Dawnstrike Paladin MTG Card
Text of card
Vigilance (Attacking doesn't cause this creature to tap.) Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
She crushes darkness beneath her charger's hooves.
Cards like Dawnstrike Paladin
The Dawnstrike Paladin is a solid figure on the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering, bearing similarities to other stalwart life-linking creatures. One comparable card is the Veteran Swordsmith, which also costs five mana and offers a significant bonus to your other creatures. Unlike the Dawnstrike Paladin, the Swordsmith doesn’t boast lifelink, but it compensates with a collective attack boost to your soldier creatures.
Another card worth mentioning is the Serra Angel. While Serra Angel requires only four mana and features flying, it shares the Dawnstrike Paladin’s vigilance ability. This gives both cards the strategic advantage of attacking without tapping, thus remaining ready to defend during the opponent’s turn. However, Dawnstrike Paladin brings the additional benefit of lifelink, aiding players in maintaining a healthy life total while wielding its power on the field.
Likewise, Ajani’s Pridemate presents an interesting comparison. Although it starts smaller at only two mana, with the right synergies and frequent life gain, it has the potential to outgrow the Paladin swiftly. However, the Dawnstrike Paladin doesn’t depend on other cards to have an immediate board impact, coming into play as a sturdy defensive unit capable of influencing your life total. In the panorama of versatile creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Dawnstrike Paladin holds its own, especially in decks that capitalize on lifegain strategies.
Cards similar to Dawnstrike Paladin by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dawnstrike Paladin doesn’t directly contribute to card draw, but its capacity to consistently impact the board with its abilities ensures long-term value throughout the game, which indirectly leads to card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not inherently a resource acceleration card, the Dawnstrike Paladin’s vigilance allows you to maintain a defensive stance while allocating resources elsewhere, optimizing mana usage during your turns.
Instant Speed: Dawnstrike Paladin operates at sorcery speed, but its lifelink ability can become relevant at instant speed during combat, bolstering your life total when engaging in fights or when blocking, subtly giving you more space to leverage other instant-speed spells in your arsenal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside to the Dawnstrike Paladin is that it doesn’t provide card advantage. In a game where maintaining resources is crucial, the Dawnstrike Paladin offers no mechanism to refill your hand or benefit from discarding.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific mana arrangement to cast—two white and three of any color. It might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks that could struggle with producing the necessary white mana consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Charging five mana for a 2/4 creature, the Dawnstrike Paladin might lag when compared to other cards at a similar cost. The mana invested into this Paladin could potentially be allocated towards more impactful spells or creatures that offer greater advantages on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include Dawnstrike Paladin in Your Collection
Versatility: The Dawnstrike Paladin seamlessly integrates into a variety of deck builds, especially those looking to bolster their defenses with a reliable creature. Its lifelink ability ensures it’s a staple for decks focused on life gain, while its vigilance allows it to both attack and defend effectively.
Combo Potential: Leveraging Dawnstrike Paladin’s lifelink ability, it can greatly complement strategies built around life gain triggers. It fits well with cards that benefit from you gaining life, fueling potential combos and enhancing your battlefield presence.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where aggressive strategies often dominate, Dawnstrike Paladin offers a counterpoint. Its inherent durability and life-sustaining mechanics can play a pivotal role in outlasting opponents, making it a card to consider when building a deck that aims to thrive in varied meta environments.
How to beat Dawnstrike Paladin
Dawnstrike Paladin embodies resilience on the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. With its combination of lifelink, granting every successful attack a boon to your life total, and vigilance, allowing it to remain untapped and ready to defend, it’s a steadfast presence. However, this steadfastness can be circumvented. Cards that can bypass its abilities, such as those with deathtouch, can prove fatal to the Paladin regardless of its defensive position.
Removal spells are another effective strategy. They can clear the Paladin from the board before it becomes a larger threat. Spells like Doom Blade or Murder are classic and cost-efficient ways to handle creatures regardless of their combative abilities. Equally, enchantments that pacify or tap the Paladin prevent it from being an active participant in combat, diminishing its impact on the game significantly.
Ultimately, while Dawnstrike Paladin may offer a robust defense and consistent life gain, it’s not insurmountable. A well-planned strategy involving direct removal or neutralization can ensure that this vigilant knight’s time on the battlefield is brief and manageable within the diverse realm of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dawnstrike Paladin MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters, 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 Dawnstrike Paladin 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
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Printings
The Dawnstrike Paladin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2013-09-06. Illustrated by Tyler Jacobson.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-07-19 | Magic 2014 | M14 | 15 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tyler Jacobson | |
| 2 | 2013-09-06 | Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters | DDL | 14 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tyler Jacobson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dawnstrike Paladin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
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.