Azorius Keyrune MTG Card


The Keyrune offers card advantage by transitioning into a creature, enhancing its value without using extra cards. Activation flexibility at instant speed allows the Keyrune to respond dynamically to the changing board state. Despite its benefits, the Keyrune demands a specific mana composition and careful hand management strategy.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Text of card

: Add or to your mana pool. : Azorius Keyrune becomes a 2/2 white and blue Bird artifact creature with flying until end of turn.

"The higher the mind soars, the greater its understanding of the law." —Isperia


Cards like Azorius Keyrune

In the versatile world of artifact keyrunes, the Azorius Keyrune stands out with its dual function. Like other keyrunes, it serves as both mana fixing and a potential creature. It’s akin to the Dimir Keyrune, which also transforms into a creature, but the Azorius Keyrune turns into a vigilant flyer, beneficial in both offense and defense. The Boros Keyrune is another comparable card, which becomes a creature that can be advantageous in an aggressive playstyle due to its evasion ability.

Another card worth mentioning is the Rakdos Keyrune; while it lacks flying, it comes with a higher power, proving useful for a more direct and forceful approach in the game. The diversity among keyrunes is evident in the unique features each one brings to the table, tailored to the corresponding guilds’ strategies within MTG.

In examining the utility of mana artifacts that morph into creatures, the Azorius Keyrune holds a significant place. Its ability to provide a defensive aerial blocker or an evasive attacker offers a dynamic that can lead to controlling the board and turning the tide of the game in your favor.

Dimir Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Boros Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Dimir Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Boros Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Keyrune - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Azorius Keyrune by color, type and mana cost

Seashell Cameo - MTG Card versions
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Protomatter Powder - MTG Card versions
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Seashell Cameo - MTG Card versions
Walking Archive - MTG Card versions
Protomatter Powder - MTG Card versions
Fieldmist Borderpost - MTG Card versions
Ethersworn Shieldmage - MTG Card versions
Azorius Cluestone - MTG Card versions
Ojutai Monument - MTG Card versions
Azorius Locket - MTG Card versions
Chrome Courier - MTG Card versions
Prodigy's Prototype - MTG Card versions
Goldbug, Humanity's Ally // Goldbug, Scrappy Scout - MTG Card versions
Reflection Net - MTG Card versions
Rex, Cyber-Hound - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When the Azorius Keyrune becomes activated, it can morph into a creature ready to block incoming threats or apply pressure on your opponent, effectively giving you an additional card’s worth of value without losing card real estate from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: As a mana rock, the Azorius Keyrune serves as a crucial boost to your mana pool, allowing you to play higher cost spells earlier in the game. It produces either white or blue mana, assisting in meeting color requirements for various spell casts.

Instant Speed: With the ability to become a creature at instant speed, you can transform the Keyrune in response to opponent actions. This provides the flexibility to adapt to the board state, potentially surprising an attacker with an unexpected blocker or an end of turn creature ready to strike.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Azorius Keyrune card does demand a keen understanding and strategy regarding hand management. An overlooked factor about this particular artifact is its unspoken discard requirement. During gameplay, players must weigh the value of retaining this card versus playing other cards that might immediately impact the board state. This can sometimes place the player in a tough spot, especially when operating with a diminishing hand.

Specific Mana Cost: The Keyrune’s activation is bound by a strict color alignment, specifically requiring white and blue mana. This creates an inherent limitation, confining the card’s efficiency to decks that can reliably generate both types of mana. For players running a multicolored setup outside of the Azorius color identity or lacking a balanced mana base, the Keyrune may prove less utilitarian, thus affecting its deck-building versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting and activation cost that might be considered steep relative to its output, the Azorius Keyrune can be less appealing when viewed against other available mana acceleration options or cards offering similar benefits. In a game where pacing and resource utilization can dictate the victor, the cost-to-benefit ratio of the Keyrune may deter players from including it in their arsenal, especially when alternatives can achieve greater efficiency or provide additional utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Azorius Keyrune is adaptable for a wide range of deck types in MTG. It offers mana fixing for blue and white strategies while also doubling as a creature, making it suitable for various situations on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: As an artifact, this keyrune lends itself to combos with cards that interact with artifacts. Furthermore, when it becomes a creature, it opens the door to synergies with effects that care about creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where control is prevalent, the Azorius Keyrune shines. Providing mana acceleration and a resilient threat that can dodge sorcery-speed removal, it remains a useful option against decks that rely on non-permanent spells to control the game.


How to beat Azorius Keyrune

The Azorius Keyrune card, a distinct fixture in many MTG decks, comes with the dual functionality of mana accessibility and becoming a creature. Unlike some other mana artifacts, Azorius Keyrune transforms into a 2/2 blue and white Bird artifact creature with flying, making it a versatile choice both for defense and for chipping away at an opponent’s life total. To effectively counter this card, removal spells that specifically target artifacts, such as Abrade or Naturalize, can be formidable as they can eliminate the Keyrune regardless of its form. Board wipes also remain a solid strategy, particularly those that target nonland permanents, ensuring that whether the Keyrune is a creature or not, it can be dealt with in one fell swoop.

Discard and counter strategies also play a role here, with Thoughtseize or Counterspell being prime examples of how to disrupt an opponent’s game plan involving the Azorius Keyrune. It’s also advantageous to apply pressure early in the game, forcing the Keyrune user to allocate mana resources to defend rather than to build their board presence with the Keyrune’s capabilities. This preemptive approach can shift the game in your favor, minimizing the impact of the Keyrune’s flexibility.

In summary, dealing with Azorius Keyrune effectively demands timely removal, the disruption of the opponent’s strategic setup, and applying early-game pressure to prevent the Keyrune from becoming a significant threat in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the strategy and finesse of MTG with the Azorius Keyrune at your side. The Keyrune offers more than simple mana acceleration; it provides a dual-threat as a mana source and creature, perfect for Azorius-themed decks. While it presents certain deck-building challenges and considerations, including it in your collection can add a layer of tactical versatility to your game. Whether you’re tweaking your control deck or exploring new combinations, the Azorius Keyrune is a card that encourages innovative gameplay. Ready for a deeper understanding of mana-fixing artifacts and their role in winning strategies? Enhance your MTG expertise with us.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Azorius Keyrune MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica 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 Azorius Keyrune and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Azorius Keyrune Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2019-02-15. Illustrated by Daniel Ljunggren.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 2252003NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
22013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2362003NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2092015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
42019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 232015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Azorius Keyrune has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-04-15 Activating the ability that turns the Keyrune into a creature while it’s already a creature will override any effects that set its power and/or toughness to another number, but effects that modify power and/or toughness without directly setting them will still apply.
2013-04-15 Until the ability that turns the Keyrune into a creature resolves, the Keyrune is colorless.