First Response MTG Card
2014-07-18 - Number 12
2020-11-20 - Number 22
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
At the beginning of each upkeep, if you lost life last turn, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
"There's never a good time for a disaster or an attack. That's why we're here." —Oren, militia captain
Cards like First Response
First Response is an intriguing asset in Magic: The Gathering, standing alongside other cards designed to create creature tokens. Comparable to it is Luminarch Ascension, a card that also specializes in generating tokens, but does so under different conditions, requiring your life total to go untouched in order to get the angels it produces. First Response, however, flips the script by rewarding you when taking damage, providing a unique strategy for players who can manipulate their life totals to their advantage.
Assembling the Legion is another card worth comparing. Sharing the same color identity, it adds soldier tokens to your battlefields but it does so in an increasing number each upkeep, potentially outclassing First Response in the long game. Then there’s Secure the Wastes, which can flood the board with tokens instantly, offering a more immediate impact as opposed to the steady buildup that First Response promises.
Ultimately, while First Response demands a specific style of play, based around taking damage to benefit from its effects, when strategically deployed, it can become a cornerstone of any deck looking to capitalize on token generation and maintaining board presence.
Cards similar to First Response by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The First Response card contributes to your overall strategy by generating a continual flow of soldier tokens. Each time you gain a life, this mechanism triggers, effectively replenishing your side of the battlefield and giving you a subtle yet consistent upper hand against your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: While the card itself doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure, the soldier tokens can be pivotal for strategies that leverage creature count to ramp up resources or for cards that derive power from the number of creatures you control.
Instant Speed: Though First Response operates at sorcery speed, it allows you to set up defenses that are beneficial during each of your upkeep phases. This setup can synergize well with instant-speed interactions that protect the card or ensure you meet its requirements during your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The First Response card predicates its effectiveness on a discard condition, requiring you to relinquish a card from your hand to play it. This can create a disadvantageous situation, especially if you are already encountering a shortage of options within your hand, further depleting your tactical arsenal and potentially leading to a weakened board state.
Specific Mana Cost: First Response necessitates a precise color combination to cast, which may constrain its inclusion solely to decks that can reliably produce the exact mana requirements. This specificity can hamper deck flexibility and make it a more challenging fit outside of dedicated color builds, thus requiring careful mana base planning to ensure consistency in execution.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the realm of spells offering similar effects, First Response stands on the pricier end of the spectrum when it comes to mana investment. The card’s casting cost may seem steep relative to the immediate benefit it provides, making it less appealing compared with other lower-cost alternatives that may fulfill a similar role in your deck with less resource strain.
Reasons to Include First Response in Your Collection
Versatility: First Response shines in decks that manipulate life totals. Since it generates a token whenever you’re dealt damage and survive, it can slot into a variety of strategies that aim to benefit from creature presence without specific tribal or color constraints.
Combo Potential: The card can create an army of Soldier tokens, which can be leveraged in combos with cards that trigger upon creatures entering the battlefield or benefit from sacrificing creatures. It’s also great for triggering battalion and other abilities that require multiple creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where chip damage is common, First Response can be a continuous source of blockers to deter aggressive strategies. It can quickly turn the tide by providing defense and pressure in grindy matchups, an asset against certain control or midrange decks.
How to beat First Response
First Response is a unique card that can create a significant board presence in Magic: The Gathering by generating 1/1 white soldier tokens at every upkeep, provided you lost life the previous turn. To effectively counter this strategy, controlling your opponent’s life total is key. This approach can limit the card’s ability to trigger and spawn tokens. Utilizing life gain spells or abilities prevents the condition for token creation, keeping your opponent’s army in check.
Another tactic is to use enchantment removal spells, which are crucial in dealing with First Response directly. Cards like Disenchant or Nature’s Claim can remove it from play before the benefit of token generation can be realized. Additionally, you can resort to board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation to clear the tokens that have already been generated, thus preventing the opponent from amassing a substantial force.
By understanding and interrupting the trigger mechanism of First Response or removing it from play altogether, it becomes much easier to maintain control of the game. This not only thwarts your opponent’s strategy but also ensures your forces remain unchallenged on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase First Response MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 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 First Response 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The First Response Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 12 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 2 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 22 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where First Response has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering First Response 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 | Damage dealt to you causes you to lose that much life. |
| 2020-11-10 | First Response checks only if you lost life during the turn, not whether your life total decreased over the course of the turn. For example, if you lost 2 life and then gained 8 life last turn, First Response's ability will trigger. |
| 2020-11-10 | First Response looks at the entire previous turn to determine whether its ability triggers or not. It doesn't matter whether First Response was on the battlefield when you lost life. |
| 2020-11-10 | Only one Soldier will be created no matter how much life was lost. |
| 2020-11-10 | The Soldier won't be able to attack the turn it's created (unless something gives it haste). |