Hermetic Study MTG Card

Urza's Saga (USG)
1998-10-12 - Number 78

Hermetic Study - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)

Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
2023-01-13 - Number 53

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant

Key Takeaways

Hermetic Study attaches to creatures, offering direct damage abilities at instant speed.
Requires a creature target, potentially limiting its effectiveness against removal-heavy decks.
Excels in blue strategies, offering versatility and unexpected damage opportunities.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gains "oc T: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player."

"Books can be replaced; a prize student cannot. Be patient." —Urza, to Barrin

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hermetic Study offers a unique ability by turning any creature into a pinging machine, effectively allowing you to utilize creatures for direct damage and potentially drawing out opponent’s resources to deal with the threat.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling your creature to tap for damage, Hermetic Study accelerates your resource efficiency. It means you’re potentially dealing damage while not having to commit additional spells, keeping your hand fuller while applying pressure.

Instant Speed: Although Hermetic Study itself is an enchantment, the benefit it provides works at instant speed. Once it’s attached to a creature, you can use that creature’s new ability whenever you could play an instant, offering flexibility and surprise interaction during your opponent’s turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Hermetic Study offers a persistent ability to deal damage, it comes with the drawback that it must be attached to a creature. This could be a drawback if you’re facing removal-heavy decks that frequently clear the board, leaving your enchantment without a target and potentially wasting the card play.

Specific Mana Cost: Hermetic Study requires a blue mana to cast which necessitates inclusion in blue or multicolor decks. For players running other colors, incorporating this card would demand a certain level of color fixing that may not align with their deck’s strategy or mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, one of which is color specific, Hermetic Study might be considered a bit steep for the effect it provides. Given that it only deals one damage upon activation, players might find other one-mana instants or sorceries more cost-effective for immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include Hermetic Study in Your Collection

Versatility: Hermetic Study serves a dual role, offering both a source of consistent damage and a way to utilize creatures not engaged in combat. This can fit seamlessly into blue decks that emphasize utility or into those that need a way to defend against early threats.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Hermetic Study can unlock powerful interactions. It functions well with untap abilities, allowing a creature to tap for damage multiple times in a turn. Additionally, it can surprise opponents when a seemingly harmless creature turns into a recurring source of damage.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where small utility creatures are prevalent, Hermetic Study can turn those creatures into relevant threats. This card can also be a strategic pick in metas that involve a lot of x/1 creatures, ensuring you maintain board control while advancing your game plan.

How to beat

Hermetic Study offers a unique spin on the utilitarian nature of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. It turns any creature into a pinger, allowing it to deal damage without engaging in combat. Understanding how to dismantle its strategy can be pivotal in a match. For starters, enchantment removal spells can deny your opponent the opportunity to use their creature as a direct damage source. Naturalize and Disenchant are perfect examples of low-cost spells that can efficiently handle enchantments like Hermetic Study.

Another angle is to target the creature itself. Pingers rely on their abilities being available each turn, so removal spells such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile can disrupt this synergy. Timing is crucial—you’ll want to respond swiftly once Hermetic Study is cast, preventing any chance for your opponent to extract value from it. Additionally, look towards versatile counterspells that can negate Hermetic Study before it hits the battlefield, or utilize protection spells that can shield your important creatures from being targeted by the enchanted pinger.

Ultimately, maintaining a deck with a balance of creature and enchantment removal, along with counters and protection measures, builds a strong defense against cards like Hermetic Study, ensuring their impact on the game is minimal.

Cards like Hermetic Study

Hermetic Study is part of Magic the Gathering’s suite of utility spells that turn creatures into sources of direct damage. Much like Psionic Gift, this card gives a creature the ability to tap and deal 1 point of damage to any target. Where it stands out is in the blue mana cost and the flexibility it offers in both creature activation and instant damage, aligning it closely with the blue strategy of patience and control.

Cards like Quicksilver Dagger share the concept but add a card draw element, sacrificing a little direct damage efficiency for added card advantage. Meanwhile, Fire Whip offers a similar tap-to-damage mechanic, but it adds to the red mana pool with its ability to deal damage just by sacrificing it. Compared to Hermetic Study, these cards each play with the balance between resource allocation and board control differently, reflecting the specific needs of the decks they are played in.

Assessing these alternatives emphasizes Hermetic Study’s role in a blue mage’s arsenal, providing a straightforward yet potent enhancement to creatures, favoring deliberate play over the red’s aggressive and resource-heavy alternatives.

Cards similar to Hermetic Study by color, type and mana cost

Copy Artifact - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Invisibility - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Phantasmal Terrain - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)

Lifetap - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)

Psychic Venom - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)

Dance of Many - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Mana Maze - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hermetic Study MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Dominaria Remastered, 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 Hermetic Study and other MTG cards: