Jace, Cunning Castaway MTG Card


Jace’s ability to sift through your deck helps to consistently access key strategies for victory. His ultimate can overwhelm opponents by creating multiple Jace tokens, each with operational capabilities. Despite limitations, Jace’s versatility and combo potential make him a worthy addition to blue-focused decks.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Jace
Loyalty 3

Text of card


+1: Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player this turn, draw a card, then discard a card.
-2: Create a 2/2 blue Illusion creature token with "When this creature becomes the target of a spell, sacrifice it."
-5: Create two tokens that are copies of Jace, Cunning Castaway, except they're not legendary.


Cards like Jace, Cunning Castaway

Jace, Cunning Castaway offers a fresh dynamic to planeswalker cards in MTG, reminiscent of others like Jace Beleren. At a glance, Jace Beleren allows for consistent card drawing, which seemingly puts it on par with Jace, Cunning Castaway’s card generation ability. However, what sets Cunning Castaway apart is its potential to create multiple non-legendary copies of itself under the right conditions, something Jace Beleren can’t replicate.

Comparisons can also be made with Tamiyo, Field Researcher, another planeswalker capable of drawing cards. Cunning Castaway’s lower mana cost gives it a swifter entry into play, but Tamiyo’s abilities offer a wider scope, with both card draw and creature control. Yet, it’s the synergy between Cunning Castaway’s ultimate ability and various deck strategies that uniquely positions it for creating overwhelming board presence.

Ultimately, Jace, Cunning Castaway shines in scenarios that exploit its cloning capability, diverging from the straightforward card draw focus of other similar planeswalkers. This makes it a strategic choice for players who enjoy maximizing the value of every card played in the ever-evolving strategies of MTG.

Jace Beleren - MTG Card versions
Tamiyo, Field Researcher - MTG Card versions
Jace Beleren - MTG Card versions
Tamiyo, Field Researcher - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Jace, Cunning Castaway by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jace, Cunning Castaway offers a consistent source of card advantage through his second ability. Each activation allows you to sift through your deck, increasing your chances of drawing into your game-winning strategies.

Resource Acceleration: His ultimate ability, while not a traditional form of ramp, creates multiple copies of Jace himself. These can be leveraged for a massive boost in resources, as each token can use its abilities the turn they come into play. The potential for multiple loots or even creating numerous Illusion tokens can overwhelm opponents.

Instant Speed: While Jace, Cunning Castaway operates at sorcery speed, his Illusion token generation synergizes well with instant speed spells. Creating blockers on your turn allows you to keep mana open for countermagic or removal, playing into a reactive and flexible strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jace Cunning Castaway comes with a loyalty ability that may leave you at a disadvantage by forcing you to discard one of your own cards. This can prove to be a setback if your hand is already dwindling or if you’re in a tight spot where every single card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This Planeswalker has a requirement for both blue and generic mana which means it naturally fits into blue-centric or blue-inclusive decks. However, this does limit its versatility across various deck builds, restraining it from easily slotting into any strategy that doesn’t support the blue mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is somewhat steep for the impact it provides, Jace Cunning Castaway could be overlooked when constructing a deck. For three mana, players might find other cards with a more immediate or significant effect on the game, making it less appealing for those spots where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Jace Cunning Castaway in Your Collection

Versatility: Jace Cunning Castaway offers flexibility in deck building, allowing players to fit it into various blue-centric strategies. Its ability to create multiple illusions can be a game-changer in both aggressive tempo and controlling planeswalker decks.

Combo Potential: This planeswalker can synergize with cards that take advantage of his illusion tokens, such as those enhancing creature abilities or benefiting from token generation. Its ultimate ability, while challenging to achieve, can offer a unique win condition by creating several non-legendary copies of itself.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that values adaptability, Jace Cunning Castaway remains relevant by offering control players an additional tool for board presence and card selection. Its low casting cost makes it a viable option in the current metagame where efficient and impactful plays are crucial.


How to Beat Jace, Cunning Castaway

Jace, Cunning Castaway is a unique planeswalker in Magic: The Gathering, presenting a distinctive set of challenges on the battlefield. His ability to create nonlegendary tokens that are copies of himself can quickly overwhelm opponents if left unchecked. It is essential to address Jace quickly, and the most effective strategies involve direct damage, efficient creature elimination, and thwarting his loyalty abilites.

Removal spells that can target planeswalkers, such as Hero’s Downfall or Dreadbore, are highly effective in this case. Counterspells like Negate or the more versatile Mana Leak also give players the tools to prevent Jace from hitting the board in the first place. Alternatively, a quick start that applies early pressure with creatures can prevent your opponent from finding a safe window to cast Jace. Finally, as with other planeswalker threats, adjusting your onboard presence to apply a threat each turn can put your opponent on the back foot, buying you time to find a more permanent solution to Jace’s cunning tactics.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Jace, Cunning Castaway is crucial to forming an effective counter strategy. Utilizing targeted removal, counter spells, or presenting a fast paced threat can help keep this pesky planeswalker in check.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the intricacies of MTG can pivot on key card choices and understanding nuances in playstyle. Jace, Cunning Castaway presents both challenges and opportunities, from creating card advantage to establishing token armies. There’s potential for powerful combos, and its unique abilities make it a prospective cornerstone in blue-focused decks. Analyzing the pros and cons is vital whether you’re considering it for tempo plays or control schemes. Eager to harness the crafty strategies of Jace, Cunning Castaway? Dive deeper with us to master its applications and ensure your deck is a step ahead in your next tournament.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jace, Cunning Castaway MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ixalan Promos, 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 Jace, Cunning Castaway and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jace, Cunning Castaway Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2018-07-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 709322015NormalBlackTerese Nielsen
22017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 60s2015NormalBlackKieran Yanner
32017-09-29IxalanXLN 602015NormalBlackKieran Yanner
42018-07-19San Diego Comic-Con 2018PS18 602015NormalBlackTerese Nielsen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jace, Cunning Castaway has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-09-29 If a token created by Jace’s second ability becomes the target of a spell, its ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of that spell. The ability will resolve first (causing the token to be sacrificed). Unless the spell has another target, it will then be countered when it tries to resolve for having no legal targets.
2017-09-29 The delayed triggered ability created by Jace’s first ability can trigger more than once in a turn if creatures you control deal combat damage at different times in a turn (most likely because one or more has first strike) or if creatures you control deal combat damage to more than one player at once.
2017-09-29 The tokens created by Jace’s last ability don’t have the legendary supertype. If another object becomes a copy of the token, that copy also won’t be legendary.
2017-09-29 The tokens from Jace’s last ability copy exactly what is printed on Jace and nothing else. They don’t copy how many counters are on him or Auras attached to him, or any non-copy effects that have changed his color or types, and so on. They’ll each enter the battlefield with three loyalty counters. You can activate one loyalty ability of each of the tokens this turn.
2017-09-29 You can control one legendary Jace, Cunning Castaway in addition to any number of nonlegendary copies of Jace, Cunning Castaway.