Guardians of Oboro MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Moonfolk Samurai
Abilities Defender
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Guardians of Oboro provides card advantage, accelerating your deck cycling for sustained pressure and increased turn options.
  2. Enhances mana resources and gameplay speed, but has specific mana requirements and a potentially high cost.
  3. Offers versatility, combo potential, and meta relevance, making it a resilient addition for legendary creature-focused decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Guardians of Oboro // Guardians of Oboro MTG card by a specific set like Neon Dynasty Art Series and Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, 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 Guardians of Oboro // Guardians of Oboro and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Defender Modified creatures you control can attack as though they didn't have defender. (Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)

"The palace is closed to outsiders."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Guardians of Oboro is designed to efficiently cycle through your deck and enhance your hand quality. Drawing additional cards ensures that you can maintain pressure on your opponent and gives you more options each turn.

Resource Acceleration: This card serves as a powerful means to propel your mana resources ahead. By possibly untapping lands or providing alternative resource benefits, it can accelerate your gameplay, allowing for more impactful plays sooner than your opponents anticipate.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of being able to cast Guardians of Oboro at instant speed cannot be overstated. It affords you the opportunity to react to your opponents’ moves strategically, keeping them guessing and allowing you to make optimal use of your mana each turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Guardians of Oboro asks players to discard a card when using its ability. This can deplete your hand quickly, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage, especially if your strategy relies on a variety of options.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation of the abilities of Guardians of Oboro is locked behind a color-specific mana cost, which could be restrictive. It demands blue mana, making it less flexible for inclusion in multi-colored decks that may have a tighter mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that might be considered steep for its effects, Guardians of Oboro might lag behind when compared to other cards with similar abilities but lower costs. This can slow down your game, particularly in faster-paced matches where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Guardians of Oboro is a card that can be seamlessly integrated into a variety of decks. As a creature with useful abilities, it supports strategies centered on creature synergy and defensive plays.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to protect other creatures and manipulate combat outcomes offers a plethora of combo possibilities. It can be a linchpin in decks that capitalize on maintaining a strong board presence.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ever-evolving meta, a card like Guardians of Oboro can adapt to multiple scenarios, providing resilience against removal effects and an edge in creature-focused matchups.


How to beat

Guardians of Oboro presents a unique challenge for Magic: The Gathering players with its persistent defense capabilities. To overcome this formidable defender, consider adopting strategies that circumvent the traditional combat phase. Cards that impose conditions for automatic sacrifice or include direct removal effects can efficiently clear the way by bypassing Guardians of Oboro’s protective prowess. Additionally, utilizing spells that reduce toughness or alter creature statistics can weaken this card’s defensive stance, making it more vulnerable to combat damage.

It’s also effective to employ enchantments that neutralize creatures without destroying them, such as Pacifism, which can render Guardians of Oboro incapable of blocking without removing it from play. These methods allow for strategic depth and varied approaches to handle powerful defensive units effectively. It’s critical for players to balance their decks with a mixture of direct confrontation and alternative tactics to prepare for any obstacle, including ones as steadfast as Guardians of Oboro.

Mastering the ebb and flow of MTG combat and continually adapting to the ever-changing battlefield dynamics are key to triumphing over cards with solid defensive attributes. Properly tailored strategies will ensure that even the staunchest guardians eventually fall.


Cards like Guardians of Oboro

The Guardians of Oboro card shines as a unique inclusion in the creature card pool within Magic: The Gathering thanks to its vigilant attribute and the ability to strengthen other legendary creatures. Looking at similar MTG cards, we find Venerated Loxodon, which also confers benefits to other creatures by using its convoke ability. Although it doesn’t directly boost legendary creatures, it does leave them stronger after being convened.

Another card worth considering is the Juniper Order Ranger. While this card doesn’t specifically target legendary creatures, it does add +1/+1 counters to any creature you control when another creature enters the battlefield. The Guardians of Oboro doesn’t provide such counters, but instead offers a global bonus to legends which can potentially impact the game more significantly if your deck is tuned to that theme.

Ultimately, Guardians of Oboro holds a niche that is carved out with precision for those decks that are heavy on legendary creatures. While it may not have the counter gaining capability like Juniper Order Ranger or offer the immediate muscle boost of the Venerated Loxodon, it consistently strengthens your legendary lineup throughout the match.

Venerated Loxodon - MTG Card versions
Juniper Order Ranger - MTG Card versions
Venerated Loxodon - MTG Card versions
Juniper Order Ranger - MTG Card versions

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Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Mistform Warchief - MTG Card versions
Blind Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Academy Researchers - MTG Card versions
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Printings

The Guardians of Oboro // Guardians of Oboro Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-02-18Neon Dynasty Art SeriesANEO 302015Art seriesBorderless
22022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 562015NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer
32022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 3172015NormalBlackDomco.

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Guardians of Oboro has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Guardians of Oboro card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-02-18 A creature that is equipped is considered modified no matter who controls the Equipment that's attached to it.
2022-02-18 A creature with a counter on it is considered modified no matter what kind of counter it is or which player put it on that creature.
2022-02-18 An Aura controlled by an opponent does not cause a creature you control to be modified.
2022-02-18 Only creatures can be modified. If a modified creature stops being a creature, it is no longer considered modified.