Benalish Honor Guard MTG Card


Benalish Honor Guard synergizes with legendary creatures, growing stronger and improving battlefield control. Its affordable mana cost maximizes efficiency, making it a prudent choice in mono-white decks. The card remains flexible in changing metas and can become a key component in soldier-themed strategies.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Knight
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Benalish Honor Guard gets +1/+0 for each legendary creature you control.

"The true measure of all heroes is not what they achieve, but who they inspire." —*Triumph of Gerrard*


Cards like Benalish Honor Guard

Benalish Honor Guard is an engaging piece of the complex puzzle that builds a soldier-themed deck in Magic: The Gathering. Its similarity to other creatures, such as Dauntless Cathar or Knight of the Last Breath, begins with their shared commitment to a seamless board presence. Yet, the Honor Guard distinguishes itself with its ability to gain more power as you control more legendary creatures or planeswalkers – a feature not found in the former.

Diving deeper into the world of MTG, we encounter the Veteran Swordsmith, which, akin to Benalish Honor Guard, bolsters the capabilities of fellow soldiers. The Swordsmith, however, provides a blanket boost to all other soldiers’ attack power. Contrast that with the conditional power boost of the Honor Guard, and it becomes a question of consistent benefit versus potential upside. Additionally, Precinct Captain offers a different advantage by creating soldier tokens when dealing combat damage, offering an alternative form of board development.

Ultimately, when comparing value and tactical advantages, Benalish Honor Guard stands out in its role within legendary-centric builds, contributing not only to the theme but also tapping into the synergy that can exponentially increase its strength on the battlefield.

Dauntless Cathar - MTG Card versions
Knight of the Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Precinct Captain - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Cathar - MTG Card versions
Knight of the Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Precinct Captain - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Benalish Honor Guard by color, type and mana cost

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Kor Firewalker - MTG Card versions
White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Cloudreach Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Firewalker - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Benalish Honor Guard’s power increases with each legendary creature you have on the battlefield. It may not directly provide card advantage in the traditional sense, but by bolstering its power, it can become a more formidable force without requiring additional card investment.

Resource Acceleration: While the Benalish Honor Guard does not inherently provide resource acceleration, its low casting cost makes it an efficient use of mana. Its role in a deck is to support legendary creatures, potentially freeing up mana you would have spent on a larger creature early on.

Instant Speed: Even though Benalish Honor Guard is not an instant, its interactions within a deck fulfill a strategic role. It can act as an early defense that works in concert with flash or instant speed spells, allowing you to establish a board presence while keeping mana available for immediate responses.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Benalish Honor Guard doesn’t have a discard requirement per se, it’s important to be mindful of discards that can result from hand disruption tactics by your opponents. Having a hand specifically built around synergizing with the Guard might leave you more vulnerable to such strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: The Benalish Honor Guard requires white mana, locking it firmly into decks that have a white mana base. This restriction can limit its inclusion in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary mana available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for the Benalish Honor Guard may be perceived as high relative to its stats and abilities. In a game where efficiency is key, there could be other creatures or spells that provide more value or better synergy with your deck’s strategy for the same, or even lower, converted mana cost.


Reasons to Include Benalish Honor Guard in Your Collection

Versatility: The Benalish Honor Guard is a flexible addition that can bolster your lineup, fitting well within decks that capitalize on the legendary theme or those that focus on soldier synergies.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in combination with other legendary spells or permanents, gaining power and offering an affordable yet significant threat on the battlefield when paired correctly.

Meta-Relevance: As the gaming environment fluctuates, a cost-efficient creature like the Benalish Honor Guard can adapt to various meta shifts, holding its own in a diverse range of matchups.


How to beat

Within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Benalish Honor Guard represents a reliable creature card, particularly in decks emphasizing the legendary aspect. Its strength increases with each legendary card you reveal, incentivizing a strategy rich in such cards. To counteract the Benalish Honor Guard, one effective tactic is to reduce their impact by limiting the number of legendary creatures on the battlefield. Surveillance and removal spells are particularly effective in this regard, ensuring that the Honor Guard doesn’t become an unstoppable force.

Moreover, employing cards that can bypass or neutralize creature abilities, such as those with reach or “can’t be blocked” traits, allows you to undermine the Honor Guard’s increased power. Swift removal spells like Cast Down or Seal Away can also be instrumental in dealing with this threat before it escalates, preventing your opponent from leveraging their potential power boost. Thus, while the Benalish Honor Guard can fortify a player’s position, strategic removal and control can ensure it remains just another soldier on the battlefield, rather than the vanguard of a crushing victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Benalish Honor Guard MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria and Jumpstart 2022, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Benalish Honor Guard and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Benalish Honor Guard Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-04-27 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Ryan Pancoast.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-04-27DominariaDOM 52015NormalBlackRyan Pancoast
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 1552015NormalBlackRyan Pancoast

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Benalish Honor Guard has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal