Task Mage Assembly MTG Card


Task Mage Assembly - Prophecy
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set nameProphecy
Set codePCY
Number105
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byVal Mayerik

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants card advantage through potential multiple draws, refilling the player’s hand each turn.
  2. Boosts gameplay with resource ramping, allowing for bigger plays more quickly.
  3. Offers strategic adaptability with instant-speed actions, outmaneuvering opponents.

Text of card

When there are no creatures in play, sacrifice Task Mage Assembly. : Task Mage Assembly deals 1 damage to target creature. Any player may play this ability but only any time he or she could play a sorcery.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Task Mage Assembly offers a strategic advantage by providing the ability to potentially draw multiple cards. This aspect not only refills your hand but also keeps the pressure on your opponent by consistently providing fresh options and responses from your deck.

Resource Acceleration: The ability of Task Mage Assembly to ramp up your resources is pivotal. By potentially untapping lands or creating tokens that can be exchanged for mana, it accelerates your gameplay, allowing for more significant plays and turning the tide of the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: With the flexibility of instant speed, Task Mage Assembly gives players the upper hand by responding to threats or optimizing board states at the end of an opponent’s turn. This flexibility ensures that your mana is used efficiently and your game plan remains adaptive and unpredictable.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Task Mage Assembly compels players to discard a card as part of its activation cost. This might deplete your hand and resources, making it less appealing when you’re trying to maintain card advantage or if you’re holding crucial strategies for later turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting requirement is narrowly defined with a dedication to certain types of mana, which can make it a tough fit in multicolored or mana-flexible decks. If your mana base isn’t tailored to accommodate Task Mage Assembly’s stringent demands, it could remain stuck in your hand, unusable at critical moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the benefits it provides, the mana investment in Task Mage Assembly is considerable. Many players may find that it doesn’t measure up favorably against other options in the same mana range, potentially making it a less optimal choice in decks where mana efficiency is key to executing your strategy.


Reasons to Include Task Mage Assembly in Your Collection

Versatility: Task Mage Assembly stands out for its flexibility in a variety of decks, making it a useful tool for spell-based strategies and providing multiple benefits with a single card play.

Combo Potential: With its ability to offer a range of options upon casting, this card can synergize with other pieces to create powerful interactions, unlocking new levels of gameplay and strategy.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-changing landscape of competitive play, Task Mage Assembly remains relevant by adapting to various dominant deck themes, allowing players to adjust their tactics against prevalent strategies.


How to beat

Task Mage Assembly is a card that demands a strategic approach to overcome its contributions to the battlefield. This card can create a difficult hurdle if left unchecked, primarily due to its ability to systematically dismantle an opponent’s strategy while building board presence. When facing off against Task Mage Assembly, it’s crucial to focus on removing their key assets swiftly.

Disruption is your best tool; prioritize cards that can neutralize or remove it from the battlefield before it can activate its potent abilities. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells can be especially effective, allowing you to respond to the Assembly’s activation without waiting for your turn. Additionally, incorporating graveyard hate into your deck can stifle the recursive potentials that Task Mage Assembly may pose, ensuring that once it’s gone, it stays gone.

Maintaining pressure is also vital. Assaulting their resources and keeping them on the defensive limits their opportunities to leverage the capabilities of Task Mage Assembly. Efficient creature control mixed with strategic plays that obstruct their mana curve can break the synergy Task Mage Assembly depends on. By doing so, you can shift the game in your favor and contain the threat this card represents.


Cards like Task Mage Assembly

Task Mage Assembly is a unique contribution to the lineup of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. When we consider other spells that feature spell-copying abilities, we might compare it to cards like Dualcaster Mage. Dualcaster Mage allows for instant copying of spells on the stack, which can be pivotal during gameplay. However, it requires an existing spell to copy, unlike Task Mage Assembly, which provides an alternative way to create copies through its activation condition and cost.

Meletis Charlatan is another card that shares some resemblance in functionality. This card also offers the ability to copy spells, but it comes with a mana cost every time you desire this effect. Task Mage Assembly, meanwhile, comes with the benefit of setting a contingency in place, which can trigger under specific circumstances without additional mana investment during that turn.

Lastly, Echo Mage is worth mentioning for its level-up ability that enhances its spell-copying capability. While Echo Mage can become a powerhouse over time, Task Mage Assembly brings an immediate and recurring impact to the game – provided the set conditions are met.

Considering the convenience and conditional triggers, Task Mage Assembly carves out a distinct space for itself among MTG creatures that interact with spells on the stack or in play.

Dualcaster Mage - MTG Card versions
Meletis Charlatan - MTG Card versions
Echo Mage - MTG Card versions
Dualcaster Mage - Commander 2014 (C14)
Meletis Charlatan - Theros (THS)
Echo Mage - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)

Cards similar to Task Mage Assembly by color, type and mana cost

Mana Flare - MTG Card versions
Gravity Sphere - MTG Card versions
Goblin War Drums - MTG Card versions
Aggression - MTG Card versions
Heat Stroke - MTG Card versions
Seismic Assault - MTG Card versions
Torch Song - MTG Card versions
Ghitu War Cry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Warrens - MTG Card versions
Fervor - MTG Card versions
Spellshock - MTG Card versions
Mana Cache - MTG Card versions
Citadel of Pain - MTG Card versions
Insolence - MTG Card versions
Steam Vines - MTG Card versions
Curse of Hospitality - MTG Card versions
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - MTG Card versions
Draconic Destiny - MTG Card versions
Mechanized Warfare - MTG Card versions
Blood Moon - MTG Card versions
Mana Flare - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Gravity Sphere - Legends (LEG)
Goblin War Drums - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Aggression - Ice Age (ICE)
Heat Stroke - Weatherlight (WTH)
Seismic Assault - Tenth Edition (10E)
Torch Song - Urza's Saga (USG)
Ghitu War Cry - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Goblin Warrens - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fervor - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Spellshock - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Mana Cache - Nemesis (NEM)
Citadel of Pain - Prophecy (PCY)
Insolence - Planeshift (PLS)
Steam Vines - Odyssey (ODY)
Curse of Hospitality - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Draconic Destiny - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mechanized Warfare - The Brothers' War Promos (PBRO)
Blood Moon - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Task Mage Assembly MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Task Mage Assembly and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Task Mage Assembly has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks