Guardian Archon MTG Card
2021-04-23 - Number 344
2021-04-23 - Number 17
2002-06-24 - Number 89988
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Archon |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Flying As Guardian Archon enters the battlefield, secretly choose an opponent. Reveal the player you chose: You and target permanent you control each gain protection from the chosen player until end of turn. Activate only once.
Cards like Guardian Archon
Guardian Archon makes a strong entry into the pantheon of protective creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Much like its celestial peers, it comes with capabilities aimed at safeguarding its controller. A prime example to draw a parallel with is Angel of Grace. Both creatures share the common theme of granting a form of life total protection. Angel of Grace can make your life total become 10, a trait reminiscent of Guardian Archon’s ability to prevent damage and maintain your life status quo during your turn.
Another similar guardian of the skies is Shalai, Voice of Plenty, which offers a blanket of safety by granting you and other creatures you control hexproof. Although this doesn’t prevent damage as directly as Guardian Archon, it acts as a critical shield against targeted spells and abilities, just as Archon deflects damage during your turn. Then there is Baneslayer Angel, a classic creature that embodies raw power and life-gain. While Guardian Archon doesn’t boast lifelink or the same power level, its group protection often eclipses the singular resilience offered by Baneslayer Angel.
Ultimately, Guardian Archon holds its place as a compelling option for those seeking a means to defend against an array of threats, delivering a distinctive blend of communal shielding that solidifies its role within white’s defensive array of creatures.
Cards similar to Guardian Archon by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Guardian Archon shines by providing a significant edge with its card advantage ability. When it enters the battlefield, you may discover crucial cards for your strategy with its search effect, making sure your hand holds answers or threats according to the current game state.
Resource Acceleration: Guardian Archon can be a game-changer in decks that thrive on resource acceleration. As a creature of considerable power, it can aid in ramping up your mana capabilities, potentially allowing you to cast powerful spells earlier than usual or outpace your opponent in developing a formidable board presence.
Instant Speed: Although Guardian Archon doesn’t operate at instant speed, its impact on the board is immediate and substantial, requiring an immediate answer from opponents. The ability to deploy it right before your turn provides an untapped potent threat that can adapt swiftly to the dynamic battlefield of MTG.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: As an angelic presence on the battlefield, Guardian Archon necessitates a card to be discarded when leveraging its protective ability. This prerequisite can deplete your hand, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage during crucial moments if your resources are already stretched thin.
Specific Mana Cost: Summoning this celestial being demands a precise combination of mana, including two white sources. This can be restrictive, limiting its inclusion to only those decks that can reliably produce white mana early enough to impact the game meaningfully.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at six mana, this high-cost creature may arrive too late to shift the tide of battle in your favor. While it offers an impressive combination of abilities, players may find themselves opting for lower-cost creatures or spells that affect the board sooner, even if they lack the Archon’s raw power or endurance.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Guardian Archon’s ability to grant protections to your permanents as it enters the battlefield makes it a valuable addition to a variety of white-based decks, from control to midrange.
Combo Potential: Its synergies with blink or flicker effects can trigger its protection ability multiple times, safeguarding your key pieces while establishing board control.
Meta-Relevance: With an increasing number of targeted removals in the current meta, Guardian Archon’s protective shield could be the linchpin for sustaining your board presence against such threats.
How to beat
Guardian Archon brings a potent mix of abilities to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, making it a resilient and versatile flyer capable of shifting the game’s dynamic. This card features both lifelink, ensuring a steady increase in your life total with every combat, and a valuable interference capability that can protect your life points during an opponent’s turn. Understanding the multifaceted approach required to counter this card is crucial.
To effectively overcome Guardian Archon, one must look towards utilizing removal spells that can bypass its defenses. Instant-speed removal such as “Murderous Rider” or “Heartless Act” are excellent tools that can target and eliminate the Archon with minimal opportunity for your opponent to respond. Additionally, making sure to manage resources efficiently so that removal spells are readily available when Guardian Archon hits the board is part of a sound strategic approach.
For those playing a more aggressive strategy, cards like “Questing Beast” can prove invaluable. As Guardian Archon can only mitigate damage from one source per turn, having multiple threats on the board is another effective way to mitigate the archon’s protective ability. Thus, while Guardian Archon is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, strategic planning and the right card choices can provide pathways to counteract its influence during play.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Guardian Archon MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2021, 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 Guardian Archon 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 Guardian Archon Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 89988 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | ||
| 2 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 344 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | |
| 3 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 17 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Guardian Archon has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Guardian Archon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-04-16 | If Guardian Archon leaves the battlefield and returns, it’s considered a new object. You may choose a new opponent and you may activate its last ability again. |
| 2021-04-16 | If you control more than one Guardian Archon, you may choose a different opponent for each one. Be careful to keep track of which opponent is chosen for each Guardian Archon. |
| 2021-04-16 | If you didn’t choose an opponent as Guardian Archon entered the battlefield, you can’t pay the cost to activate the last ability. This will usually happen because you gained control of another player’s Guardian Archon or because a creature already on the battlefield became a copy of Guardian Archon. |
| 2021-04-16 | In a two-player game, the chosen player won’t be much of a secret. |
| 2021-04-16 | Protection from a player means all of the following: (1) Neither you nor the target permanent can be the target of spells or abilities controlled by the chosen player. (2) Neither you nor the target permanent can be enchanted or equipped by any Auras or Equipment controlled by the chosen players. (Okay, Fortifications too, if the target permanent is a land.) (3) If the target permanent is a creature, it can’t be blocked by creatures controlled by the chosen player. (4) All damage that would be dealt to you or the target permanent by sources controlled by the chosen player is prevented. The same is true for sources owned by the chosen player that don’t have controllers. |
| 2021-04-16 | There are several ways to secretly choose an opponent. Perhaps the most popular way is to write the chosen player’s name on a piece of paper that is kept with Guardian Archon. |