Wizard

For the company, see Wizards of the Coast.

Wizard is a creature class introduced in Alpha with Prodigal Sorcerer.

Description

Wizards are masters of channeling mana into powerful spells. They are ubiquitous throughout the known multiverse and are known to nearly every race. Wizards come by their powers in different ways: Some study for years on end to unlock the secrets of magic, while others are just born with the knack. Some wizards come together in huge schools or guilds to pool their resources and train neophytes. Wizards range across all five colors but are concentrated in blue, the color of knowledge. In the game, the color blue contains nearly twice as many wizards as any other two colors combined. The distant second color for the most wizards is black followed closely by white. In the Grand Creature Type Update the subtypes Mage (Musician), Sorcerer (Ovinomancer), Sorceress (Sorceress Queen) and Witch (Cuombajj Witches ) were incorporated into the Wizard class. On Kamigawa, wizards are known as jushi.

Specialties

In contrast to shamans or druids, wizards take a methodical approach to magic. And while priests and clerics power their spells with their faith, wizards need years of practice to master their spells. Wizards are more versatile than simple spellshapers. Given the intense study that wizards often engage in, it is no surprise that various mystic disciplines have become recognized as independent of each other. They include the following:

• Æthermages, are usually white and blue mages who use æther magic, which tends to be involve unsummoning creatures.
• Archaeomancers are wizards who are able to revive ancient words of power.
• Auramancers, are wizards who create long-lasting enchantments.
  • also called Enchanters, but that name can be applied to druids, as well
• Biomancers are genetic wizards largely affiliated with the Simic Combine responsible for the mutants of Ravnica in their attempts to improve the life forms of that plane.
• Chronarchs or Chronologists are mages who specialize in the manipulation of time. These specialized mages are employed by the Izzet League, Tolaria, and at the Lighthouse of the Sea-Gate Halimar.
• Cryomancers are mages specialized in manipulating cold and ice. They were particularly prominent during the Ice Age, with the most notable cryomancers being those of Rimewind Keep.
• Dementia casters (also called dementia summoners) are members of the Cabal. These mages have the unique ability to summon horrors from their personal "dementia space," a place populated with the caster's greatest fears and all the beings he or she has killed.
• Electromancers or Sparkmages specialize in the use of electricity.
• Elementalists are wizards focusing on the art of controlling elementals or casting spells associated with them.
• Embermages are spellcasters who pledged their allegiance to the djinn and efreet of Wildfire.
• Ferromancers are a subset of geomancers whose specialization is further narrowed down to the manipulation of metal.
• Geomancers are capable of altering the terrain and bending the earth to their whims.
• Hexmages are mages, often vampires, who use their talents at curse-magic to drain quantities other than blood.
• Hieromancers are white mages that use their power to enforce order or suppress the abilities of others. The most notable of their number pay allegiance to the Order of Heliud.
• Hydromancers are wizards that practice the art of manipulating water.
• Illusionists specialize in deception, using their magical abilities to create false images to confuse opponents and trick them into dangerous situations. The greatest illusionists have the ability to bring their images to life, blurring the line between illusion and reality.
• Lawmages (aka Advokists) are a specialized mage under the employ of the Azorius Senate and Orzhov Syndicate. They draw upon the binding power of the Guildpact to restrain criminals and then serve as lawyers once those criminals are taken to court. Azorius lawmages are typically the prosecution, while Orzhov lawmages are the defense.
• Lithomancers are individuals with power over crystals, gems, and stones. Many are skilled in divination using these. Stoneforgers are artificers who forge weapons from stones.
• Necromancers are mages specializing in death magic, including the creation of undead. On Ravnica, the Golgari Swarm is known for utilizing necromancers while House Dimir is suspected of doing so by those who know of its existence.
• Pyromancers are wizards that practice the art of fire magic. Pyromancers typically use red mana to fuel their spells associated with fire, flames, or other destructive bursts. The pyromancers of Jamuraa are known as embermages.
• Sangromancers are mages who specialize in an especially dark corner of black mana. With this blood magic they can drain the lifeforce of other beings, place curses on enemies, and even possess the minds of others.
• Taskmages are mercenary spellcasters. They do not have the devotion to studying magic that other spellcasters have, instead learning a few useful, relatively simple spells to earn money. They are typically looked down upon by more scholarly mages.
• Zephyr mages, blue mages typically using spells associated with air and wind.

Wizardly organizations

• The Ancients
• The Cabal
• College of Lat-Nam
• Conclave of Mages
• Emberwilde Order
• Hammerheim Order
• Institute of Arcane Study
• Raven Guild
• Riptide Project
• Minamo
• Mundungu
• Numbered Ones
• School of the Unseen
• Tolgath
• Tolarian Academy
• Wizards' School

Notable Wizards

Ambassador Laquatus Arcanis the Omnipotent Azami Ozu Barrin Boris Devilboon Bruenna Cabal Patriarch Circu Drafna Dralnu Endrek Sahr El-Hajjâj Ertai Feldon Freyalise Grandmother Sengir Gustha Ebbasdotter Hakim Heidar Iki Hisoka Hurkyl

Ith Ixidor Jarad vod Savo Jarsyl Jhoira Jodah Johan Kaho Kangee Koth of the Hammer Lim-Dûl Linessa Maga Mairsil Mangara Maralen Meloku Memnarch Momir Vig Nailah Nebuchadnezzar

Niv-Mizzet Numena Oona Princess Lucrezia Rasputin Dreamweaver Rayne Reveka Sakashima Sen Triplets Sygg of Lorwyn Svogthir Talibah of Emberwilde Teferi Tibor and Lumia Tuknir Deathlock Uyo The Vendilion Clique Venser Virot Maglan Wydwen Xira Arien Zur, the Enchanter

Wizard - Tribal

• Morningtide featured two Tribal - Wizard cards, which were cheaper to cast with a Stonybrook Banneret in play:
  • Sage's Dousing
  • Stream of Unconsciousness
• Diviner's Wand, an equipment only usable on Wizards.

Wizard tokens

• 1/1 Blue and black Zombie Wizard tokens are produced by Lich Lord of Unx.
• 1/1 Blue Merfolk Wizard tokens are produced by Benthicore, Stonybrook Schoolmaster and Summon the School.

External links

• Template:Gatherer subtype