Cathedral of War MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Cathedral of War doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it helps maintain card quality on the battlefield. It can effectively turn any creature into a more substantial threat, making each creature card you play potentially more valuable.

Resource Acceleration: Cathedral of War enters the battlefield tapped, but the Exalted ability it grants is a form of resource acceleration. It bolsters your attacking creatures without needing to commit additional cards from your hand, saving those resources for other strategic plays.

Instant Speed: Although lands do not operate at instant speed, Cathedral of War enhances your combat phase unexpectedly. Its effect is always “on” during your turn, providing a surprise boost to an unblocked attacker that can shift the tide of battle instantly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cathedral of War does not have a discard requirement but it does come into play tapped, which could set you back a turn. This delay can be particularly disadvantageous if you’re aiming for a quick and aggressive gameplay strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: While Cathedral of War provides colorless mana which may seem flexible, it also requires Exalted—a specific mechanic that benefits from solitary attacks—limiting its use to decks that can capitalize on this feature.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though Cathedral of War doesn’t have a mana cost to play, its Exalted ability is relatively costly since it requires the land to sacrifice a turn of untapped potential. In fast-paced games, players may find more dynamic land options that offer immediate benefits without sacrificing tempo.

Reasons to Include Cathedral of War in Your Collection

Versatility: Cathedral of War is a land card, which makes it a simple inclusion in many decks. Its ability to produce colorless mana means it’s not limited by color identity, while the Exalted mechanic it offers can turn any single creature into a significant threat during combat.

Combo Potential: The Exalted ability of Cathedral of War naturally pairs with creature-based strategies looking to maximize combat damage. It pairs exceptionally well with elusive creatures, turning them into powerful singular attackers.

Meta-Relevance: Within a meta that values strong individual attackers or relies heavily on combat to win games, Cathedral of War has the potential to be a game-changer. The additional +1/+1 it provides can be the crucial difference in damaging an opponent or achieving lethal damage.

How to beat Cathedral of War

The Cathedral of War is a unique land card that buffs your attacking creatures with its Exalted ability, giving them a critical advantage. This support can quickly turn the tide in any duel by enhancing each attacking creature individually. To counter this strategy, focusing on removal or land disruption can prove effective. Cards with land destruction capabilities can directly target the Cathedral, rendering the Exalted trait null. Alternatively, controlling the battlefield by using board wipes helps clear the creatures benefiting from the land’s boost, blocking their path to using it to their advantage.

Utilizing counter spells or instant removal also allows you to address the threat immediately, maintaining the balance of power. Keeping your opponent’s creature count low will minimize the impact of Cathedral of War’s Exalted ability, forcing them to rely on other tactics. In multiplayer settings, political play can also help in convincing other players to cooperate in suppressing the card’s influence. Be sure to have a strategy that incorporates such defensive measures, enabling you to stay ahead of your opponent’s game plan and ultimately come out on top.