Sylvia Brightspear MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Knight
Abilities Double strike,Partner,Partner with
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Sylvia’s synergies enhance card advantage and tempo, especially effective in knight-focused strategies.
  2. Her restrictive mana cost challenges deck diversity, and discard mechanics can hinder hand size.
  3. Inclusion in collections excels for her combat prowess and meta-relevance in creature-based games.

Text of card

Partner with Khorvath Brightflame (When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Khorvath into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) Double strike Dragons your team controls have double strike.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Sylvia Brightspear herself does not directly allow you to draw cards, she synergizes well with decks designed to generate card advantage through combat damage or “Sword of” equipments, providing continued value throughout the game.

Resource Acceleration: Sylvia Brightspear excels in resource acceleration by granting double strike to your commander, which potentially doubles the damage output without needing additional cards or mana investment – a significant tempo boost in commander-focused builds.

Instant Speed: Even though Sylvia Brightspear is a creature that doesn’t operate at instant speed, her impact is immediate upon entering the battlefield. Partnering her with a commander capable of operating at instant speed or having abilities that trigger during combat can lead to powerful and unexpected turns, keeping opponents on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Sylvia Brightspear is the necessity to discard a card for certain abilities. This can put players at a disadvantage, particularly when their hand is already running low on cards, thus potentially leading to a setback in their game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for casting Sylvia Brightspear is strictly white, which may restrict her integration only to mono-white or dual-color decks that can accommodate the white mana without disrupting the mana curve. This specific mana requirement limits the versatility in deck building and could pose a challenge in multicolor decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With her mana cost sitting at three, including two white mana, Sylvia Brightspear may come at a high cost when considering her 2/2 stats. While she does bring a unique partner ability to the table, the mana investment is substantial when compared to other creatures or spells that could provide more immediate impact or value on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sylvia Brightspear slots into a variety of strategies that appreciate a commander that doubles as a powerful combat enforcer, especially in Knight tribal decks where she gives a substantial buff to other Knights.

Combo Potential: With her ability to partner with another commander, she opens up possibilities for creative deck-building combinations. Pairing her with creatures like Khorvath Brightflame maximizes flying and double strike synergies, enhancing your offensive tactics significantly.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based combat prevails, Sylvia holds her ground as a formidable threat. Her keyword “double strike” can turn the tide of battle, making her relevant in various deck archetypes that aim to win through combat damage.


How to Beat Sylvia Brightspear

Sylvia Brightspear is a name that resonates with fervor among Commander players in Magic: The Gathering. Commanding presence as part of the partner duo alongside Khorvath Brightflame, Sylvia brings an aura of dominance to the knights’ archetype. She confers double strike to knights you control, which can quickly escalate into a formidable offense. That being said, effectively countering Sylvia hinges on disrupting this synergy.

Removal spells are your most straightforward option. Instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can handle Sylvia before the combat phase, thereby negating the benefit of double strike to the knights. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation ensure that you clear any knights she might empower. But if direct removal isn’t in the cards, consider strategies that circumvent combat. Ensnaring Bridge and Ghostly Prison add layers of defense that can keep Sylvia’s onslaught at bay as long as you manage your hand and mana respectively.

Ultimately, while Sylvia bristles with potential, understanding her mechanics and preparing your deck with answers is key to keeping her and her knightly court in check. Outsmarting this tactician on the battlefield by valuing instant responses and strategic control ensures your victory in the knightly joust that is a match of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of deck building in MTG revolves around selecting cards that complement and enhance your strategy. Sylvia Brightspear stands as a testament to this, especially for those seeking to bolster their knight and dragon-themed decks. Not only does she offer an increase in power with her double strike ability, but she also opens the door to creative partnership possibilities. As you refine your collection, consider how Sylvia could be the knight in shining armor that drives your deck to victory. Embrace this gallant warrior by learning more and crafting a deck that opponents will remember. Dive into the fray with Sylvia Brightspear and unleash the full potential of your knights and dragons.


Cards like Sylvia Brightspear

Sylvia Brightspear offers a unique blend of abilities for knight and dragon enthusiasts in Magic: The Gathering. Reveling in knight synergy, Sylvia shares kinship with knights like ‘Kinsbaile Cavalier’, which also offers a boon to knight creatures by granting them double strike. Sylvia stands out by also partnering with dragons and granting them double strike, thus embracing two distinct archetypes masterfully.

Another honorable mention is ‘Adriana, Captain of the Guard’. While Adriana doesn’t focus on knights exclusively or interact with dragons, she bolsters your attacking creatures similarly, which resonates with Sylvia’s strategy of empowering a wide board presence. Adriana’s melee ability might reinforce a wider range of creatures, yet Sylvia’s specificity with knights and dragons makes for a compelling strategy in decks focused on these tribes.

‘Accorder Paladin’ is a lower cost card that also influences battle by granting the battle cry ability, amplifying the offensive potential of your other creatures during combat much like Sylvia, which could be a simpler alternative for a deck that prizes swift and aggressive strategies in the earlier part of the game.

Considering the intricacies of tribal advantages and in-deck synergies, Sylvia Brightspear carves out a distinct niche in Magic: The Gathering as a dual tribal champion, enhancing both knights and dragons with her double strike grant, which can be a game changer in the right deck composition.

Kinsbaile Cavalier - MTG Card versions
Adriana, Captain of the Guard - MTG Card versions
Accorder Paladin - MTG Card versions
Kinsbaile Cavalier - Morningtide (MOR)
Adriana, Captain of the Guard - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
Accorder Paladin - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Sylvia Brightspear by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Stern Marshal - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Zhalfirin Commander - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Stern Marshal - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)
Zhalfirin Commander - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sylvia Brightspear MTG card by a specific set like Battlebond Promos and Battlebond, 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 Sylvia Brightspear and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Sylvia Brightspear Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-06-08 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Carmen Sinek.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-06-08Battlebond PromosPBBD 10s2015normalblackCarmen Sinek
22018-06-08BattlebondBBD 102015normalblackCarmen Sinek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sylvia Brightspear has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sylvia Brightspear card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2018-06-08 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2018-06-08 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2018-06-08 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders’ combined color identities. If Khorvath and Sylvia are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with red and/or white in their color identity, but not blue, black, or green.
2018-06-08 Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren’t included in the ability’s reminder text.
2018-06-08 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won’t have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from one of them, not from both of them combined. Command Beacon’s effect puts one into your hand from the command zone, not both.
2018-06-08 The second ability represented by the “partner with
-ame]” keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with “partner with
-ame]” is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander. For more information on the Commander variant, please visit Wizards.com/Commander.
2018-06-08 The triggered ability of the “partner with” keyword still triggers in a Commander game. If your other commander has somehow ended up in your library, you can find it. You can also target another player who might have that card in their library.
2018-06-08 To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability (featured in the Magic: The Gathering—Commander™ (2016 Edition) set) or corresponding “partner with” abilities as the game begins. A creature with a “partner with” ability can’t partner with any creature other than its designated partner. Losing a partner ability during the game doesn’t cause either to cease to be your commander.
2018-06-08 “Partner with
-ame]” represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: “When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named
-ame], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library.”

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks