Circle of Protection: White MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 13
1993-10-04 - Number 14
1993-12-01 - Number 14
1993-12-10 - Number 14
1993-12-10 - Number 14
1994-04-01 - Number 13
1994-04-01 - Number 13
1994-06-21 - Number 13
1995-04-01 - Number 18
1995-04-01 - Number 18
1995-06-03 - Number 16
1997-03-24 - Number 21
1997-10-14 - Number 13
1999-04-21 - Number 12
2001-04-11 - Number 10
2001-04-11 - Number 10★
2003-07-28 - Number 14★
2003-07-28 - Number 14
2022-11-28 - Number 14
2022-11-28 - Number 311
| Card sets | Released in 20 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
o1: Prevents all damage against you from one white source. If a source does damage to you more than once in a turn, you must pay 1 mana each time to prevent the damage.
Cards like Circle of Protection: White
Circle of Protection: White is a classic piece of the defensive strategies in Magic: The Gathering, providing a specialized shield against white creatures. Positioned similarly is its kin, Circle of Protection: Red, which offers identical mana costs and effects but focuses on red creatures. While both operate on the same principle, their strategic use varies widely depending on the opponent’s deck color.
Expanding the circle, there’s Runed Halo, providing protection from the chosen card name but at the upfront cost of naming a specific threat. Unlike the flexibility of Circle of Protection: White, which can be activated multiple times against multiple creatures, Runed Halo is a one-time declaration with ongoing effects. Then we have Story Circle, which grants a broader range of protection as it can be adjusted to any color but requires a larger initial mana investment.
Considering the strength and versatility in the protection mechanics across these similar cards, Circle of Protection: White remains a stalwart option for MTG players, allowing precise control against white-filled arsenals. Its capability to shield players turn after turn makes it a reliable card in tailoring defenses to match an ever-changing play environment.
Cards similar to Circle of Protection: White by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Circle of Protection: White doesn’t directly draw you cards, it helps preserve your valuable creatures and life total against white spells or creatures. This can lead to a significant advantage over time, as opponents may have to commit more resources to overcome your defenses.
Resource Acceleration: Although it doesn’t produce mana or ramp you up, Circle of Protection: White conserves resources efficiently. By spending just a single mana to prevent damage from a white source, you can save the mana you might otherwise spend on more expensive creature protection or healing spells.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Circle of Protection: White at instant speed is a pivotal trait. It allows you to react to your opponent’s actions on their turn, potentially nullifying the impact of their spells or attacks without telegraphing your defensive measures prematurely.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Circle of Protection: White doesn’t force a discard, but in the context of deck building, it can be a slot where a different card could potentially add more value or versatility to your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires white mana for both casting and activation. This specificity can hinder deck flexibility, especially for those not running a white-heavy or mono-white deck.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the protection it offers, the total mana investment can be steep. Every activation costs mana that could otherwise be used for advancing your board state or reacting to threats with broader impact.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Circle of Protection: White is an adaptable inclusion in any collection due to its strategic defense against white decks. It can serve as an effective sideboard card for games where color-specific defense is crucial.
Combo Potential: This card has synergy with decks designed to manage life totals, making it a valuable piece for intricate combos. It can be part of a defensive strategy, preserving your life total while setting up your winning plays.
Meta-Relevance: Given that white aggressive and midrange strategies are often prevalent in various metagames, having Circle of Protection: White can be a game-changer, neutralizing threats and giving you an upper hand against decks that leverage white spells extensively.
How to beat Circle of Protection: White
Circle of Protection: White is one of those classic defensive enchantments within Magic the Gathering that can efficiently ward off damage from white sources. This card can often seem like an impenetrable shield when you’re facing a deck heavily reliant on white creatures and spells. It offers its controller the ability to prevent damage from any white source for a modest investment of mana, making it a potentially frustrating obstacle.
To outmaneuver Circle of Protection: White, consider diversifying the color palette of your deck. Incorporating threats from multiple colors can circumvent its protective capabilities. Cards like Chaos Warp can unseat it by shuffling it back into the deck, while versatile removal spells like Disenchant directly target and destroy enchantments, regardless of their color. It’s also worth employing creatures with abilities like hexproof to remain unaffected by targeted spells or abilities.
Remember, as solid as Circle of Protection: White may be against mono-white decks, its effectiveness diminishes substantially against multicolored or colorless threats. By strategizing around it and considering your deck’s composition, you can effectively neutralize the advantages that Circle of Protection: White provides to your opponent.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Circle of Protection: White MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Circle of Protection: White 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 Circle of Protection: White Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 13 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 14 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 14 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 14 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 14 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 13 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 13 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 13 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 18 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 18 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 11 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 16 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 12 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 21 | 1997 | Normal | White | Gerry Grace | |
| 13 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 13 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Harold McNeill | |
| 14 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 12 | 1997 | Normal | White | Gerry Grace | |
| 15 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 10 | 1997 | Normal | White | Darrell Riche | |
| 16 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 10★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Darrell Riche | |
| 17 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 14★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Darrell Riche | |
| 18 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 14 | 2003 | Normal | White | Darrell Riche | |
| 19 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 14 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 20 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 311 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Circle of Protection: White has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Circle of Protection: White card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | A source of damage is a permanent, a spell on the stack (including one that creates a permanent), or any object referred to by an object on the stack. A source doesn’t need to be capable of dealing damage to be a legal choice. |
| 2004-10-04 | Can be used even when there is no damage to prevent. It prevents the next damage (if any) from the source this turn. |