Unwavering Initiate MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 14
2017-04-28 - Number 36
2019-11-07 - Number 264
2020-09-26 - Number AKH-36
Key Takeaways
- Embalm at instant speed elevates strategic play, allowing the card to return even after being dealt with.
- Embalming synergizes with token and sacrifice mechanics, creating match-shifting combos and interactions in-game.
- White mana specificity and its three mana cost balance the card’s versatility, influencing its deck compatibility.
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.
Text of card
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Unwavering Initiate presents an opportunity to get more than one use out of a single card. Once in the graveyard, you can easily embalm the creature, effectively giving you another instance of the same creature without spending an extra card from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Unwavering Initiate itself does not directly offer resource acceleration, it synergizes well with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or dying. This can lead to enhanced ramp strategies or additional value when used as part of a larger engine.
Instant Speed: While the initiate’s casting is at sorcery speed, the embalm ability can be activated at instant speed. This provides flexibility, allowing players to react during an opponent’s turn to surprise block or simply optimize mana usage at the end of the opponent’s turn for efficient play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unwavering Initiate’s value may be diminished for players not utilizing a graveyard strategy, as it requires a discard to activate its Embalm ability, potentially depleting your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost to cast Unwavering Initiate is white-specific, meaning it seamlessly fits into mono-white or white-centric decks but could pose a problem in multicolored decks with a tight mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana for a 3/2 creature, Unwavering Initiate might compete with other options that provide more immediate board presence or versatility for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Unwavering Initiate in Your Collection
Versatility: Unwavering Initiate offers valuable flexibility in deck-building. With its vigilance, it serves as both an offensive and defensive asset. In addition, its embalm ability allows it to come back from the graveyard, providing lasting presence on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: Its embalm ability has synergy with various strategies that benefit from creature tokens, such as those involving game mechanics like populate or sacrifice. This ensures that Unwavering Initiate can be more than just a filler card, as it interacts well with broader deck themes.
Meta-Relevance: Against decks that rely on graveyard disruption, Unwavering Initiate can be particularly useful. Its ability to return as a white Zombie token can be unexpected and disrupt opposing strategies, making it an interesting choice for sideboards or as part of a main deck in certain meta environments.
How to Beat Unwavering Initiate
Unwavering Initiate is a resilient creature in the realm of MTG thanks to its embalm ability, which allows for a second wave of staying power on the battlefield. Facing down this steadfast creature, you’ll want to employ a strategy that diminishes its effectiveness both in combat and its ability to return from the graveyard. Removal spells that exile are extremely potent here, such as Path to Exile or Declaration in Stone, as they prevent the creature from being embalmed. Additionally, graveyard hate cards like Tormod’s Crypt can interrupt the embalm process, keeping the Initiate from making a comeback.
Managing your blockers wisely also plays an important role. Since Unwavering Initiate lacks trample, chump blocking can be particularly effective until a more permanent solution is found. Another angle is to take advantage of its vulnerability while in the graveyard. Utilize cards that can remove it from play or convert it to your advantage before your opponent gets the chance to bring it back. A well-timed Scavenging Ooze activation can not only remove the Initiate permanently but also strengthen your board presence.
Overall, Unwavering Initiate demands a carefully crafted response, but with the right tactics and cards that target its weaknesses, you can ensure that this soldier’s duty is short-lived and maintain control of the battlefield.
Cards like Unwavering Initiate
Unwavering Initiate stands out in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. Sharing similarities with cards like Gust Walker or even the iconic Glory-Bound Initiate, this stalwart warrior offers its own advantages on the battlefield. Like its counterparts, the Unwavering Initiate provides a diligent presence, but it takes resilience to the next level with its embalm ability, allowing it to return from the graveyard as a token and continue its service.
While Gust Walker demands an exertion for temporary flight, the Unwavering Initiate’s ability to come back into play is a testament to its lasting utility. It contrasts with Glory-Bound Initiate, which can become a formidable attacker with lifelink at a similar exertion cost. Although the Glory-Bound Initiate can be pivotal in more aggressive strategies for an impressive life swing, the Unwavering Initiate shines in games that prolong, making it a persistent threat even after fatal encounters.
Comparative evaluation of these cards demonstrates the Unwavering Initiate as a loyal soldier in your MTG lineup, offering both immediate impact and long-term strategic benefits for players who prefer endurance over swift offensives.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Unwavering Initiate MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet, 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 Unwavering Initiate and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Unwavering Initiate Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Greg Opalinski.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 14 | 2015 | token | black | Greg Opalinski | |
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 36 | 2015 | normal | black | Greg Opalinski | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 264 | 2015 | normal | black | Greg Opalinski | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | AKH-36 | 2015 | normal | black | Greg Opalinski |
