I feel like I should mention that this card
technically has Imprint, but isn't keyworded as
having it. Maybe a reprint in the next Mirrodin
block? (Will there even be another one?) The
Arcanist's power depends on what card it exiles,
and how many copies of it you can get off before
he dies. Since the copy ability is a tap ability
and it doesn't have haste, it's possible to lose
the Arcanist before you ever get to use its
ability, which would mean you lost a card out of
your hand for nothing. But if the Arcanist lives
long enough to make even two copies, it was all
worth it.
The best card to exile would be a simple draw
spell like Think Twice, or even something as
simple as Opt. Arcanist only works with
sorceries, sadly, so Ponder won't work. A
cheaper spell would be better, since you're
paying the CMC every time. Boomerang would be a
really unfair choice-- everybody hates
repeatable bounce. But as a mere 1/1 for four
mana, that can't use its ability until you untap
with it out, it's just too fragile to take
seriously.
I really wish that the guy in this card's art
had been holding an Isochron Scepter - that's
obviously what this is a reference to. While
Elite Arcanist is much less good than its
predecessor at locking people out of the game
(which is probably a good thing, overall), you
do have to respect any card that can turn a
spell into a repeatable effect. Note that it
doesn't depend on the original instant staying
in your hand, like cards with splice do.
Today's card of the day is Elite Arcanist which
is a four mana Blue 1/1 that when it comes into
play has you exile an instant from hand to allow
you to copy and cast it for the converted mana
cost and tapping.
Without Haste and a low one toughness this is
fairly vulnerable, but the potential to repeat a
a stall or damaging spell is often worth the
risk. Many different cards combo with this very
well and it will undoubtedly see some play
across formats, but the drawbacks of mana cost
with low toughness and lack of Haste will likely
keep it out of top tier decks.
In Limited this is somewhat less vulnerable
and powerful due to fewer instants being
available to both you and any opponents. The
potential is still high, but getting this and a
useful card to exile at the same time can be
problematic. Even as a dead weight card in hand
it is worth a slot in a Sealed deck that has at
least a few viable targets in the pool and the
single Blue allows some flexibility in what
colors are used. In Booster passing it is risky
as an opponent can win with it and drafting
support is certainly possible.
Instinctively I want to compare this card to
Israha’s scepter. The scepter was harder to kill
and available in any color, but was restricted
to instants or sorceries under a casting cost of
two. The Elite Arcanist is within easy ping
killing range at one toughness, however it might
be able to hold its own if you’re able to use it
to recast cancel. In limited this card is useful
because the casting cost is converted to X,
which would allow you to cast an instant outside
of your colors. Some suggested targets in draft
(Shock, Silence, Opportunity, Doom blade,
Chandra’s Outrage)
