Council Guardian MTG Card
2014-06-06 - Number 15
2020-03-08 - Number 5
2020-09-26 - Number CNS-15
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Giant Soldier |
| Abilities | Will of the council |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Monarchy from attacking the chosen player leads to advantageous extra card draws each turn.
- Indirect resource acceleration boosts chances of drawing essential lands and spells for board development.
- Strategic advantage gained by forcing opponents to act hastily with their instant speed plays.
Text of card
Will of the council — When Council Guardian enters the battlefield, starting with you, each player votes for blue, black, red, or green. Council Guardian gains protection from each color with the most votes or tied for most votes.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Council Guardian has the unique ability to choose a player upon entering the battlefield. You then become the monarch whenever it attacks the chosen player, which can result in drawing an additional card at the end of your turn. This consistent card draw can give you an edge in the long run, ensuring that you have the resources needed as the game progresses.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Council Guardian does not directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, its ability to help you become the monarch can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By drawing extra cards, you increase your chances of finding the lands and spells necessary for developing your board and staying ahead of your opponents.
Instant Speed Interaction: While Council Guardian doesn’t have flash and can’t be played at instant speed, it impacts the game in a way that can influence instant-speed plays. Being the monarch from its attack triggers can pressure opponents, potentially causing them to act hastily and waste their instant speed removals or tricks, thereby giving you a strategic advantage during their turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging in the strategic plays Council Guardian offers can be a double-edged sword when it demands you to discard as part of casting it. This could prove to be detrimental, especially in crucial moments when your hand holds pivotal cards that you would rather retain for future turns.
Specific Mana Cost: Locking in colors for your deck’s strategy is essential, and Council Guardian asserts a stringent mana cost that may not seamlessly fit into every deck archetype. Deck builders are often forced to consider the color alignment closely, ensuring they have the necessary mana sources available to cast this card effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Mana economy within the game is key, and with the casting cost that Council Guardian demands, players must weigh their options. There are instances where other cards may offer similar or enhanced effects with less mana strain, making this card potentially less optimal in certain game states or strategies.
Reasons to Include Council Guardian in Your Collection
Versatility: Council Guardian adapts to various game situations with its unique council’s dilemma ability—allowing you to shape its role based on your opponents’ choices.
Combo Potential: Its ability to gain multiple keywords makes it a perfect fit for decks focusing on keyword synergies or those that utilize ‘choose an outcome’ mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that values flexibility and resilience, Council Guardian stands out as a card capable of turning the tides by accumulating advantages turn by turn.
How to Beat
The Council Guardian is a formidable asset for any player aiming for control in the late game with its “Will of the Council” ability. Deciphering a strategy to overcome this card requires planning and smart play. Disposal options become crucial, and one can lean on severing its deck synergy by removing key cards that work in tandem with the Guardian.
Moreover, leveraging instant-speed removal interrupts the Guardian before its conferencing ability can resolve. Cards like Murderous Rider or Heartless Act can efficiently dispatch the Guardian without getting to a vote. Furthermore, countering the Guardian is another line of action, with tools like Counterspell or Dissipate providing a preemptive barrier.
Controlling the creature through enchantments or abilities that negate its power, such as Pacifism or Frogify, can also lock the Guardian out of impacting the board state. By employing these methods, players can negate the tactical advantage that Council Guardian proffers, maintaining equilibrium and warding off its board-affecting potential.
Understanding Council Guardian’s Role
In the ever-expanding universe of Magic: The Gathering, the introduction of the Council Guardian card adds a unique twist to deck strategies, particularly in formats that appreciate flexible creature roles. The card’s inherent mechanics allow it to act as both a guardian and a choice-driven asset, depending on the game’s state and the decisions of the council (your opponents).
Cards like Council Guardian
Council Guardian’s role in MTG could be likened to that of the Sentinel Spider in terms of being a vigilant defender. Both creatures possess vigilance, enabling them to attack without tapping and remaining ready to block incoming threats. Council Guardian, however, brings a political angle to the game, effectively swaying the dynamics of multiplayer engagements. Its will of the council ability to potentially grow in strength based on the choices made by opponents can shift power balances unexpectedly, setting it apart from the straightforward nature of Sentinel Spider.
Deterring parallels can also be drawn with the Palisade Giant, which offers a blanket of protection for all your other creatures and even yourself, by absorbing damage that would affect them otherwise. While both serve as protectors, Council Guardian’s diplomatic edge opens up different interactive opportunities in-game, especially in formats where influencing opponent decisions can be a crucial tactic.
Choosing between these guardians depends greatly on whether a player values direct protection or the intriguing possibilities brought by a will of the council scenario. Ease of use tilts towards creatures like Sentinel Spider, while Council Guardian’s conditional power boost appeals to strategic players seeking to leverage the social aspects of the game.
Cards similar to Council Guardian by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Council Guardian MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Council Guardian 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 Council Guardian Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-06-06 and 2020-03-08. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-06-06 | Conspiracy | CNS | 15 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 2 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 5 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | CNS-15 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Volkan Baǵa |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Council Guardian has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Council Guardian card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-05-29 | Because the votes are cast in turn order, each player will know the votes of players who voted beforehand. |
| 2014-05-29 | If Council Guardian is not on the battlefield when its ability resolves, the vote will still take place; it simply won’t have any effect. However, cards that care about voting (for example, Grudge Keeper) will still see the vote. |
| 2014-05-29 | No player votes until the spell or ability resolves. Any responses to that spell or ability must be made without knowing the outcome of the vote. |
| 2014-05-29 | Players can’t do anything after they finishing voting but before the spell or ability that included the vote finishes resolving. |
| 2014-05-29 | The phrase “the vote is tied” refers only to when there is more than one choice that received the most votes. For example, if a 5-player vote from among three different choices ends 3 votes to 1 vote to 1 vote, the vote isn’t tied. |
| 2014-05-29 | The vote happens as the ability resolves. Until this happens, Council Guardian doesn’t have protection from any color. Spells and abilities may target Council Guardian as normal in response to its enters-the-battlefield ability, but not in response to the vote. Once players have started voting, it’s too late to respond. |
| 2014-05-29 | You must vote for one of the available options. You can’t abstain. |
