Celestial Kirin MTG Card
2005-06-03 - Number 3
2005-08-22 - Number C25
2020-03-08 - Number 3
2020-09-26 - Number SOK-3
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Kirin Spirit |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, destroy all permanents with that spell's converted mana cost.
All bow at its visitation—some in awe, some in honor, some in fear.
Cards like Celestial Kirin
Celestial Kirin stands out in the vast ensemble of MTG creatures with a unique Spirit synergistic ability. This card closely mirrors the functionality of cards like Cleansing Nova for its potential to control the board, but equips players with the added advantage of being a creature in play. Unlike Cleansing Nova, Celestial Kirin offers a more targeted approach to board control, allowing for strategic plays dependent on the casting cost of the spell you play along with it.
Another counterpart in the realm of MTG is Cataclysmic Gearhulk, which provides a similar purge-like effect. However, it offers selectivity to players, as only a certain number of cards are affected. Cataclysmic Gearhulk, while selective, is less controllable than Celestial Kirin, which can potentially clear multiple cards based on the converted mana cost strategy employed by the player. In contrast, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite shares the creature type with Celestial Kirin but takes a different route, buffing your creatures while diminishing your opponent’s.
When it comes to tactical supremacy, Celestial Kirin’s unique ability to combine creature presence with a board-wiping feature positions it as a noteworthy choice for players appreciating nuanced control in their games.
Cards similar to Celestial Kirin by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Celestial Kirin offers a unique form of card advantage through its ability to convert noncreature spells into board-wiping effects. Every Spirit or Arcane spell cast can potentially clear out problematic permanents, indirectly adding to your advantage by depleting opponents’ resources while preserving yours.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Celestial Kirin can act as a form of resource acceleration. It enables you to make more impactful plays by efficiently utilizing your mana, casting spells that simultaneously develop your board and disrupt opponents.
Instant Speed: Although Celestial Kirin itself does not have flash, its ability triggers at instant speed once an appropriate spell is cast. This creates opportunities to surprise opponents by destroying lands or creatures in response to their plays, disrupting their strategy at critical moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Celestial Kirin doesn’t force a discard, it can seriously disrupt your own mana base inadvertently, similar to the effect of discarding, due to its unique ability to destroy lands with a converted mana cost equal to the spell you cast.
Specific Mana Cost: Celestial Kirin commands a specific mana alignment needing both white and generic mana, which could potentially strain your mana resources if your deck isn’t finely tuned to accomodate its cost.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a four mana threshold, with two of that being specific to white, this celestial being can be costly to summon. Its ability, while potent, requires strategic planning to ensure it doesn’t backfire, given other alternatives may offer more straightforward control for the same or less mana investment.
Reasons to Include Celestial Kirin in Your Collection
Versatility: Celestial Kirin is capable of slotting into a range of builds, particularly those aimed at leveraging its unique triggered effect. Its spirit and arcane synergies enable it to serve as a linchpin in decks revolving around those subthemes.
Combo Potential: With its ability to destroy all permanents with a certain converted mana cost, Celestial Kirin can set the stage for powerful combos, particularly when paired with cards that allow you to manipulate mana costs or repeatedly cast spells.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where non-creature permanents play a significant role, Celestial Kirin can be a game changer. It disrupts opponents’ strategies and clears the way for your victory, making it a potent choice for a variety of competitive scenes.
How to beat
Celestial Kirin is a unique spirit creature in the Magic: The Gathering arena that creates a controlled Armageddon effect when casting spirit or arcane spells. This effect permits the destruction of nonland permanents with a converted mana cost equal to that of the spell you’ve cast. To counteract Celestial Kirin’s disruptive presence, efficient removal is key.
Priority should be on instant speed removal to react directly to Kirin’s ability trigger, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, depending on the mana value of the creature. Adaptability is necessary when facing this card; consider diversifying your mana base or utilizing artifact ramp to recover quickly from potential land destruction. Also, saving your spells for post-Kirin plays can mitigate the impact of the ability and retain your board state.
Playing around Celestial Kirin requires strategic planning and timing, ensuring that when the Kirin lands, its effect is minimal, and you can continue unaffected. Cards that can’t be countered, like Abrupt Decay, or leveraging graveyard play with creatures like Reassembling Skeleton can provide ways to stay in the game despite the Kirin’s cataclysmic ability.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Celestial Kirin MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa and Salvat 2005, 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 Celestial Kirin and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Celestial Kirin Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2005-06-03 and 2020-03-08. Illustrated by Adam Rex.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-06-03 | Saviors of Kamigawa | SOK | 3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Rex | |
| 2 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | C25 | 2003 | Normal | White | Adam Rex | |
| 3 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Rex | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | SOK-3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Rex |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Celestial Kirin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Celestial Kirin card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2005-06-01 | If the Spirit or Arcane spell has in the mana cost, then you use the value of on the stack. For example, Shining Shoal costs . If you choose X = 2, then Shining Shoal’s mana value is 4. Shining Shoal also has an ability that says “You may exile a white card with mana value X from your hand rather than pay Shining Shoal’s mana cost”; if you choose to pay the alternative cost and exile a card with mana value 2, then X is 2 while Shining Shoal is on the stack and its mana value is 4. |