Glyph Keeper MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 55
2017-04-28 - Number 5
2017-04-29 - Number 55s
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Sphinx |
| Abilities | Embalm,Flying |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying Whenever Glyph Keeper becomes the target of a spell or ability for the first time each turn, counter that spell or ability. Embalm (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie Sphinx with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.)
Cards like Glyph Keeper
Glyph Keeper is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offering both offensive and defensive versatility. It bears resemblance to other cards like Dream Eater and Prognostic Sphinx, which also provide flying threats and a degree of protection from spells. Dream Eater offers a more immediate impact on the battlefield with its surveil ability and the potential to bounce an opposing nonland permanent to its owner’s hand, although it lacks Glyph Keeper’s built-in spell countering ability.
Prognostic Sphinx, meanwhile, lends itself to card filtering with its scry ability while sacrificing a card for hexproof, rather than the outright spell negation offered by Glyph Keeper. The Sphinx’s ability to protect itself does not inherently negate the spell, which can lead to differing tactical decisions. On the flip side, Glyph Keeper’s embalm ability provides a substantial end-game value, ensuring its return for a second round on the battlefield, a factor not present in these similar cards.
Considering these comparisons, Glyph Keeper presents itself as a formidable option for those looking to add resilient aerial threats into their deck. Its innate ability to counter spells targeted at it makes it a standout in creature longevity and board presence stability.
Cards similar to Glyph Keeper by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Boasting an embalm ability, Glyph Keeper offers players a second chance to utilize this flying Sphinx. Once it’s in the graveyard, its embalm ability can be activated, effectively giving its controller an additional card to use. In a way, you’re getting two creatures for the price of one card, which is an excellent way to maintain the upper hand in resources against your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Although Glyph Keeper doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, its presence can lead to indirect resource acceleration. By demanding answers from your opponent due to its resilience and recurring ability, you may drain their resources while protecting your own, paving the way for you to pull ahead.
Instant Speed: One of the key features of Glyph Keeper is its ability to counter the first spell that targets it each turn without any input from the player at the time it’s targeted. This passive instant-speed-like effect can disrupt your opponent’s plans, as they need to navigate around this automatic ability or waste a spell attempting to remove it, effectively allowing you to dictate the pace and flow of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside to the Glyph Keeper is its requirement to be discarded for its embalm ability. This can be a setback if your card supply is dwindling or if you’re attempting to maintain a full hand for other strategic purposes.
Specific Mana Cost: Sporting both blue and generic mana in its casting cost, Glyph Keeper may not seamlessly fit into every deck. Players running multicolor decks might find it challenging to meet the specific mana requirements consistently, especially in early game scenarios.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at five mana to deploy, Glyph Keeper’s cost is on the higher end of the spectrum. While its abilities are undoubtedly powerful, the initial investment might be too steep, particularly when other creatures or spells could provide similar benefits at a lower mana cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Glyph Keeper brings dynamic options to the table, slotting seamlessly into both control and midrange decks due to its reincarnation ability after being countered.
Combo Potential: With its ability to be embalmed, this creature pairs well with strategies that manipulate the graveyard, providing a persistent threat that demands answers from opponents.
Meta-Relevance: Glyph Keeper holds its own within diverse metagames, challenging removal-heavy decks and proving a resilient flyer that can sway the tempo in your favor.
How to beat
Glyph Keeper might seem like a daunting card to face in MTG, with its ability to counter the first spell that targets it each turn. This flying Sphinx has a built-in mechanism to protect itself from spot removal and other targeted effects. However, players can adopt several strategies to outmaneuver this creature and maintain the upper hand.
One effective tactic is to use board wipes, which don’t target individual creatures and hence bypass Glyph Keeper’s ability. Sweeping spells such as Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the board without triggering its defensive property. Additionally, utilizing cards that require multiple targets, or ones that don’t target at all, can force your opponent to make difficult decisions and possibly expose Glyph Keeper to harm.
Another approach is to bait out the activation of Glyph Keeper’s ability with a less critical spell before hitting it with something more decisive. By playing a low-impact targeted spell first, you use up its once-per-turn protection, paving the way for a more potent removal. With careful planning and strategic spellcasting, Glyph Keeper can be effectively dealt with, ensuring the ebb and flow of the game remains in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Glyph Keeper MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet, 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 Glyph Keeper 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 Glyph Keeper Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2017-04-29. Illustrated by Chris Rahn.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 55 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 5 | 2015 | Token | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 3 | 2017-04-29 | Amonkhet Promos | PAKH | 55s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Glyph Keeper 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 Glyph Keeper card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-04-18 | For each card with embalm, a corresponding game play supplement token can be found in some Amonkhet booster packs. These supplements are not required to play with cards with embalm; you can use the same items to represent an embalmed token as you would any other token. |
| 2017-04-18 | The token copies exactly what was printed on the original card and nothing else. It doesn’t copy any information about the object the card was before it was put into your graveyard. |
| 2017-04-18 | The token is a Zombie in addition to its other types and is white instead of its other colors. It has no mana cost, and thus its converted mana cost is 0. These are copiable values of the token that other effects may copy. |
| 2017-07-14 | If a spell or ability puts a creature card with embalm into your graveyard during your main phase, you’ll have priority immediately after that spell or ability resolves. You can activate the creature card’s embalm ability before any player can exile it with an effect, such as that of Crook of Condemnation, if it’s legal for you to do so. |
| 2017-07-14 | Once you’ve activated an embalm ability, the card is immediately exiled. Opponents can’t try to stop the ability by exiling the card with an effect such as that of Crook of Condemnatnion. |