Pointed Discussion

mana production, in blue?!? say it isn't so

Useful for summoning big blue fatties earlier.

Useful in casual blue decks.

bit expensive for ramp but very useful when it comes down to it

Worse than worn powerstone, which is colorless and can't be burned

It's a huge help in my blue deck, as it would be in most ...

Can an interrupt be used for summoning spells?

@Vishlord

The answer to the question you mean to ask is "yes." The mana produced by Apprentice Wizard can be used for any purpose once it's been tapped.

I used to run a few of these guys on occasion, but the problem is that the big blue cards I run the most often AND my favorite big counterspells – Mindbreak Trap and Rewind - only cost 2 colorless. Meaning you may as well run a Silver Myr instead since you're tapping 1 island to effectively get 2 mana that you're actually going to use for a net gain of 1 colorless. Or better yet, just throw down a High Tide. Could be useful for a 4-mana Time Stop or many other purposes.

And then they released Palladium Myr, which apart from being slightly more vulnerable due to being an artifact creature, is strictly better. Instead of tapping along with 1 U to get 3 colorless, you tap to get 2 colorless. So in situations where you have 1 U to float, you get roughly the same effect (turning U into 3 colorless vs. getting 2 colorless from nothing mana-wise); in situations where you don't have the extra mana sitting around, this guy is a 1/1 chump blocker for 3 whereas Palladium Myr can still be activated. Plus, the Myr is a 2/2, and takes colorless mana.

So as much as I hate to say it, unless you're running wizard tribal or something, this guy's time has passed. R.I.P. buddy. =(

Wizard needs food, badly

"Just wait till I get my Leviathan . . . ."

But seriously the fattest blue cards are {U} heavy, so {3} colorless is not that useful for blue

I give the guy props for being one of the most, if not the most, wizardly looking wizards out there. Look at that hat. Look at that beard. This guy is absolutely unmistakably a wizard, and I love it.

Weird blue ramp in constructed...
Wait a minute *takes a second look at card*
EDH GOLD!!!!!!! wooo commander time

It's interesting how this guy synergizes with Loxodon Warhammer. So with this guy out you can cast Loxodon Warhammer for 1 blue, then equip it next turn for 1 blue. Or with two of him out you can cast and equip on the same turn for just 2 blue. Of course, you've paid for that already in his casting cost (3 CMC), but on the other hand he can also help getting other stuff out as well.

Just about every part of this card is completely out of touch with modern Magic: ridiculously out of color ability (given to blue, of course,) the stereotypical wizard with the pointy hat and wand- it's pretty chuckle-inducing, actually.

Seems awfully old to be an apprentice! Late bloomer, I guess...

Man, gray hair, a beard, and he's still only an apprentice? How old do you have to be to be a wizard?