Gilded Light MTG Card
2003-05-26 - Number 16
2014-06-16 - Number 29
2019-06-14 - Number 12
2021-08-26 - Number 86
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Cycling |
Text of card
You can't be the target of spells or abilities this turn. Cycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.)
"Whoever survives the first blow lives to land the second."
Cards like Gilded Light
Gilded Light is a unique spell that offers players temporary protection from their opponent’s moves in the strategically complex world of Magic: The Gathering. It boasts a similarity to the spell Orim’s Chant, which also prevents opponents from casting spells or attacking. Gilded Light, however, has the added advantage of providing shroud to the player, which can be a game-changer by ensuring complete immunity from targeted spells or abilities for a turn.
Another card in the comparison range is the well-known Sheltering Word. While Sheltering Word is primarily used to give a creature hexproof and gain life equal to its toughness, Gilded Light shields the player themselves, not a single creature. This broader protective scope can be crucial in the right deck strategy. There’s also the card Apostle’s Blessing, which can either give a creature or player protection from a color of your choice until end of turn. Yet, it doesn’t cast as wide a net of security as Gilded Light’s all-encompassing shroud.
Considering the choices, Gilded Light stands out by offering a blanket of security that can foil a multitude of opponent tactics. It excels in scenarios where a temporary safeguard is pivotal, showcasing its strength in maintaining a competitive edge within the realm of protective spells in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Gilded Light by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Gilded Light. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Fluctuator | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gilded Light’s ability to grant shroud to you and your creatures until end of turn can negate multiple targeted spells or abilities from your opponent, effectively leading to a gain in card advantage as your opponent’s resources are wasted.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, playing Gilded Light can accelerate your game plan by protecting your key assets from being removed, allowing you to sustain momentum and maintain pressure on your opponent.
Instant Speed: The fact that Gilded Light is an instant greatly enhances its utility. It gives you the flexibility to respond to threats at a moment’s notice, protecting your position or disrupting your opponent’s strategy during their turn without sacrificing your ability to act on your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Gilded Light demands you to have another white card in hand to leverage its cycling ability. During tight gameplay scenarios, this can diminish your hand count when you might need to hold onto vital resources.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana requirement is strictly white, which could pose integration challenges into multi-color decks that might not have consistent access to white mana, thereby restricting its adaptability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two white mana, Gilded Light’s benefit of granting you Shroud until the end of the turn may be seen as costly compared to other protection options available within MTG that come at a lower mana cost and could allow for additional actions within the same turn.
Reasons to Include Gilded Light in Your Collection
Versatility: Gilded Light offers a unique shield in your arsenal against targeted spells and abilities. Its ability to grant shroud to yourself can be pivotal in protecting your life total and key strategies from your opponent’s direct interference.
Combo Potential: This card proves useful in combinations that aim to create a fortress-like state. It pairs well with setups that require a turn or two to manifest a win condition without disturbance, providing a critical window of protection.
Meta-Relevance: With many decks focusing on targeted disruption to derail an opponent’s strategy, Gilded Light has the potential to be a meta call. The capacity to shut down such targeted plays, even temporarily, can often tip the scales in a tightly-contested game.
How to beat
Gilded Light offers Magic: The Gathering players a protective veil by granting shroud and preventing instants or abilities from targeting them for a turn. This card can be a real annoyance to those who rely on targeted spells and effects. To circumvent Gilded Light’s protection, players should consider using spells or abilities that do not require a target. Board wipes or global effects can be crucial, as they bypass the shroud ability and affect all players or creatures, regardless of any temporary immunity.
Another effective strategy is to wait out Gilded Light’s effect. Since it only lasts for a single turn, you can plan your spells for the following round when the coast is clear. This method requires patience and timing—something that adept MTG players are already familiar with. Controlling the pace of the game and forcing the Gilded Light player to use it prematurely or in sub-optimal situations can also diminish its impact and leave them vulnerable to your targeted strategies on subsequent turns.
Overall, while Gilded Light can shield your opponent temporarily, there are multiple ways to play around it, ensuring that your path to victory remains clear even if your direct assaults do not.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gilded Light MTG card by a specific set like Scourge and Vintage Masters, 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 Gilded Light 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 Gilded Light Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2003-05-26 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by John Avon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003-05-26 | Scourge | SCG | 16 | 1997 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 29 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 3 | 2019-06-14 | Modern Horizons | MH1 | 12 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 4 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 86 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gilded Light has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gilded Light card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |