drawn.” For example, you couldn’t reveal a card with miracle put into your hand this way (but it also won’t count as the first card you’ve drawn this turn either).
2013-01-24 The loss of life is simultaneous. If this causes both players to end up at 0 or less life, the game will be a draw. In a multiplayer game, players with 0 or less life will lose the game.

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