Arcane Melee MTG Card


Arcane Melee allows for more spells per turn with its cost reduction, creating a card advantage. This enchantment accelerates resources, enabling earlier and more efficient spell casting in MTG. It enhances instant spells, giving players the upper hand in controlling the game’s pace.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

Instant and sorcery spells cost less to cast.

Debates between wizards are never purely academic.


Cards like Arcane Melee

Arcane Melee is a unique enchantment in MTG that deftly reduces the casting cost of instant and sorcery spells, an asset for decks that rely heavily on these types of cards. Comparably, we examine Goblin Electromancer, a creature that also provides a cost-reduction effect for your instants and sorceries, but it’s limited by its status as a creature that can be more easily removed from the board.

There’s a measure of kinship with Helm of Awakening, as it too reduces the cost of spells. However, unlike Arcane Melee, Helm of Awakening isn’t specific to instants and sorceries, providing a broader, yet riskier, discount since it affects all players equally. Additionally, we have Sapphire Medallion and Ruby Medallion—each tailoring to a single color, offering a cost reduction for blue and red spells, respectively, which presents a narrower focus compared to Arcane Melee’s multicolored generosity.

At its core, Arcane Melee holds a strategic position in MTG as it facilitates the casting of an array of powerful spells at an accelerated pace, which can be a turning point in player’s deck performance, particularly in formats where casting numerous spells swiftly can lead to a swift victory.

Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Helm of Awakening - MTG Card versions
Sapphire Medallion - MTG Card versions
Ruby Medallion - MTG Card versions
Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Helm of Awakening - MTG Card versions
Sapphire Medallion - MTG Card versions
Ruby Medallion - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Arcane Melee by color, type and mana cost

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Dream Halls - MTG Card versions
Bureaucracy - MTG Card versions
Treachery - MTG Card versions
Heightened Awareness - MTG Card versions
Sunken Hope - MTG Card versions
Ice Cave - MTG Card versions
Persuasion - MTG Card versions
Telekinetic Bonds - MTG Card versions
Reflections of Littjara - MTG Card versions
Mind Control - MTG Card versions
Dispersing Orb - MTG Card versions
Wrath of Marit Lage - MTG Card versions
Shared Fate - MTG Card versions
Cowardice - MTG Card versions
Battle of Wits - MTG Card versions
Followed Footsteps - MTG Card versions
Biting Tether - MTG Card versions
Coma Veil - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arcane Melee cuts down the cost of casting your spells, ensuring that you can utilize more of your hand and potentially play multiple spells in a turn. This card nudges you closer to a dominating position by maximizing the cards you have available.

Resource Acceleration: With this enchantment on the battlefield, your sorceries and instants cost less to cast. This reduction gives you a form of resource acceleration, allowing you to allocate mana more efficiently and even play spells earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: While Arcane Melee itself isn’t an instant, it gives a significant edge to all your instant spells. Lowering their cost potentially permits you to react to an opponent’s moves at instant speed with more complexity and frequency, increasing your ability to control the flow of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Arcane Melee reduces the cost of casting spells, it doesn’t negate the reality that certain spells still necessitate the player to discard cards. This means that despite the cost reduction, the requirement to discard could hinder your hand if you’re already low on cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Arcane Melee requires a combination of one blue and four colorless mana to play. This specific mana cost can be restrictive, especially in decks that are mana-color diversified or strategies that rely on a quicker mana curve. If a player’s mana base isn’t well-tuned to accommodate such costs, it may delay or even prevent them from utilizing the card optimally.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total of five mana needed to cast Arcane Melee, players may find the card to be a hefty investment in the early to mid-game. Other cards can offer instant or immediate advantages at a lower mana cost, which may lead to more efficient deck strategies over relying on the longer-term cost reduction benefits that Arcane Melee provides.


Reasons to Include Arcane Melee in Your Collection

Versatility: Arcane Melee caters to any deck with a focus on casting numerous spells. This enchantment reduces the cost of instant and sorcery spells, broadening your options in spell-heavy decks such as Izzet or Grixis spell-slingers.

Combo Potential: With its cost-reduction ability, it opens up opportunities to combine spells that may otherwise be too mana-intensive, allowing for powerful interactions and unexpected play sequences.

Meta-Relevance: In a gaming environment where control decks or spell-based strategies prevail, Arcane Melee gains significant value, offering a persistent advantage that can tilt the odds in your favor over the course of a match.


How to Beat

Arcane Melee is an enchantment that can turn the tide of a game by reducing the cost of instant and sorcery spells for all players. When facing off against this formidable card, a key strategy is to employ instant-speed removal or enchantment destruction spells. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant are effective tools, allowing you to dismantle Arcane Melee on your terms.

To gain an advantage, capitalize on the cost reduction for your own spells while you can, and use countermagic like Negate or Dovin’s Veto to protect your strategy from the enhanced capabilities of your opponent. If you lack direct removal, playing aggressively with creatures can pressure an opponent before they fully utilize the cost reduction Arcane Melee provides. Adapting your strategy to either dismantle the enchantment quickly or outpace its benefits can be the key to overcoming the challenge it represents.

Ultimately, understanding the dynamics of Arcane Melee and preparing your deck to counteract it effectively can give you the upper hand in a match, ensuring you maintain control while disrupting your opponent’s game plan.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the art of mastering MTG with a keener understanding of how Arcane Melee can shape your matches. This enchantment could be a sleeper hit in your deck, unlocking the ability to chain spells together and dominate the board with unexpected combos. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a fresh face in the world of MTG, optimizing your deck to make the most of cost reductions can be a game-changer. Get ahead of your opponents by integrating formidable strategies and cementing your title as a formidable player. Keep honing your skills and collection with us as we unravel the secrets of smart deck-building and adept gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arcane Melee MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Commander 2013, 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 Arcane Melee and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Arcane Melee Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by Jaime Jones.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 442003NormalBlackJaime Jones
22013-11-01Commander 2013C13 292003NormalBlackJaime Jones
32020-09-26The ListPLST C13-292003NormalBlackJaime Jones

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Arcane Melee has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2012-05-01 Arcane Melee can reduce alternative costs such as miracle costs.
2012-05-01 Arcane Melee can’t reduce the colored mana requirement of an instant or sorcery spell.
2012-05-01 If there are additional costs to cast a spell, such as a kicker cost or a cost imposed by another effect (such as Thalia, Guardian of Thraben’s ability), apply those increases before applying cost reductions.
2012-05-01 The cost to cast an instant or sorcery spell with one generic mana in its mana cost will be reduced by . For example, an instant spell with a mana cost of would cost to cast.