Cliffside Rescuer MTG Card


Cliffside Rescuer - Commander 2019
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Kor Soldier
Abilities Vigilance
Released2019-08-23
Set symbol
Set nameCommander 2019
Set codeC19
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number1
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byCaio Monteiro

Key Takeaways

  1. Cliffside Rescuer excels in protecting valuable permanents, offering card advantage through strategic board maintenance.
  2. Its requirement to sacrifice limits recurring board presence, underscoring the card’s single-use protective ability.
  3. With unique versatility among its peers, the Rescuer’s instant-speed ability can dictate the pace of the game.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Vigilance , Sacrifice Cliffside Rescuer: Target permanent you control gains protection from each of your opponents until end of turn. (It can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything controlled by those players.)

"Keep going! I'll buy you time!"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Cliffside Rescuer provides a strategic edge by safeguarding your key permanents. This ability can indirectly lead to card advantage as it prevents opponents from removing your valuable cards from the battlefield, thereby preserving your board state and resources.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly influencing mana, Cliffside Rescuer’s resource acceleration comes from its potential to protect ramp creatures or other permanents that contribute to your mana base, ensuring uninterrupted development of your resources.

Instant Speed: Cliffside Rescuer’s vigilance allows it to attack or block and still be ready to use its ability to protect another permanent at a moment’s notice. Additionally, its sacrifice ability can be activated at instant speed, offering flexibility and the element of surprise, as you can respond immediately to threats during any phase of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cliffside Rescuer’s sacrifice mechanic could be considered a type of discard requirement. You must sacrifice the Rescuer itself, which could be a strategic disadvantage if you’re short on creatures or rely on maintaining a board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Cliffside Rescuer costs one white mana and one of any color. This specific mana requirement means it fits best in white or white-inclusive decks, potentially limiting its adaptability across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although a two mana cost isn’t exorbitant, when you consider that Cliffside Rescuer’s ability is a one-time use and it’s a 2/2 creature, there might be cheaper alternatives for protection or more powerful creatures for the same mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cliffside Rescuer has a place in decks that require protection for key permanents. This card’s sacrifice mechanic allows you to safeguard your most crucial pieces from targeted removal, ensuring your strategy remains intact.

Combo Potential: This card is excellent for synergizing with decks that capitalize on activated abilities or protective measures. Its synergy with commanders in Commander format can be particularly potent, making it a critical component for combinations centered around important creatures.

Meta-Relevance: As the metagame frequently includes powerful removal spells, Cliffside Rescuer’s ability to grant permanent protection can be especially relevant, preserving your game state against disruptive opponents.


How to Beat Cliffside Rescuer

Cliffside Rescuer is a unique card in MTG that offers considerable defensive utility to players. It acts as a shield for your other critical permanents, offering a safeguard against targeted removals or damaging spells. With its ability to sacrifice itself to protect another target permanent, beating this card requires careful strategy and the right timing.

Your approach should involve waiting for the Rescuer’s ability to be on the stack before using instant-speed removal or damage spells. By forcing the player to activate Cliffside Rescuer’s ability prematurely, you open a window to target the previously protected permanents. This way, you can efficiently manage your resources and mitigate the protective power of Cliffside Rescuer. Additionally, bypassing the card’s effect with board wipes or global removal spells can effectively neutralize its impact, preventing it from becoming a recurring obstacle.

Moreover, exploiting the fact that Cliffside Rescuer has to tap to use its ability is key. Capitalize on moments when it’s tapped down, attacking or after a freshly played activation, to ensure your critical spells and abilities hit their intended mark. Understanding and anticipating your opponent’s moves will serve you well against the tactical versatility of Cliffside Rescuer.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricacies of MTG involves more than knowing your cards; it’s about making informed choices that fortify your gameplay. Having delved into the characteristics and tactics surrounding Cliffside Rescuer, you now find yourself armed with the insight to harness its potential. Whether employing it as a defensive cornerstone in your deck or using its sacrifice ability to outmaneuver your foes, the knowledge you’ve gained here is a powerful ally. Embark on a journey with us to dive deeper into the strategic fortress that is MTG, improve your deck-building skills, and uncover the secrets to becoming a formidable player in any matchup.


Cards like Cliffside Rescuer

Within the broad spectrum of protective spells and abilities in Magic: The Gathering, Cliffside Rescuer presents itself as a uniquely versatile creature. This Kor Soldier doesn’t only provide a shield in creature form but also has the capacity to make other permanents indestructible for a turn. It’s not alone in this niche, sharing the stage with cards like Selfless Spirit, which offers a similar safeguard by sacrificing itself to grant indestructibility to your creatures. However, Cliffside Rescuer extends this protection to any permanent, not just creatures, setting it apart with a broader application.

Another card that echoes this dynamic is Benevolent Bodyguard. While this card also sacrifices itself to protect another creature, it lacks the resilience to affect non-creature permanents that Cliffside Rescuer boasts. Dauntless Bodyguard offers a preemptive protection option, yet it chooses its ward upon entering the battlefield, as opposed to Cliffside Rescuer’s flexibility to protect different targets over time.

When considering cards like Mother of Runes, which provides a similar protective ability without the one-time-use sacrifice, we notice that Cliffside Rescuer finds its unique foothold through its vigilance and the capacity to protect beyond the creature scope. Evaluating Cliffside Rescuer amidst its counterparts, we observe a card that stands out in offering a durable and adaptable defensive role on the battlefield.

Selfless Spirit - MTG Card versions
Benevolent Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Selfless Spirit - MTG Card versions
Benevolent Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions

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Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cliffside Rescuer MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2019, 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 Cliffside Rescuer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cliffside Rescuer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-08-23 Protection from a player means that the permanent has protection from each object controlled by that player. If an object has no controller (such as a card in a graveyard), its owner is considered its controller for this purpose.
2019-08-23 The players that the target permanent has protection from are determined as Cliffside Rescuer’s ability resolves. If an opponent somehow gains control of that permanent later in the turn, it still has protection from your opponents, including its new controller.

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