Tamiyo's Journal MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Artifact
Abilities Investigate

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants precise card tutoring, elevating tactical plays by accessing essential deck components when needed.
  2. Steady Clue token generation accelerates resources, potentially transforming into mana for strategic casting.
  3. Clue sacrifice at instant speed introduces flexible responses to opponents’ moves, maintaining gameplay dynamism.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.") , Sacrifice three Clues: Search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, then shuffle.

Entry 546: There's more to Avacyn's madness . . .


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tamiyo’s Journal is a beacon for players seeking to outmaneuver their opponents through superior card selection. With the ability to tutor for any card in your deck, Tamiyo’s Journal ensures your hand never lacks the tools for victory.

Resource Acceleration: The Journal serves as an engine of resource acceleration, as it steadily cultivates Clue tokens. These tokens not only pave the way to your desired card but also offer an alternative route to cast the spells you need by converting them into additional mana.

Instant Speed: In the dynamic battlefields of MTG, flexibility can be as powerful as the mightiest spells. While Tamiyo’s Journal works at sorcery speed, its Clue tokens can be sacrificed at instant speed, giving you the power to adapt to unfolding threats and opportunities swiftly, keeping your adversaries forever in suspense.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tamiyo’s Journal doesn’t demand card discard outright, it does require you to sacrifice Clues, which can sometimes equate to card loss, especially if you’re unable to generate enough Clues to utilize its ability effectively.

Specific Mana Cost: Tamiyo’s Journal asks for three generic mana to cast. This isn’t restrictive in terms of color, but it can be a hurdle in decks that want to deploy quicker threats or establish board presence in the early game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the mana cost is moderate, Tamiyo’s Journal falls on the pricier side when considering the tempo of many formats. Its effect is gradual, and there are alternative artifact or enchantment options that could offer immediate impact or require less setup to gain card advantage.


Reasons to Include Tamiyo’s Journal in Your Collection

Versatility: Tamiyo’s Journal is a unique inclusion, fitting into decks that need consistent draw or wish to dig for key cards. As a colorless artifact, it can slot into various archetypes without mana restrictions.

Combo Potential: The Clue tokens generated by Tamiyo’s Journal can not only provide card draw but also enable synergies with mechanics that interact with artifacts or sacrifice effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where answers to specific threats are crucial, the tutor ability of Tamiyo’s Journal ensures you can access your silver bullets when needed, making it a timely addition to any collection.


How to beat

Tamiyo’s Journal is a unique artifact that benefits players who are patient and keen on building their knowledge base with clues in Magic: The Gathering. This card allows you to investigate once each turn, reinforcing your position with additional cards as the game progresses. However, those looking to counter this card should focus on disrupting this accumulation process. By targeting the clues and the journal with artifact removal spells, you can stymie your opponent’s progress. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant provide quick and efficient ways to get rid of Tamiyo’s Journal before your opponent can capitalize on its powerful consistency engine.

Additionally, direct interaction with your opponent’s hand through discard spells can force the sacrifice of the Journal before it gains too much value. Implementing a strategy that includes hand disruption will not only deal with Tamiyo’s Journal but can also give you the upper hand by destabilizing your opponent’s overall game plan. Speed is also a factor; overwhelming your opponent with a fast, aggressive deck can often outpace the slower card advantage Tamiyo’s Journal provides. Thus, swift and decisive actions are key to vault over the hurdle this card presents.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re looking to expand your MTG knowledge and deck capabilities, Tamiyo’s Journal is a card that warrants your attention. Its ability to grant card advantage and the potential for resource acceleration make it a notable contender for decks that thrive on strategy and adaptability. While it may challenge your mana in the early game, the tactical edge it can provide in the mid to late game is undeniable. Interested in optimizing your deck’s performance or hunting for that perfect combo piece? Dive deeper with us into MTG’s strategic card play and uncover how Tamiyo’s Journal can turn the tides of your matches. Join BurnMana for more insights and tactics that can cast your skills in a new light.


Cards like Tamiyo's Journal

Delving into the Magic: The Gathering realm of artifact-based card advantage, Tamiyo’s Journal stands as a unique asset. It brings to mind the utility of similar cards such as Jayemdae Tome. Both allow card draw over time, yet Tamiyo’s Journal offers the distinct advantage of fetching any specific card from your deck—provided you have the necessary Clue tokens. While Jayemdae Tome requires a recurring investment of mana for each card, Tamiyo’s Journal’s ability comes at no additional mana cost after its initial deployment.

In a more synergistic comparison, we find Thraben Inspector, which also revolves around Clue tokens. This creature provides a body on the field along with the added value of a Clue token when it enters the battlefield. However, the utility is more limited compared to the Journal’s broad search capability. There’s also Bygone Bishop, which creates Clue tokens through creature casting, potentially offering multiple triggers, but lacking Tamiyo’s Journal’s direct ability to translate those tokens into specific sought-after cards in your deck.

When we measure the potential for tailored card selection and recurrent utility in gameplay, Tamiyo’s Journal indeed occupies a niche position among its peers for strategic deck manipulation and card advantage strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Jayemdae Tome - MTG Card versions
Thraben Inspector - MTG Card versions
Bygone Bishop - MTG Card versions
Jayemdae Tome - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Thraben Inspector - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Bygone Bishop - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)

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Gauntlets of Chaos - Chronicles (CHR)
Ring of Renewal - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Clockwork Avian - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Soldevi Steam Beast - Alliances (ALL)
Urza's Engine - Alliances (ALL)
Sand Golem - Mirage (MIR)
Pandora's Box - Astral Cards (PAST)
Belbe's Portal - Nemesis (NEM)
Crumbling Sanctuary - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Mind's Eye - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Horizon Stone - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
The Deck of Many Things - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Coat of Arms - The List (PLST)
Clockwork Vorrac - Mirrodin (MRD)
Timesifter - Mirrodin (MRD)
Leveler - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Gilded Lotus - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Myr Matrix - Darksteel (DST)
Dross Golem - Darksteel (DST)
Razormane Masticore - Fifth Dawn (5DN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tamiyo's Journal MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Tamiyo's Journal and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tamiyo's Journal Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Chase Stone.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 265†a2015normalblackChase Stone
22016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2652015normalblackChase Stone
32016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 265†c2015normalblackChase Stone
42016-04-08Shadows over Innistrad PromosPSOI 265s2015normalblackChase Stone
52016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 265†b2015normalblackChase Stone
62016-04-08Shadows over Innistrad PromosPSOI 265s†2015normalblackChase Stone
72016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 265†d2015normalblackChase Stone
82016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 265†e2015normalblackChase Stone
92020-09-26The ListPLST SOI-2652015normalblackChase Stone
102022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 8002015normalblackChase Stone
112023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 2602015normalblackChase Stone

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tamiyo's Journal has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-04-08 If you sacrifice a Clue for another card’s cost or effect, such as that of Angelic Purge or Tamiyo’s Journal, you can’t also pay and sacrifice it to draw a card.
2016-04-08 The token is named Clue and has the artifact subtype Clue. Clue isn’t a creature type.
2016-04-08 The tokens are normal artifacts. For example, they can be sacrificed to cast Angelic Purge or targeted by Root Out.

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