Emberwilde Captain MTG Card
2020-11-20 - Number 664
2020-11-20 - Number 175
2002-06-24 - Number 86012
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Djinn Pirate |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Becoming the monarch with Emberwilde Captain can secure you a card draw each turn.
- It pressures opponents to divert resources, helping you gain a strategic tempo advantage.
- Its ability to deal damage when you’re the monarch can discourage attacks from opponents.
Text of card
When Emberwilde Captain enters the battlefield, you become the monarch. Whenever an opponent attacks you while you're the monarch, Emberwilde Captain deals damage to that player equal to the number of cards in their hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Emberwilde Captain presents a multifaceted approach to card advantage. Upon entering the battlefield, it makes you the monarch, a status that could potentially draw you an additional card at the end of your turn. Notably, this card not only enables you to extract value with extra draws but also pressures opponents to interact, providing a strategic edge in resource accumulation.
Resource Acceleration: While this card does not directly produce resources, it acts to accelerate your gameplan by encouraging opponents to divert resources to claim the monarchy. This indirect resource acceleration can lead to a significant tempo swing in your favor, as opponents may need to commit extra efforts and resources to dethrone you.
Instant Speed: The key strength of Emberwilde Captain is not its instant speed but its impact on the board as a creature. However, its ability to deter attacks with its damage-dealing effect when you are the monarch functions similarly to instant speed interactions. It can dissuade opponents from making rash moves, potentially saving your resources for more crucial spells or threats.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Emberwilde Captain requires players to have the monarch status to avoid discarding, potentially forcing a strategic disadvantage if unable to claim the crown.
Specific Mana Cost: With its cost demanding both red mana and generic, the card might not seamlessly fit in multicolored decks that are tight on color fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at four mana with three of it being specifically red limits the speed at which you can deploy this creature in comparison to other impactful four-mana drops in red decks.
Reasons to Include Emberwilde Captain in Your Collection
Versatility: Emberwilde Captain is a multifaceted option for certain deck archetypes, melding well with strategies centered around Red commanders and decks that can capitalize on its ability to become the monarch, thereby drawing extra cards.
Combo Potential: Once on the battlefield, Emberwilde Captain not only deters opponents from attacking you due to its potential damage output but also complements strategies that involve tax or punishment mechanics, synergizing effectively with cards that reward you for being the monarch.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where holding the crown is advantageous, this card can provide consistent card advantage, making it a relevant choice especially in multiplayer formats where becoming the monarch can significantly sway the game’s momentum in your favor.
How to Beat Emberwilde Captain
Emberwilde Captain presents a unique challenge for MTG players, blending both offensive capabilities and a defensive deterrent. An adept commander in multiples formats, this card boasts the potential to punish opponents for targeting you, thanks to its ability that deals damage to the opponent each time they cast a spell that targets you after the captain enters the battlefield.
To counteract Emberwilde Captain’s intimidating presence, adopt removal strategies that avoid targeting it directly. Board wipes, for instance, prove effective as they indiscriminately clear creatures without singling out the captain, bypassing its damage-inflicting effect. Alternatively, choosing to focus on building your own board presence can shift the momentum of the game, reducing the reliance on direct interaction with the opposing creatures and lessening the Captain’s impact on the game’s progression.
Keep in mind, flexibility in strategy and anticipation of potential threats like Emberwilde Captain can significantly influence the tide of battle. Plan your moves with care, and you’ll navigate the seas of confrontation with the skill of an adroit sailor, rendering the Captain’s authority null.
BurnMana Recommendations
Emberwilde Captain emerges as a compelling addition to MTG strategies, artfully blending defense with the coveted monarch ability. It can shift the game’s dynamics by offering card draw and encouraging strategic plays. Whether integrated into red-centric builds or used as a valuable player in multiplayer scenarios, this card can influence the board and foster a more nuanced game plan. Understanding its strengths and potential drawbacks is key to employing it effectively. For MTG enthusiasts keen on refining their decks and gaining the upper hand through monarchy mechanics, we welcome you to delve deeper into strategy development with us.
Cards like Emberwilde Captain
Emberwilde Captain is a distinctive presence in the realm of creature cards with benefits tied to being a commander. Like Diaochan, Artful Beauty, it can exert control over the board by targeting creatures for destruction. Emberwilde Captain, upon entering the battlefield, also grants you the monarch status, echoing the effects of cards such as Palace Jailer. Yet, it further fortifies your position by dealing damage to opponents who dare to attack you while you’re the monarch.
In evaluation, Archon of Coronation is another card offering monarch-related benefits by providing life total protection which differs from Emberwilde Captain’s deterrent damage ability. And if we look at Court of Ire, while it shares the capacity to deal damage during your upkeep as monarch, it lacks the creature aspect of Emberwilde Captain, which can actively participate in combat and other strategies.
Overall, Emberwilde Captain stands out among its counterparts by combining the advantageous monarch status with direct damage capabilities. It places the card in a favorable spot for MTG players who value board influence and defense mechanisms in a creature form.
Cards similar to Emberwilde Captain by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Emberwilde Captain MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Emberwilde Captain and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Emberwilde Captain Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Tyler Walpole.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 86012 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyler Walpole | ||
| 2 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 664 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyler Walpole | |
| 3 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 175 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tyler Walpole |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Emberwilde Captain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Emberwilde Captain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-11-10 | Emberwilde Captain's last ability triggers once for each player who attacks you, no matter how many creatures they attack with beyond the first. |
| 2020-11-10 | Emberwilde Captain's last ability won't trigger if an opponent attacks only planeswalkers you control and not you. |
| 2020-11-10 | If another player becomes the monarch after Emberwilde Captain's last ability triggers but before it resolves, the ability will resolve as normal. The player who attacked you will be dealt damage, even if that player was the one who became the monarch. |
| 2020-11-10 | If combat damage dealt to the monarch causes that player to lose the game, the triggered ability that causes the controller of the attacking creature to become the monarch doesn't resolve. In most cases, the controller of the attacking creature will still become the monarch as it is likely their turn. |
| 2020-11-10 | If the monarch leaves the game during another player's turn, that player becomes the monarch. If the monarch leaves the game during their turn, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch. |
| 2020-11-10 | If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card. |
| 2020-11-10 | The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward. As a player becomes the monarch, the current monarch (if any) ceases being the monarch. |
| 2020-11-10 | There are two inherent triggered abilities associated with being the monarch. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who was the monarch at the time the abilities triggered. The full texts of these abilities are "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch." |
