Academy Elite MTG Card
2014-06-06 - Number 20
2014-06-16 - Number 55
2016-11-11 - Number 81
2020-09-26 - Number CNS-20
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Key Takeaways
- Enters the battlefield with a power boost from instant and sorcery cards in all graveyards.
- Accelerates board presence by leveraging graveyard spells without extra resources.
- Can be powered up at instant speed, offering potential for surprise tactics.
Text of card
Academy Elite enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in all graveyards. , Remove a +1/+1 counter from Academy Elite: Draw a card, then discard a card.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Academy Elite enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in all graveyards. This can be a significant boost in card value, offering a large creature potentially the moment it comes into play, depending on the game’s state.
Resource Acceleration: This creature can be a powerhouse in decks built around graveyard strategies. By leveraging the spells in graveyards, it not only becomes a formidable threat but also accelerates your board presence without demanding additional resources.
Instant Speed: Academy Elite’s relevance is further amplified by spells that can put it on the battlefield or augment its power at instant speed. Combos using flash mechanics can surprise opponents, allowing for sudden shifts in board control.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Academy Elite’s effect is contingent on the Unearth mechanic, which may necessitate discarding other valuable cards from your hand to fully utilize its potential. This could set you back, especially if your hand is already running low and you’re reliant on each card.
Specific Mana Cost: Academy Elite demands a very specific mana alignment to cast, requiring both blue mana and generic mana. This can be limiting as it may not fit seamlessly into multi-colored decks, potentially causing delays in play or requiring a mana base adjustment to accommodate it.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Academy Elite boasts an impactful scaling ability, its base casting cost is substantial. With a cost of four mana including three generic and one blue, it competes with other high-impact cards in the four-mana slot, potentially making it a less attractive choice in a deck where the curve and mana efficiency are crucial.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Academy Elite has a unique place in decks looking for scalability throughout the game. Its power and toughness can grow significantly as the graveyard fills up, making it adaptable to various gameplay situations.
Combo Potential: Coupled with graveyard-filling strategies or cards that manipulate counters, Academy Elite gains even more value. This card can become a powerhouse with the right synergies, fitting into intricate combos that capitalize on the number of cards in all graveyards.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames where graveyard strategies are prevalent, Academy Elite becomes increasingly valuable. It can either stand as a substantial threat on its own or complement strategies that focus on manipulating the size and contents of graveyards.
How to beat
Academy Elite enters the battlefield as a creature with potential for immense growth, its power and toughness directly tied to the number of cards in all graveyards. The card creates an interesting dynamic, particularly in games where graveyard-interaction is prevalent. To successfully counter an Academy Elite, it’s crucial to manage graveyard populations, keeping them to a minimum.
Cards such as Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze are effective tools, as they can exile cards from the graveyard, directly impacting the Elite’s size. Alternatively, instant-speed removal spells ensure that even if the Elite grows, it can be dealt with before causing significant damage. Containment Priest offers another angle, preemptively addressing creatures entering from the graveyard or other unusual strategies.
It becomes clear that flexibility in response and graveyard management are key components when facing an Academy Elite. Effective counters should not only mitigate its power growth but also disrupt synergies within graveyard-centric decks, maintaining control of the field and leading to a more favorable outcome.
Cards like Academy Elite
Academy Elite stands out in the Magic: The Gathering universe for its synergy with graveyard filled strategies. It bears resemblance to creatures like Vulturous Aven, owing to their ability to grow in power based on the number of cards players have in their graveyards. However, Academy Elite is unique in its scalable power and toughness – it enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in all graveyards. Unlike Vulturous Aven, which grants an immediate benefit of drawing cards in exchange for sacrificing another creature, Academy Elite’s advantage increases as the game progresses and graveyards expand.
Comparatively, Consuming Aberration also benefits from a heft of graveyard interaction, becoming a behemoth as the graveyards fill up while also milling opponents. Yet, Academy Elite has the flexibility of influencing the board immediately upon entry, with no further action required to capitalize on its strength. Nighthowler is another card sharing this graveyard-centric mechanic, but unlike Nighthowler, which only counts creatures in graveyards, Academy Elite takes a broader approach, considering all instant and sorcery cards, painting a larger target for growth.
In sum, considering the diverse strategies in Magic: The Gathering, Academy Elite occupies a valued niche. It serves as a formidable presence in decks specializing in spell-slinging and graveyard strategies, due to its dynamically scaling presence based on the shared past actions of players within a game.
Cards similar to Academy Elite by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Academy Elite MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy and Vintage Masters, 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 Academy Elite 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 Magic products
Printings
The Academy Elite Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-06-06 and 2016-11-11. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-06-06 | Conspiracy | CNS | 20 | 2003 | normal | black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 55 | 2015 | normal | black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 3 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 81 | 2015 | normal | black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | CNS-20 | 2003 | normal | black | Volkan Baǵa |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Academy Elite has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
