Pointed Discussion

I personally think almost any instant-speed card draw spell is worth it. 5 mana for 3 cards is pretty boss, can't lie.

not 5/5 for having the word "jace" stapled onto it.

Counter/Draw is about as far from "Ingenuity" you can find in the game of magic. I challenge you to come up with a less creative or original way to play the game. It should be called "Jace's Old Tricks" or "Jace's Old Hat." In the development file I wouldn't be surprised if the card was called "Blue Cliche Returns"

Instant-speed card draw is good. I'm glad to see this.

@Temple_Garden

It's called "ingenuity" because the hand of cards represents the ideas in your mind. Drawing represents ideas coming into your mind. Hence, because Jace is so inventive/smart he brings ideas to his mind faster/in larger numbers.

what, instant speed draw? I thought wizards was done with this, and if it was instant speed it had to be crappy like mysteries of the deep.

@Temple Garden:

"BAWWWW MY CREATURE GOT COUNTERED BECAUSE I COULDN'T BE FUCKED TO THINK MY PLAYS THROUGH!

YOU SUCK BLUE, COUNTERSPELLS SHOULD COST 7CMC! SO UNBALANCED OMGLOL"

Am I doing it right, TG? のワの

I hope I get 4 of these in my box.

anyone ever heard of ancestral recall? oh that's right, you all have.

A mysteries of the deep that doesn't force you to run fetchlands to be really good?
Awwww WotC, you shouldn't have~ <3

My favorite thing about this card, besides being fantastic, is what you can compare it to.
Consider this;
Timetwister, a completely broken card, finally gets a fixed version that isn't potentially more broken than the original, for the added cost of 1U.
Ancestral Recall, another completely broken card, also gets a fixed version in this card for the added cost of 2UU.
Think of that people; it took 4 additional mana for Recall to become fair.

@AXER: Harmonize is also a sorcery. (And if you want good 4-mana draw sorceries, Foresee is likely better anyway.) JI is great because you can leave counter mana open, and then draw three at the end of your opponent's turn if they didn't try anything objectionable. Instant draw pretty much always costs 1 more than sorcery-speed, because of this flexibility.

"EVERYBODY'S GETTING R***D" -Jace Beleren

AHHHH PLANESWALKER FLAVOR ANNOYS ME.
I AM NOT A PLANESWALKER. I WILL NEVER BE A PLANESWALKER. LEAVE ME AND YOUR STUPID UNORIGINAL, UNIMAGINATIVE MARKETING THINGAMABOB AWAY FROM ME.

Anyways, this is terrible. What with Leyline of Anticipation, the instantaneousness is worthless. I'd rather run a sorcery that draws more per mana spent at instant speed with Anticipation on the field than this pointless, late game draw.

This was ridiculously good at the prerelease. Instant speed card draw is very sweet, particularly when it's this efficient. Great stuff, Wizards, just keep the blue love coming....

@UltimateCenturion: if anyone seriously runs Leyline of Anticipation, I will eat my hat. The problem is you have to start with it in your opening hand for the card to be worth it, which means running 4 and hoping you get lucky with your draws. If you do, that means the next 3 are dead draws. Dead draws are how you lose gain. Some of the other leylines look to be constructed playable, but not that one.

I do love the flavour text

intuition can stop you from seeing a card for what it really is, but just on first glance this card seems too expensive. To me casting a Jace Beleren for CC 3 and drawing 1 card per turn thereafter seems better.

You people seem to be forgetting about Esper Charm which drew as many cards as Divination and discarded as many as Mind Rot when needed, all for the same CMC and at instant speed.

@UltimaCenturion, hate to break it to you, but the fact that players are in magic terms Plainswalkers has been a theme for a long long time, just read the old non-storyline novels like Whispering Woods. just because they came out with a plainswalker card-type and got a little excited with, you know, STORY and FLAVOR, doesn't mean you have to whine. Urza has three whole sets named after him. Complain about something worth-while.

As for the card itself, I do think 5 is a bit much compared to most blue draw; why mill is getting cheaper and draw more expensive I don't know. This card could easily be {1} less if it let you target a player, allowing for swerves or pseudomill; it just doesn't seem cost effective. When will you honestly need three whole cards in a color that pretty much makes it's business in draw and deck-stacking? A bit too extraneous for my tastes.

I.. don't like it, after trying it out, foresee was better. The only time that jace's ingenuity is better is if you are playing a heavy counterspell deck, which isn't in favor right now anyways (manlands, veil of autumn, gaea's revenge, terra stomper, uncounterable eldrazi abilities, etc). Otherwise foresee may draw less cards but it draws you exactly the ones you want and at less mana. It's frankly easier to keep two mana open and then spend mana on a less cost heavy draw spell that works efficiently than play this one at the end of my opponents turn.

And btw harmonize was only played so much because it was in green.. not because it was cost efficient or anything else, green card draw has been especially rare up until recently.

Mind Spring costs the same for 3 cards is a sorcery and rare with great ratings yet many people seem to hate this. I know it comes with more versitility but tapping out costs you the gme more often than not. Unless your opponet isn't that great!

Divination is so much better, it's not even funny.

Strictly worse than ancestral recall.

Instant-speed Tidings for one card less? Sounds pretty good to me.

...I can draw 3 cards and Scry 2 for {1} less. Using 2 commons. 2 commons that don't have the word Jace stapled to them. 2 commons that aren't instant speed. 2 commons that aren't currently Standard Legal.

Harmonize or Concentrate costs {1} less.
I'm not a fan of INSTANT Drawing spells. I'm much willing to pay {1} less for the sorcery.

I'm with Phrygianb2- I'm really not liking the "-insert planeswalker's name- something" spells. Could they really not think up anything else? Plain old "ingenuity" would've been cooler.

I can't wait for the Jace and Chandra action figures!

Mmm... nah. Concentrate.

So if this is Jace being smart, Ancestral Recall is... who... being smart?
I can only guess its someone goofy like Hakim.

As what I've witness over so many games, people (new players maybe) don't seem to understand the power of leaving mana open anymore. Is it because of the weaker blue counterspells, or are people these days simple don't strategize as blue? So many are willing to tap out during their turn only to whine about enemy playing so-call 'broken spell' on the next. Hell, where's your mana and counters when the broken spell was played?

Not to diss the card but I like Sphinx of Lost Truths better.

Reiterating yesnomu's comment: I reckon the instant speed makes this card work better with what blue wants to do, which is leave its mana open to play counter spells. In a blue control deck, I would much rather pay one extra over Concentrate to draw cards during my opponent's turn than draw the cards in my turn and not be able to do anything else till my next turn. "Oh, well you still can't do anything if you have to leave mana open for Jace's Ingenuity" I hear you say, but the important thing is that you aren't leaving mana open for the card draw -the card draw is just an incentive for you to prepare for countering in the next turn, and, if your opponent chooses not to do anything important, you get to reward yourself by drawing three cards for 'free' since you will untap and take your turn shortly afterwards -which feels very satisfying to do believe me.

Instant speed makes it good.

Guys, come on. There's a small handful of cards that are actually "Planeswalker's _______" not counting things named after the person who created them - who just happens to be a 'walker (more on that below). Not only that, but pretty much every one of those cards is designed specifically to be used with the planeswalker mentioned on the card. Since they're obviously built to be used in tandem, I think it's good flavor to bring attention to each one as having something to do with the planeswalker that the card is meant to be built around. They could even be looked at as their own cycle, since one 'walker of each color has two appropriate cards:

Jace Beleren and Jace, the Mind Sculptor have this and Jace's Erasure. All of them work together to give you a win condition out of pure drawing.

Liliana Vess has Liliana's Caress and Liliana's Specter, which all work together to help you make a win condition out of pure discarding.

Garruk Wildspeaker has Garruk's Companion and Garruk's Packleader. All three build off each other by giving you extra draws for playing the cards and using their abilities.

Chandra Nalaar and Chandra Ablaze have Chandra's Spitfire and Chandra's Outrage. The two Planeswalker cards and Outrage all buff Spitfire, and Outrage of course works with Ablaze's finisher.

Ajani Goldmane and Ajani Vengeant have Ajani's Mantra and Ajani's Pridemate. While the second planeswalker doesn't really get anything from his two cards of this "cycle," the Goldmane's and Mantra's life gain all buff up Pridemate.

Apart from the main "cycle," there's these two:
Nissa Revane gets Nissa's Chosen. Don't really see how that's not justified.
Koth of the Hammer has Koth's Courier. OK, you got me; I have no idea what's going on with this one.

So all together, we've had, what, 12 cards that are "Planeswalker's X" if you don't include things that are named after a planeswalker or sorta-planeswalker who created or envisioned the concept (which includes a huge number of Yawgmoth's Y, Urza's Z, and Teferi's T, which I don't see anyone complaining about). I can see where the concern comes from, but man, people are blowing it way out of proportion here.


On the subject of the card itself, it's alright. With Leyline of Anticipation being so easy to come by and so easy to get out a lot of the time, it feels like the extra mana to play instant-speed draw cards is a little too burdensome since you can effectively play your sorceries as instants anyways. Plus, if your deck doesn't have much you'd play on your opponent's turn (I know, not that likely, but possible) that's just that much less reason to run Ingenuity as opposed to things like Foresee which nets you only 2 cards but lets you dig twice as deep for 1 less mana. And outside standard, you can run things like Brainstorm and Ponder. Still, it's solid on its own merits, and fits into most any blue deck as an all-purpose draw-3, which is undeniably powerful. 4/5.

Why is this more than Harmonize?

instant drawing has its uses, but mostly in the form of mill (if the enemy has an Eldrazi lord or something els that shuffles than you can force them to draw in response to the shuffling ability, winning immediately before they have a chance to shuffle) which has better options, and this cant target the enemy anyways. I would rather run Concentrate if all I wanted was to draw for myself.

Eh, Ancestral Recall is better.

I like Forsee better, this is too expensive. Only two cards, but you get to choose your card or just dig six cards into your deck, and it costs less.

It goes to show how broken Ancestral Recall was that you can add 3U to its mana cost and still have a somewhat decent card.

Where I really see this being useful is in a deck playing Archive Trap. They share mana cost, both are instant and both are good for EOT.

So they were off by when they first printed Ancestral Recall?

the promo art is ridiculous. the nose got giant growthed

why are people obsessed with instant speed? unless your deck is laden with counterspells, it would always be better to run a tidings.

@Arachibutyrophobia: well, most decks running this are laden with counterspells (and instant removal for that matter).

Hey look its an overcosted instant version of ancestral recall, and also worse than ancestral vision

The fact this almost has a rating of 4 confuses me a little. Are people running blue ramp to get over the cost, or are people cool with waiting this long to draw cards?

Useful in Control where you want to leave mana open to counter.
Also if you have a Maro and want to pull off a combat trick (I've done it).

Jace is smart/inventive, he brings ideas faster/in larger amounts into his mind than other people. But I wouldn't praise him for that if all he could bring into my mind are three more Jace's Ingenuities...

While not quite as versatile as Petals of Insight, it's also an instant, which means you can keep your mana open for a lot of handy things and just wait.

For the people who would rather use sorcery speed draw that costs less, because you don't need mana open for counterspells...who runs this in a deck that doesn't have a bunch of counterspells?

"Are people running blue ramp to get over the cost, or are people cool with waiting this long to draw cards?"

Hahahaha! This made me laugh, I am sorry. There is just so much wrong with this statement.

5 mana is a huge cost? Really?

And blue ramp? Mitotic manipulation is pretty much the only "blue ramp" I know of, and it is quite funny to assume that it is necessary.

Control IS ramp. I don't think people understand that. Here is a good article to explain the concept of control being ramp: http://www.gatheringmagic.com/chingsungchang-controlling-game-flow-understanding-time/

This is a fantastic card. Think twice is only slightly worse in net cost, but better overall with the ability to divide cost. {3}{u}{u} for both. Think twice draws 2 cards, but impacts the game sooner. Ingenuity draws 3 cards but only over one net spell and all at once.

Sorcery speed draw cards usually hurt, unless they are one mana. instant speed is very important for control, because you can draw if you know there is not longer a threat to worry about and counter.

Overall, Think twice is better because of the impact it has on the game. Sometimes you don't need 3 cards. This card should say "Target player" which would slightly redeem it by making it combo with concentrated sphinx. Until then, think twice is better. (still love the 3 cards, and jace is my favorite Planeslwaker fluffwise. I use this card in my casual decks, and love it)

"I'm Jace, and I'm really smart!"

Oh Jace, you so ingenious. Nice to see instant-speed card draw that is essentially a fixed Ancestral Recall.

The thing about Jace's Ingenuity that most people forget is that you don't lose tempo when you cast it on your opponent's turn. Cards like Mind Spring is great for draw a lot of cards, but it's bad because it slows you down and taps you out. Like many have said, Jace's Ingenuity played on your opponent's turn gives you options when combined with control spells.

Another thing people forget is that Jace's Ingenuity hits the sweet spot for most instant draw spells.
Inspiration is not powerful enough for only a mere two cards.
Opportunity is usually too expensive/late-in-the-game since it requires six mana.

I wouldn't run the full four copies of this in a deck, but at least one or two. It is a very helpful card with the instant speed. Oftentimes I play a foresee and wish I had that mana open instead to counter their Craterhoof Behemoth. Speed can make the difference between winning and losing the game.

Lyoncet, I agree. You forget Chandra's Phoenix, though, which has got to be her best card.

Jace's Ingenuity is much better than my Brilliant Plan...

Combos with Cancel. I prefer think twice, but this is a fine card for midgame. Decided not to counter? No problem card draw at end of turn.

Strictly worse than Braingeyser.

Divination: 3 mana sorcery, 2 cards.
Concentrate: 4 mana sorcery, 3 cards.
Tidings: 5 mana sorcery, 4 cards.

Jace's Ingenuity: 5 mana instant, 3 cards.
Opportunity: 6 mana instant, 4 cards.

None of these are strictly better or strictly worse than another. So choose which one you want.

God, that flavour text is pathetic.

@cyberium
Not all new players instantly recognize they should be playing blue and running counterspells. Which is frankly the way it should be. The main problem I see with casual right now is that it's kinda hard to prepare for all card types without having a sideboard. Mono green has a particularly hard time. Terastodon is great as an answer to most things, but other than beast within, there are very few ways to kill creatures. I saw a guy concede because his elderscale wurm got copied by a phyrexian metamorph right before he won because he realized he had no way to deal with a creature in his deck.