Prodigal Sorcerer: Difference between revisions

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{{otheruses|Prodigal Sorcerer}}
{{For|the novel|The Prodigal Sorcerer}}
[[File:LEA Prodigal Sorcerer.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|<c title="Prodigal Sorcerer">Prodigal Sorcerer|Alpha</c> from ''[[Limited Edition Alpha|Alpha]]''.]]
[[File:LEA Prodigal Sorcerer.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|{{card|Prodigal Sorcerer||LEA}} from ''[[Alpha]]''.]]
<c>Prodigal Sorcerer</c> is a blue 1/1 [[Human]] [[Wizard]] creature card with the [[activated ability]] "{{T}}: Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player.". The card was introduced in ''[[Limited Edition|Limited Edition Alpha]]'', where its artist credit is incorrect, with [[Douglas Shuler]] misspelled as "Douglas Schuler".
'''Prodigal Sorcerer''' is a blue 1/1 [[Human]] [[Wizard]] creature card with the [[activated ability]] "{{T}}: Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to any target". It is a very well-known card, first appearing in ''[[Alpha]]'' edition and inspiring several stories as well as the nickname '''Tim'''. However, it is no longer considered a good fit within the [[color pie]].


<c>Prodigal Sorcerer</c> was introduced as a Wizard (only) in ''Alpha''; but, in ''[[Time Spiral]]'', it gained the Human racial creature type to complement its class creature type.
==History==
===Alpha===
The card was introduced in ''[[Alpha]]'', where its artist credit was incorrect, with [[Douglas Shuler]] misspelled as "Douglas Schuler". The card featured [[creature type]] [[Wizard]] (only) in ''Alpha''; but, in ''[[Time Spiral]]'', it gained the Human racial creature type to complement its class creature type.


==Nickname and etymology==
===Nickname and etymology===
The card is nicknamed "'''Tim'''", after the "Tim the Enchanter", a wizard portrayed by John Cleese in ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail Monty Python and the Holy Grail]'' and who had a talent for fire-based magic and damaging things.
The card is nicknamed "'''Tim'''", after the "Tim the Enchanter", a wizard portrayed by John Cleese in ''[[Wikipedia:Monty Python and the Holy Grail|Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'' and who had a talent for fire-based magic and damaging things.


The nickname "Tim" has inspired nicknames for other similar cards, such as <c>Rod of Ruin</c> ("Tim on a stick"), <c>Hermetic Study</c> ("Tim on a whim"), <c>Pirate Ship</c> ("Tim on a ship"), <c>Rootwater Hunter</c> ("Tim who can swim", "swim Tim", or "fish Tim"), <c>Thornwind Faeries</c> ("flying Tim"), and <c>Zuran Spellcaster</c> ("Zim" or "icy Tim").
The nickname "Tim" has inspired nicknames for other [[Ping|pingers]], such as <c>Rod of Ruin</c> ("Tim on a stick"), <c>Hermetic Study</c> ("Tim on a whim"), <c>Pirate Ship</c> ("Tim on a ship"), <c>Rootwater Hunter</c> ("Tim who can swim", "swim Tim", or "fish Tim"), <c>Thornwind Faeries</c> ("flying Tim"), and <c>Zuran Spellcaster</c> ("Zim" or "icy Tim").


In addition, like the term "ping", "Tim" may also be used as a verb to describe the act of dealing 1 damage to an object or player.{{Fact}}
===Reprints===
Prodigal Sorcerer was reprinted in every [[Core Set]] up until ''[[Seventh Edition]]''.


==''Planar Chaos''==
===Time Spiral===
Introduced in ''[[Planar Chaos]]'' as a red [[timeshifted]] version of <c>Prodigal Sorcerer</c>, <c>Prodigal Pyromancer</c>, nicknamed "Tom" for unknown reasons, other than "Tom" was the design file name,<ref>{{DailyRef|mtgcom/daily/af156|Tom-Shifted: Red Tim finally exists!|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|February 2, 2007}}</ref> was thought to be more appropriate given the understanding of the [[Color Pie]] then.
In ''[[Time Spiral]]'', it gained the [[Human]] [[race|racial creature type]] to complement its [[creature class]].


The card was later reprinted in ''[[10th Edition]]'', thus cementing R&D's position on damage-dealing creatures in [[red]], not [[blue]].
===Planar Chaos replacement===
Introduced in ''[[Planar Chaos]]'' as a red [[timeshifted]] version of Prodigal Sorcerer, <c>Prodigal Pyromancer</c>, nicknamed "Tom" for unknown reasons, other than "Tom" was the design file name,<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/tom-shifted-2007-02-02|Tom-Shifted: Red Tim finally exists!|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|February 2, 2007}}</ref> was thought to be more appropriate given the understanding of the [[Color|color pie]] then.
 
Prodigal Pyromancer was later reprinted in ''[[Tenth Edition]]'', thus cementing [[R&D]]'s position on damage-dealing creatures in [[red]], not [[blue]]. It also featured in ''[[Magic 2010]]'' and ''[[Magic 2011]]''.
 
==Story appearances==
Prodigal Sorcerer represents a character archetype rather than a specific character. Nonetheless, it has inspired several works about inexperienced mages:
[[File:ProdigalSorcererHomelands.png|thumb|343x343px|Prodigal Sorcerer in the Homelands promo]]
*''[[The Prodigal Sorcerer]]'' (1995) by [[Mark Sumner]] features [[Alligarius Timni]] of the [[Institute of Arcane Study]], whose surname references the card's nickname and whose story matches its [[flavor text]]. A young Institute wizard named [[List of secondary characters/Dominaria|Kitrin]] also appears.
*The promo video for ''[[Homelands]]'' features a Prodigal Sorcerer as its main character.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|pwIPwi_FSVc|Wizards of the Coast "Homelands" Promo|channel=Philemon Vanderbeck|date=June 16, 2006}}</ref>
*A 1998 FAQ about "Dominia", the name originally used for [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]], states the Prodigal Sorcerors of [[Tamingazin]] were descendants of the [[School of the Unseen]], itself a descendant of the [[College of Lat-Nam]].<ref name="FAQ">[[Pete Venters]] (May 1998). "Dominian FAQ" ''[[The Duelist]]'' #25, p.34.</ref>
*"{{ArticleArchive|magic-story/prodigal-sorcerers-2016-05-25|The Prodigal Sorcerers}}" (2016) by [[Mark Price]] on {{Magic Story}} centers on [[List of secondary characters/Dominaria|Kellan Boldt]], a young wizard bound for the [[Tolarian Academy]] before a life-changing crisis under the mentorship of elder Academy graduate Enthril. The art layout implies each wizard is a different iteration of the Prodigal Sorcerer archetype, and Enthril's description with a silver beard and black-and-gold tunic matches the original card art.
 
These stories take place on [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]], except for the ''Homelands'' promo video, which presumably is set on [[Ulgrotha]].
 
==In-game references==
{{in-game
|cards=
*<c>Prodigal Sorcerer</c>
*<c>Prodigal Sorcerer Avatar</c>
}}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 03:41, 6 February 2023

For the novel, see The Prodigal Sorcerer.
Prodigal Sorcerer from Alpha.

Prodigal Sorcerer is a blue 1/1 Human Wizard creature card with the activated ability "{T}: Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to any target". It is a very well-known card, first appearing in Alpha edition and inspiring several stories as well as the nickname Tim. However, it is no longer considered a good fit within the color pie.

History

Alpha

The card was introduced in Alpha, where its artist credit was incorrect, with Douglas Shuler misspelled as "Douglas Schuler". The card featured creature type Wizard (only) in Alpha; but, in Time Spiral, it gained the Human racial creature type to complement its class creature type.

Nickname and etymology

The card is nicknamed "Tim", after the "Tim the Enchanter", a wizard portrayed by John Cleese in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and who had a talent for fire-based magic and damaging things.

The nickname "Tim" has inspired nicknames for other pingers, such as Rod of Ruin ("Tim on a stick"), Hermetic Study ("Tim on a whim"), Pirate Ship ("Tim on a ship"), Rootwater Hunter ("Tim who can swim", "swim Tim", or "fish Tim"), Thornwind Faeries ("flying Tim"), and Zuran Spellcaster ("Zim" or "icy Tim").

Reprints

Prodigal Sorcerer was reprinted in every Core Set up until Seventh Edition.

Time Spiral

In Time Spiral, it gained the Human racial creature type to complement its creature class.

Planar Chaos replacement

Introduced in Planar Chaos as a red timeshifted version of Prodigal Sorcerer, Prodigal Pyromancer, nicknamed "Tom" for unknown reasons, other than "Tom" was the design file name,[1] was thought to be more appropriate given the understanding of the color pie then.

Prodigal Pyromancer was later reprinted in Tenth Edition, thus cementing R&D's position on damage-dealing creatures in red, not blue. It also featured in Magic 2010 and Magic 2011.

Story appearances

Prodigal Sorcerer represents a character archetype rather than a specific character. Nonetheless, it has inspired several works about inexperienced mages:

Prodigal Sorcerer in the Homelands promo

These stories take place on Dominaria, except for the Homelands promo video, which presumably is set on Ulgrotha.

In-game references

Represented in:

References

  1. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (February 2, 2007). "Tom-Shifted: Red Tim finally exists!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Wizards of the Coast "Homelands" Promo (Video). Philemon Vanderbeck. YouTube (June 16, 2006).
  3. ↑ Pete Venters (May 1998). "Dominian FAQ" The Duelist #25, p.34.
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