Sage of the Falls MTG Card
2019-10-04 - Number 63
2022-12-02 - Number 340
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Wizard |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage by drawing when non-Human creatures enter, crucial for decks with frequent creature play.
- Enables resource acceleration through synergy with cards that gain value from drawing and discarding.
- Has a few downsides including a forced discard, blue mana restrictions, and a higher mana cost for its effects.
Text of card
Whenever Sage of the Falls or another non-Human creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
Ask a merfolk even a simple question and the answer is a journey far beyond the known.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sage of the Falls ensures a consistent flow of cards into your hand. Whenever another non-Human creature enters the battlefield under your control, you get to draw a card. This can be particularly potent in decks that generate a lot of creature tokens or play multiple creatures in a turn. More cards often translate to more options and the ability to outmaneuver opponents.
Resource Acceleration: While Sage of the Falls itself doesn’t directly produce additional mana, it accelerates your resource availability by drawing you into more lands or mana-producing spells. It also synergizes with cards that trigger upon drawing, potentially unlocking additional value and acceleration from other sources in your deck.
Instant Speed: Sage of the Falls may not be an instant, but its ability can be triggered during any player’s turn, which adds layers of strategic depth to your gameplay. Casting creatures on your turn to draw cards or triggering the ability on an opponent’s turn through creature flash can simulate instant-speed interaction, keeping your hand replenished for whatever situation arises.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One notable downside of Sage of the Falls is its forced discard trigger. Upon entering the battlefield or whenever another non-Human creature enters under your control, it mandates that you draw a card then discard a card. In scenarios where your hand is already optimal, or if you’re playing a strategy that doesn’t benefit from discarding, this can inadvertently lead to the loss of crucial cards.
Specific Mana Cost: Sage of the Falls features a mana cost that is specifically blue-centric, requiring two blue mana in its cost. This specificity makes it less flexible in multicolored decks that might not be able to consistently provide the necessary blue mana, limiting its playability across different deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of five, Sage of the Falls can be considered costly for its effect. In decks aiming for high-speed performance and efficiency, the mana investment might not align with their strategies, especially when other creatures or spells can provide similar or better effects at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sage of the Falls is a flexible addition to any deck that thrives on both drawing cards and maintaining a full hand. This creature is particularly well-suited for blue-centric decks looking to capitalize on card advantages.
Combo Potential: Its ability to draw and then discard a card upon either its own or another non-Human creature’s entrance to the battlefield offers a synergistic potential with numerous combo-based strategies. This interaction can be a key piece in engines that trigger off of drawing or discarding cards.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state that favors continuous hand refreshment, Sage of the Falls proves its worth by ensuring your options stay varied and abundant, which can be critical in outmaneuvering your opponent’s tactics.
How to beat
Sage of the Falls serves as an intriguing piece in blue-centric decks within Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to enable consistent card flow by allowing a player to draw a card and then discard a card whenever a non-Human creature enters the battlefield under their control. It’s easy to overlook the strategic depth this provides, offering both a filter mechanism and combo potential in the right setup.
However, overcoming the steadfast draw mechanic of Sage of the Falls can be summarized in a simple strategy: limit the number of non-Human creatures that hit the battlefield. Tactics like creature removal, board wipes, and counter spells are effective means to neutralize the Sage’s advantage. Cards like Wrath of God or Counterspell can stall the tactics that revolve around Sage of the Falls before they gain momentum. Additionally, exiling effects, which can permanently remove the Sage from play, such as Path to Exile or Leyline of the Void, can halt the synergies in their tracks.
Understanding the pivotal role that Sage of the Falls can play in extending the game for blue-based decks helps tailor a player’s approach, making it critical to have a game plan against this loquacious loremaster. Strategic removal and interference with creature synergy are key to silencing the Sage’s wisdom.
Cards like Sage of the Falls
Sage of the Falls distinguishes itself among creatures in Magic: The Gathering with a unique ability to both amass card advantage and influence the cards you have in hand. When compared to Murmuring Mystic, a creature that also interacts with casting noncreature spells, Sage of the Falls stands out since it directly lets players draw and then choose cards to discard, thus sculpting their hand more effectively.
Another similar card is Sea Gate Oracle, which provides card selection upon entering the battlefield. While the Oracle’s effect is more immediate, Sage of the Falls offers repeated advantage every time you play a creature card, potentially providing much greater value over time. Then there is Gadwick, the Wizened, which also draws cards; however, Gadwick’s ability scales with the mana invested into it, allowing for a varying degree of impact compared to Sage of the Falls’ consistent and repeated ability.
Comparing these cards, one can see that Sage of the Falls could be a powerful engine in decks that can frequently trigger its ability, providing continuous card advantage and filtering options to the player, reinforcing its place within the current card pool of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Sage of the Falls by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sage of the Falls MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine 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 Sage of the Falls 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 Sage of the Falls Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Nicholas Gregory.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-10-04 | Throne of Eldraine | ELD | 63 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Gregory | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 340 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Gregory |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sage of the Falls has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sage of the Falls card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-10-04 | If more than one non-Human creature enters the battlefield at the same time, Sage of the Falls's ability triggers that many times. You'll resolve the abilities one at a time—you won't draw that many cards at once and then discard that many cards. |
| 2019-10-04 | You draw a card and discard a card all while Sage of the Falls's ability is resolving. Nothing can happen between the two, and no player may choose to take actions. |
