Thaumaturge's Familiar MTG Card
2020-01-24 - Number 238
2022-12-02 - Number 802
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Bird |
| Abilities | Flying,Scry |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Thaumaturge’s Familiar provides consistent scrying, improving card draw quality over multiple turns.
- Its cost-effective nature aids in maintaining a smooth mana curve for efficient deck play.
- Though it necessitates specific mana and may compete with more impactful cards, its utility justifies inclusion.
Text of card
Flying When Thaumaturge's Familiar enters the battlefield, scry 1.
Meletian mages can't claim the title of thaumaturge until they have received a gift or omen from the gods. Ephara likes to give tangible tokens of her favor.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thaumaturge’s Familiar serves as a reliable source of card advantage by enabling consistent scrying each time it becomes tapped. This ability can repeatedly organize the top cards of your library, increasing the chance of drawing the right solutions or key spells when you need them.
Resource Acceleration: Featuring a cost-effective mana value, Thaumaturge’s Familiar helps you maintain a smooth mana curve. By filtering through your deck efficiently, it indirectly contributes to resource acceleration, letting you access your vital spells just a bit faster.
Instant Speed: While Thaumaturge’s Familiar itself may not operate at instant speed, its synergy with artifacts and abilities that tap it—potentially even on an opponent’s turn—establish its suitability in decks that take advantage of untap mechanics or artifacts synergies, maximizing value at any moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Thaumaturge’s Familiar binds players with a specific action before full utility can be unlocked. This often necessitates discarding a valuable card from your hand, thus potentially leading to a depletion of your strategic reserves. This can be particularly detrimental in high-stakes scenarios where every card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: The summoning of this Familiar isn’t always seamless. It calls for a precise concoction of mana, which might not always align with a player’s land draw or overall deck mana curve. In matches where tempo and color flexibility are crucial, this could inevitably result in missed opportunities or delayed plays.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Evaluating mana investments is vital, and in certain scenarios, Thaumaturge’s Familiar might not make the cut. With its requirement of three mana, it competes with other cards in its mana range. It’s worth considering whether the benefits it brings to the battlefield stand toe-to-toe with other potential options that may provide a higher impact for the same, or even lower, mana cost.
Reasons to Include Thaumaturge’s Familiar in Your Collection
Versatility: This card effortlessly finds a place in diverse deck archetypes. As a colorless creature, Thaumaturge’s Familiar can be included in any deck, enhancing manifold strategies without stressing over mana compatibility.
Combo Potential: With its ability to scry upon entering the battlefield, it pairs splendidly with deck manipulation strategies or any setup that thrives on filtering draws. The artifact creature type also opens doors to synergize with cards that interact with artifacts or creatures alike.
Meta-Relevance: Given its low-cost and utility, it aligns well with decks focused on consistency and long-term advantage. Its presence could prove pivotal in a meta where setting up the right draw is as critical as the plays you make.
How to beat
Thaumaturge’s Familiar is a unique artifact creature in the world of MTG. Its primary advantage lies in its ability to scry, helping players finesse their strategy by organizing the top cards of their library. Notably, the creature’s defense is sturdy, and its cost-effective casting makes it a resilient component in any deck it’s played.
To counter Thaumaturge’s Familiar, focus on spell removals or counters that can deal with artifact creatures. Since it’s not a creature with a high power, direct damage spells that can target creatures or even artifacts are effective here. Shatter effects, which specifically target artifacts, can also be a clean answer to removing this creature from the board. Cards that restrict the ability to scry or manipulate libraries can stifle the value Thaumaturge’s Familiar brings to the opponent. Artifact removal sideboard cards can give you the edge you need during post-board games against decks utilizing this tool.
Adeptly managing Thaumaturge’s Familiar involves a blend of timely removal and strategic sideboarding. By understanding the unique strengths and weaknesses it presents, you can formulate a tactical approach that diminishes its impact on the game, no matter the challenge it poses.
Cards like Thaumaturge's Familiar
Thaumaturge’s Familiar might not be the most impactful creature in Magic: The Gathering, but its similarities to other utility creatures offer a nice balance for deck construction. It shares its basic function of scrying with Omenspeaker, another creature that lets you look at the top cards of your library when it enters the battlefield. The difference lies in Omenspeaker’s immediate scry 2 ability, whereas Thaumaturge’s Familiar scrys 1 but also provides a recurring benefit each turn it’s tapped.
Another creature worth mentioning is Augury Owl, offering a one-time scry 3 upon entering the battlefield, enriching your ability to set up future draws. Although this bird doesn’t provide the consistent utility that Thaumaturge’s Familiar does, the deeper immediate look can be more impactful in the short term. Lastly, we can’t ignore Wall of Omens, a defensive creature that draws a card instead of scrying. While it doesn’t set up future plays, it offers immediate card advantage and a reliable blocker.
While Thaumaturge’s Familiar may seem underwhelming at first glance, its ability to continuously orchestrate the top of one’s library makes it a contender in MTG decks focusing on draw manipulation and synergy with tapping mechanics.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thaumaturge's Familiar MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Thaumaturge's Familiar and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Thaumaturge's Familiar Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Andrea Radeck.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020-01-24 | Theros Beyond Death | THB | 238 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Andrea Radeck | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 802 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Andrea Radeck |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thaumaturge's Familiar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
