Patrol Signaler MTG Card


Patrol Signaler - Eventide
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Kithkin Soldier
Released2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set nameEventide
Set codeEVE
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number12
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySteve Prescott

Key Takeaways

  1. Patrol Signaler provides sustained card advantage through token generation without added cost.
  2. Its instant-speed token creation offers strategic flexibility in response to opponents’ moves.
  3. Specific drawbacks include a discard requirement and a restricted white mana cost.

Text of card

, {Q}: Put a 1/1 white Kithkin Soldier creature token into play. ({Q} is the untap symbol.)

Many a keen-eared bogle has run afoul of a clever and silently orchestrated kithkin ambush.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Patrol Signaler is a unique card that can steadily provide you with creature tokens. Over time, these tokens represent additional cards in hand, effectively giving you a card advantage as you deploy more units to the battlefield without depleting resources from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: One of the key benefits of Patrol Signaler is its ability to streamline your army’s growth without the need for additional mana investment. Once on the battlefield, you can leverage its tapping ability to accelerate the presence of your forces, ensuring a more robust and diverse board state.

Instant Speed: The ability to create creature tokens at instant speed means Patrol Signaler provides strategic flexibility. You’re able to react to your opponent’s moves by increasing your board presence during their turn, setting up for counter-attacks, or creating surprise blockers. This adaptability can be crucial in turning the tides of the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Patrol Signaler is that to unleash its ability, players must fulfill a discard requirement. This can prove to be a significant setback, especially when the player’s hand is scant, and each card holds critical value to maintain gameplay momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: The card comes with a specific mana cost attached to it. Players are required to pay with white mana to deploy it onto the battlefield. This mana specificity could restrict its adaptability, limiting its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate white mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing mana efficiency, Patrol Signaler may not be the card of choice for many players. Though it brings an interesting dynamic to the game, its comparatively high mana cost for its utility may lead players to consider alternative options that offer more immediate or impactful benefits for the same, or a lower, mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Patrol Signaler is a unique addition to decks that are looking for repeatable creature generation. Its ability to tap and create 1/1 white Kithkin Soldier creature tokens can seamlessly integrate with various strategies, from token swarm tactics to control decks craving board presence.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with mechanisms that untap creatures, allowing for multiple activations in a single turn. It synergizes with cards that buff token creatures or utilize tokens for alternative costs, amplifying your strategic edge.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing field that sees a fluctuating variety of decks, Patrol Signaler can persistently establish a defensive line or build an offensive force, maintaining relevance across diverse meta situations. As the game state changes, it adapts and provides consistent value, making it a smart pick for collectors and competitors alike.


How to beat

Patrol Signaler is a unique card in MTG, granting its controller the ability to generate token creatures consistently. The ability to create Kithkin Soldier tokens every turn makes it a persistent threat that can overwhelm opponents with a swarm of creatures. However, this powerhouse move isn’t without its vulnerabilities.

One effective strategy to counter Patrol Signaler is by using removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their size. Cards like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently dispatch the Signaler before it gets the chance to start producing tokens. Board clearing spells, such as Wrath of God or Doomskar, can also be pivotal in resetting the board and clearing out the tokens it has already created.

Controlling the board early on is crucial given that Patrol Signaler’s strength lies in the long game. Hand disruption spells like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can help by removing the Signaler from your opponent’s hand before it can be played. In conclusion, quick action and the right set of spells are your best friends in taking down this card and ensuring it doesn’t secure the game for your opponent.


Cards like Patrol Signaler

Patrol Signaler offers uniqueness in the realm of creature generation in Magic: The Gathering. A direct comparison can be made with Loyal Sentry, as both are low-cost creatures that can influence the battlefield. However, Patrol Signaler stands out with its ability to consistently put 1/1 white Kithkin Soldier creature tokens onto the field, whereas Loyal Sentry is a single-use card that destroys an attacking creature once and then self-destructs.

The similarities extend when looking at Precinct Captain, which also rewards the player with 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens, but requires combat damage to a player to trigger this effect, contrasting Patrol Signaler’s tap ability that doesn’t hinge upon combat. Raise the Alarm is another card that quickly creates 1/1 tokens, but unlike Patrol Signaler, it’s a one-time spell with immediate effect, lacking the ongoing token-generation Patrol Signaler can provide turn after turn.

While these cards perform differently, Patrol Signaler has the potential to be a strategic staple in decks focused on accumulating a wide array of creatures, particularly when synergy with other token-boosting cards is considered. The sustainability and control it offers, is invaluable in the right deck setup, making it a card that potentially can shape the board over multiple turns.

Loyal Sentry - MTG Card versions
Precinct Captain - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Loyal Sentry - Starter 1999 (S99)
Precinct Captain - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Raise the Alarm - Mirrodin (MRD)

Cards similar to Patrol Signaler by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Cloudreach Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Firewalker - MTG Card versions
White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Cloudreach Cavalry - Legions (LGN)
Samite Healer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Kor Firewalker - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Patrol Signaler MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Patrol Signaler and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Patrol Signaler has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-08-01 If the permanent is already untapped, you can’t activate its {Q} ability. That’s because you can’t pay the “Untap this permanent” cost.
2008-08-01 The “summoning sickness” rule applies to {Q}. If a creature with an {Q} ability hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began, you can’t activate that ability. Ignore this rule if the creature also has haste.
2008-08-01 When you activate an {Q} ability, you untap the creature with that ability as a cost. The untap can’t be responded to. (The actual ability can be responded to, of course.)

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