Ajani, Wise Counselor MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Planeswalker — Ajani |
| Released | 2018-07-13 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Core Set 2019 |
| Set code | M19 |
| Loyalty | 5 |
| Number | 281 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Eric Deschamps |
Key Takeaways
- Ajani provides significant card advantage by correlating life gain with drawing cards.
- Resource acceleration is achieved with +1/+1 counters on multiple creatures.
- Allows for robust instant-speed interactions through vigilance-granting emblem.
Text of card
+2: You gain 1 life for each creature you control. −3: Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn. −9: Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature, where X is your life total.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ajani, Wise Counselor excels in providing card advantage by allowing you to gain life and then draw that many cards. This can be a significant swing in your favor, replenishing your hand and giving you more options for future turns.
Resource Acceleration: This plainswalker also aids in resource acceleration. With Ajani, you’re able to put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to three target creatures, potentially turning the tide of the game by bolstering your battlefield presence rapidly.
Instant Speed: Although Ajani itself is not an instant speed spell, this MTG card can create conditions that optimize your instant-speed interactions. Ajani’s emblem grants your creatures vigilance, allowing you to attack without tapping and still hold up creatures to utilize instant speed spells or abilities effectively.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Ajani, Wise Counselor doesn’t require a card discard, the need for a specific setup to maximize its abilities may feel as limiting as a discard, especially in fast-paced games where every card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This planeswalker’s casting cost necessitates white mana, which can restrict its integration into multicolored decks that may not prioritize white or have the mana-fixing capabilities to cast it consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial mana investment of five, including two white, Ajani, Wise Counselor has a higher casting cost compared to other supportive planeswalkers, which could slow down your game’s tempo or delay the deployment of other crucial spells in your arsenal.
Reasons to Include Ajani, Wise Counselor in Your Collection
Versatility: Ajani, Wise Counselor offers a wide array of abilities that can support various deck strategies. It can bolster your creatures’ strength, gain you life, or even help rebuild the board with its ultimate ability.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations where life gain is pivotal or in decks that capitalize on enhancing creatures. Its ability to add +1/+1 counters meshes well with proliferate mechanics or any strategy that thrives on buffing creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based decks are prominent, Ajani, Wise Counselor fits perfectly. Its capability to disrupt opponents with its -2 ability, providing a defensive edge, can swing the game in slower, more controlled matches.
How to beat
Ajani, Wise Counselor is a distinguished planeswalker card that can bolster your deck in MTG with its diverse abilities. Its power to boost creature strength and gain life points makes it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. Yet, it’s not invincible. To counteract Ajani, focus on direct damage spells like Lightning Strike or Shock to decrease its loyalty before its abilities can overwhelm you. Creature removal spells are also effective as they can prevent Ajani from fortifying the board with an imposing creature army.
For those who prefer subtlety, counterspells are the key. A well-timed Cancel or Negate can thwart Ajani’s casting, nipping the threat in the bud. Should Ajani hit the field, enchantment-based removal such as Cast Out or Oblivion Ring can temporarily sideline this planeswalker, providing the perfect window to take control of the game’s pace. It’s crucial to stay ahead or at par with the opponent’s mana curve to prevent Ajani from swaying the game’s momentum in their favor.
Ultimately, a strategy combining removal, counters, and staying on curve plays an essential role in outmaneuvering Ajani, Wise Counselor. Keep these tactics in mind, and you’ll stand a greater chance of turning this wise counselor’s guidance against him.
Cards like Ajani, Wise Counselor
Ajani, Wise Counselor, stands as a notable planeswalker in the planeswalker pantheon of Magic: The Gathering. Like its brethren Ajani Steadfast and Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, this particular Ajani version provides a plus one life gain ability. His capacity to increase the life total separates him from other MTG planeswalkers, who might focus more on creature control or card advantage.
In weighing up analogous planeswalker cards, Sorin, Solemn Visitor is a reasonable comparison. Sorin brings the perk of not only boosting life but also fortifying creatures with a +1/+0 until your next turn. While Ajani, Wise Counselor focuses on individual enhancement with its +2 and -2 abilities, Sorin offers a more group-centered buff with his +1. Then, there’s Elspeth, Sun’s Champion, who might not provide life gain but compensates with her ability to generate multiple creature tokens, presenting a difference in board presence strategy.
These comparisons showcase Ajani, Wise Counselor as a unique asset for players inclined towards life gain strategies in MTG, ideal for stalling games and bolstering defenses against aggressive opponents.
Cards similar to Ajani, Wise Counselor by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ajani, Wise Counselor MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 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 Ajani, Wise Counselor 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ajani, Wise Counselor has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ajani, Wise Counselor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-07-13 | Ajani’s second ability affects only creatures you control at the time it resolves. Creatures you begin to control later in the turn won’t get +2/+2. |
| 2018-07-13 | The value of X is determined only as Ajani’s third ability resolves. If your life total changes later, the creature won’t gain or lose +1/+1 counters. |
