Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice MTG Card


Double up artifact abilities to maximize card value and resource acceleration for dominant board presence. Flexibility at instant speed allows optimal use of Tawnos’s copying ability, adapting to opponents’ moves. Pair Tawnos with artifact strategies for potential infinite combos, ensuring meta relevance and dynamic gameplay.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Artificer
Abilities Haste
Power 1
Toughness 3

Text of card

Haste , : Copy target activated or triggered ability you control from an artifact source. You may choose new targets for the copy. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)

"My master believes anything is achievable."


Cards like Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice

Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice stands out in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering legendary creatures due to its utility in artifact-centric decks. Similar to cards like Goblin Welder, Tawnos offers the ability to tinker with artifacts on the battlefield. Yet, Tawnos brings a fresh dynamic with the ability to copy activated or triggered abilities at the cost of two mana, one which must be blue or red. This function elevates your artifacts’ potential, similar to how Goblin Welder manipulates the graveyard to reconfigure the board.

Digging into comparable cards, we encounter Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient. This ogre spirit also amplifies artifacts’ abilities, doubling any activated ability of an artifact you control, for just one red mana. However, the versatility of Tawnos allowing for triggered abilities as well not being limited to non-mana abilities gives Tawnos an edge. On the other hand, we have Saheeli, Sublime Artificer, a wildcard in this comparison. Her passive ability to create tokens whenever a noncreature spell is cast offers a different kind of artifact synergy and board presence.

Ultimately, for players who appreciate the intricate play of artifacts, Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice presents a unique and potent toolbox, especially in commanding the flow of abilities within MTG matches.

Goblin Welder - MTG Card versions
Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient - MTG Card versions
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - MTG Card versions
Goblin Welder - MTG Card versions
Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient - MTG Card versions
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice offers powerful utility in cloning activated abilities which can effectively double the value of your other permanents on the board. This, in turn, can yield significant card advantage as you get more from each card played.

Resource Acceleration: The efficient cost of Tawnos at two mana means it slots into your curve nicely, and its ability to duplicate abilities can lead to increased resource acceleration, allowing you to outpace your opponents in both board presence and options.

Instant Speed: Tawnos’s ability to copy activated abilities at instant speed provides flexibility, enabling you to wait until the most advantageous moment to enhance an effect or to react to an opponent’s actions, thereby keeping them guessing at your potential responses.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice requires you to coordinate your hand carefully as he can get costly if you’re forced to discard your last piece of a combo or a crucial spell just to use his ability.

Specific Mana Cost: With the necessity for both blue and red mana to fulfill the casting cost, this card demands a dedicated color commitment which may not always align with your deck’s mana base or strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Needing two initial mana plus two more each time you want to activate Tawnos’s ability, the investment might outweigh the benefits when you compare it to other options that could optimize your strategy with less mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice is a highly adaptable card that complements various deck strategies. As a legendary creature, it adds value to decks that synergize with historic spells or require a reliable commander.

Combo Potential: With the ability to copy activated or triggered abilities of other artifacts you control, it pairs exceptionally well with numerous powerful artifacts, thus opening the door to infinite combos and game-winning plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where the meta often shifts, Tawnos maintains relevance by enabling players to respond to a wide array of threats through its ability to duplicate key artifact effects, keeping your gameplay dynamic and competitive.


How to beat

Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice is an intriguing commander that demands a strategic approach to counter effectively. This legendary artifact creature shines in decks focused on artifacts and can be a real powerhouse when it comes to utilizing activated abilities. Playing against Tawnos, you’ll want to limit their ability to copy artifact-related effects. One effective tactic is to employ instant-speed removal to disrupt the sequence before Tawnos’s ability is activated.

Another useful strategy is to exert pressure early on. Tawnos, as a commander, encourages a game plan that gradually builds up a formidable board state. However, if you apply consistent pressure from the very beginning, it’s possible to overrun a Tawnos pilot before they establish their winning combos. Additionally, including cards that restrict the use of activated abilities can cripple Tawnos’s game plan, making it difficult for them to gain the upper hand.

Actionable disruption mechanics, such as artifact destruction or abilities that counter activated effects, can significantly diminish the effectiveness of Tawnos. As always, remember that each game is unique, and adapting your strategy to the evolving board state is crucial for success against this capable commander.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the MTG landscape with Tawnos, Urza’s Apprentice by your side can truly transform your artifact gameplay. Capitalizing on the card’s strengths requires both understanding and finesse, especially considering its potential for card advantage and instant-speed tricks. If the intersection of artifacts and copying abilities piques your interest, incorporating Tawnos into your repertoire might just be your next strategic move. We encourage you to deepen your knowledge on leveraging Tawnos’s capabilities to enhance your deck’s performance and outwit opponents. For tips, tricks, and strategies, join our growing community of enthusiasts and refine your skills for your next match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2018, 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 Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2018-08-09. Illustrated by Matt Stewart.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 706872015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
22018-08-09Commander 2018C18 452015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
32020-09-26The ListPLST C18-452015NormalBlackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tawnos, Urza's Apprentice has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-07-13 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities (such as equip) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. An activated mana ability is one that produces mana as it resolves, not one that costs mana to activate.
2018-07-13 An “artifact source” is a permanent, spell, or card in any zone with the card type “artifact.” For example, Tawnos’s ability can target a cycling ability you’ve activated if the discarded card is an artifact card.
2018-07-13 Any choices made when the ability resolves won’t have been made yet when it’s copied. Any such choices will be made separately when the copy resolves. If a triggered ability asks you to pay a cost (such as that of Mirrorworks), you pay that cost for the copy separately.
2018-07-13 If an ability is linked to a second ability, copies of that ability are also linked to that second ability. If the second ability refers to “the exiled card,” it refers to all cards exiled by the ability and the copy. For example, if Tidehollow Sculler’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied and two cards are exiled, they both return when Tidehollow Sculler leaves the battlefield.
2018-07-13 If the ability divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets (for example, the ability of Verdurous Gearhulk), the division and number of targets can’t be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.
2018-07-13 If the ability is modal (that is, if it says, “Choose one —” or similar), the mode is copied and can’t be changed.
2018-07-13 If the activated ability’s cost contains a choice, such as a creature to sacrifice or a number of counters to remove, the copy uses that same information. You can’t pay the cost again, even if you want to.
2018-07-13 In some cases involving linked abilities, an ability requires information about “the exiled card.” When this happens, the ability gets multiple answers. If these answers are being used to determine the value of a variable, the sum is used. For example, if Soul Foundry’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied, two cards are exiled. The value of X in the activation cost of Soul Foundry’s other ability is the sum of the two cards’ converted mana costs. As the ability resolves, you create a token copy of each card.
2018-07-13 Tawnos’s ability targets an ability that is on the stack and creates another instance of that ability on the stack. It doesn’t cause any object to gain an ability.
2018-07-13 The source of the copy is the same as the source of the original ability.
2018-07-13 Triggered abilities use the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They’re often written as “
-rigger condition],
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities are triggered abilities and will have “when,” “whenever,” or “at the beginning of” in their reminder text.