Guardian Beast MTG Card
1993-12-17 - Number 26
2011-01-10 - Number 85
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
As long as Guardian Beast is untapped, your non-creature artifacts cannot be further enchanted, destroyed, or taken under someone else's control. If something occurs that would destroy the Guardian Beast and artifacts simultaneously, the Guardian Beast is destroyed but your artifacts are not. If an artifact is enchanted or stolen while Guardian Beast is tapped, it remains so when Guardian Beast becomes untapped.
Cards like Guardian Beast
The Guardian Beast is a truly unique creature in the world of MTG, with abilities that make it stand out from its counterparts. If we consider other cards that offer protection for artifacts, we might look at cards like Hanna’s Custody. The Guardian Beast not only protects artifacts from being targets of spells or abilities but also prevents them from being destroyed. This differs from Hanna’s Custody, which simply shields your artifacts from being destroyed by offering a blanket protection instead of the targeted protection provided by Guardian Beast.
Another relative in the guardian theme is Leonin Abunas, which also provides a similar safeguarding effect, but the Beast goes a step further by allowing the artifacts to remain untapped. Additionally, while Leonin Abunas excels in being a part of a creature type with ample support, the Guardian Beast’s ability to interact with artifacts without summoning sickness on them can be a game-changer.
All things considered, the Guardian Beast offers a powerful and nuanced form of defense that can significantly alter gameplay, securing its position as a venerable and desirable card for players looking to fortify their artifact strategies in MTG.
Cards similar to Guardian Beast by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Guardian Beast grants an advantageous state by protecting your other artifacts, effectively securing your investments on the board and helping maintain a favorable lead in resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Guardian Beast itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, by safeguarding your artifacts, it enables your mana-generating artifacts to survive without interference. This indirect protection can lead to consistent resource acceleration.
Instant Speed: Although Guardian Beast is not an instant, its presence on the battlefield acts as a deterrent, working at “instant speed” to prevent opponents from attempting to remove your essential artifacts, assuring they remain untapped and ready for your immediate use.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Guardian Beast, while lacking a direct discard requirement, could possibly lead to card disadvantage due to its protective nature. Players might be compelled to hold onto key permanents longer instead of trading them for potential board advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific investment of mana, including three generic and one black. This can restrict its addition largely to mono-black or two-color decks that can consistently produce the necessary mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, the Guardian Beast’s abilities must be weighed against other high-impact cards at the same cost. Its unique role in protecting artifacts might not always justify its inclusion over cards with more immediate board presence or effects.
Reasons to Include Guardian Beast in Your Collection
Versatility: Guardian Beast serves as a multi-purpose tool in decks that value artifact protection and manipulation. It not only guards your artifacts from the majority of harm but also offers potential synergy with cards designed to exploit artifacts.
Combo Potential: With Guardian Beast on the battlefield, artifacts gain resiliency that can be harnessed for combo setups, securing key pieces from removal and ensuring a steadier path to victory.
Meta-Relevance: As metagames evolve, the inclusion of resilient combo enablers may fluctuate in importance. Guardian Beast offers an enduring presence in metas with heavy artifact strategies, continuously safeguarding your most crucial noncreature pieces.
How to beat
The Guardian Beast from MTG showcases an ability to protect artifacts from many common forms of removal. To navigate around this challenge, one must employ strategies that don’t directly target the Beast or the artifacts it’s safeguarding. Board wipes such as Wrath of God can bypass the Beast’s defenses by not singling out individual creatures. Alternatively, reducing your opponent’s life total to zero with direct damage spells or overwhelming them with creature swarms can prove effective without having to interact with the Beast at all.
Moreover, employing counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak when the Guardian Beast is played can prevent this protective creature from ever hitting the board. Other strategies include using exile effects, as the Guardian Beast’s ability doesn’t extend to protecting artifacts from exile. Cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can remove the Beast without triggering its protective clause, and being able to circumvent its defense is key. Understanding and focusing on these weaknesses can lead to successful matches against decks that include the Guardian Beast.
Diligent deck building and strategic gameplay together provide a reliable path to overcoming the obstacle presented by this enduring card. Awareness of MTG’s comprehensive card pool can prepare players to face and defeat even the most resilient of guardians.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Guardian Beast MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Masters Edition IV, 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 Beast 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Guardian Beast Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by Ken Meyer, Jr..
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 26 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Ken Meyer, Jr. | |
| 2 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 85 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Ken Meyer, Jr. |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Guardian Beast has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Guardian Beast card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | This does not stop sacrifices. |