Godo, Bandit Warlord MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Barbarian
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Godo instantly searches for equipment, bypassing draw steps and accelerating board presence.
  2. His six-mana cost, including double red, may restrict deck-building options and speed.
  3. Despite the high cost, Godo’s versatility and combo potential make him a valuable asset.

Text of card

When Godo, Bandit Warlord comes into play, you may search your library for an Equipment card and put it into play. If you do, shuffle your library. Whenever Godo attacks for the first time each turn, untap it and all Samurai you control. After this phase, you get an additional combat phase.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Godo, Bandit Warlord offers a unique form of card advantage. Upon entering the battlefield, Godo allows you to search your library for an Equipment card and put it directly onto the battlefield. This skips the step of having to draw the Equipment card, giving you immediate access to a powerful tool to enhance your creatures.

Resource Acceleration: While Godo, Bandit Warlord doesn’t produce mana or Treasure tokens directly, his ability to cheat Equipment cards into play accelerates your resource distribution. This enables you to allocate mana more efficiently across your other spells and abilities, essentially gaining the mana cost of the Equipment card you fetch.

Instant Speed: Although Godo himself does not operate at instant speed, the Equipment card he searches for can give your creatures the ability to respond at instant speed. Some Equipment cards grant creatures abilities such as “Flash” or activated abilities that can be used on your opponent’s turn, increasing your tactical flexibility.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Godo, Bandit Warlord doesn’t force you to discard cards directly, it does have an equip ability that can be costly when you’re trying to maintain card advantage in the late game. This can be a strategic disadvantage, especially if you’re running low on other resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Godo, Bandit Warlord requires six mana, including two red. This specific demand for red mana might restrict the inclusion of Godo in multicolored decks that struggle with mana fixing or that prioritize other colors in their mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Godo’s ability to cheat equipment cards directly onto the battlefield might not be as efficient compared to other creatures or spells with lower mana demands. The initial investment in mana can be substantial, making it less appealing for decks that need to establish a board presence quickly against aggressive opponents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Godo, Bandit Warlord serves as a flexible addition to Commander and other singleton formats, capable of retrieving crucial equipment upon entering the battlefield. This enables him to adapt to various game situations, making him useful in both aggressive and control-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: With Godo’s ability to untap after the initial attack, he pairs exceptionally well with equipment like Helm of the Host, initiating an infinite combat phase loop. This synergy allows for game-ending combinations, emphasizing Godo’s value in decks built around such strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where voltron strategies or equipment-centric tactics are prevalent, Godo becomes an even more integral piece. As a unique tutor and attack enabler, his presence can turn the tides of a match, especially against opponents unprepared for relentless, equipped assaults.


How to beat

Godo, Bandit Warlord is a red legend that can pose a significant threat in MTG due to his ability to tutor up equipment when he enters the battlefield and granting additional combat phases after he attacks. To effectively counter Godo, it’s important to prioritize removal spells that can handle both creatures and artifacts. Instant-speed interaction is key, as you can disrupt the setup or the attack phase where Godo shines. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile provide efficient answers to Godo himself, preventing the additional combat phase and the equipment search ability.

Artifact removal like Naturalize or Krosan Grip can help dismantle the equipment that Godo might fetch, reducing the threat level significantly. Additionally, counterspells are strong against Godo, especially if you can prevent him from hitting the battlefield in the first place. Ensuring you have a board presence with blockers can also be a deterrent, discouraging an all out attack from a Godo player. Ultimately, staying ready to respond to Godo, whether through stack interaction or board control, is your best route to victory against this formidable warlord.


Cards like Godo, Bandit Warlord

Godo, Bandit Warlord is a unique card in the MTG universe, offering a blend of aggression and utility. Comparable figures include Aurelia, the Warleader, known for granting an additional combat phase like Godo. However, Aurelia doesn’t offer the same tutoring ability as Godo, who can fetch an equipment card from your deck when he enters the battlefield.

Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker presents another parallel, albeit fostering numerous instant army copies rather than an extra attack phase. Although Kiki-Jiki’s effect is potent, it doesn’t provide the same tutor feature or an all-encompassing combat buff. Then there’s Etali, Primal Storm, which allows you to cast spells for free upon attacking. Etali’s ability to exploit opponents’ libraries contrasts with Godo’s more focused strategy on equipping and attacking.

To sum up, each of these commanders offers their unique twist on red’s combat and value-generating strategies, but Godo, Bandit Warlord stands out in MTG for his specific combination of equipment fetching and creating additional opportunities for combat within the same turn.

Aurelia, the Warleader - MTG Card versions
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker - MTG Card versions
Etali, Primal Storm - MTG Card versions
Aurelia, the Warleader - Gatecrash (GTC)
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Etali, Primal Storm - Resale Promos (PRES)

Cards similar to Godo, Bandit Warlord by color, type and mana cost

Shivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Firestorm Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Crater Hellion - MTG Card versions
Callous Giant - MTG Card versions
Halam Djinn - MTG Card versions
Bloodshot Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Worldgorger Dragon - MTG Card versions
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Iron-Barb Hellion - MTG Card versions
Ryusei, the Falling Star - MTG Card versions
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Pardic Dragon - MTG Card versions
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Etali, Primal Storm - MTG Card versions
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - MTG Card versions
Sunrise Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - MTG Card versions
Inferno Titan - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Firestorm Phoenix - Legends (LEG)
Crater Hellion - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Callous Giant - Invasion (INV)
Halam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Bloodshot Cyclops - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Worldgorger Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Two-Headed Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Iron-Barb Hellion - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Ryusei, the Falling Star - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Ronin Cavekeeper - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Oni of Wild Places - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Thundermare - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Pardic Dragon - Time Spiral (TSP)
Tectonic Fiend - Time Spiral (TSP)
Etali, Primal Storm - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Sunrise Sovereign - Lorwyn (LRW)
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Inferno Titan - Commander Masters (CMM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Godo, Bandit Warlord MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Commander's Arsenal Oversized, 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 Godo, Bandit Warlord and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Godo, Bandit Warlord Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2004-10-01 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 1692003normalblackPaolo Parente
22012-11-02Commander's Arsenal OversizedOCM1 42003normalblackPaolo Parente
32016-11-11Commander 2016C16 1252015normalblackPaolo Parente
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 12002015normalblackrishxxv
52020-08-07Double Masters2XM 1282015normalblackPaolo Parente
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 5372015normalblackPaolo Parente
72023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 222015art_seriesborderlessPaolo Parente
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 2272015normalblackPaolo Parente

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Godo, Bandit Warlord has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-08-07 Unlike many effects that grant additional combat phases, you don't get an additional main phase with Godo, Bandit Warlord's ability. The additional combat phase happens immediately after the first combat phase.

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