Fresh-Faced Recruit MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Fresh-Faced Recruit excels in deck synergy, offering cumulative value with each creature played.
  2. The card’s low cost and combat readiness make it an efficient early-game addition.
  3. Its straightforward utility and combo potential enriches aggressive strategies effectively.

Text of card

As long as it's your turn, Fresh-Faced Recruit has first strike.

"Hold on to your ideals. They'll be tested more than your armor or the edge of your blade." —Tajic


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Break down the benefits of Fresh-Faced Recruit in MTG by first considering deck synergy. The recruit might not draw cards directly, but as a reliable creature, it supports strategies that reward you for having a wide presence on the battlefield, effectively improving the value of each subsequent troop deployed.

Resource Acceleration: Fresh-Faced Recruit doesn’t ramp up your mana directly; however, its low casting cost makes it an ideal early play. Positioning this efficient two-drop on your curve complements a smooth rollout, enabling you to develop your board while preserving resources for pivotal plays later on.

Instant Speed: The recruit operates at sorcery speed, yet the key lies in its mentor ability being available during combat on the very next turn after summoning. This means you can immediately begin to empower other creatures strategically, in line with the pace of instant-speed interactions, without needing to invest in additional spells.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Fresh-Faced Recruit doesn’t require a discard, but it’s important to consider that cards with this mechanic demand additional resources, which can strain your hand when trying to maintain board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: While this card has a flexible mana cost for its colored requirement, it’s notable that any card with a specific mana requirement might not fit into all deck archetypes, potentially limiting its utility in a broader range of strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost for Fresh-Faced Recruit is low, but in terms of impact, other two-drop creatures might offer more utility or power for the same investment. In a game where board development is crucial, a card that does not maximize the mana spent can be a setback.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Fresh-Faced Recruit is a flexible card able to slot into various aggressive strategies. Its ability to be a reliable attacker, with the bonus of being able to block creatures with mentor or other power-boosting effects, makes it a solid addition to decks looking to maintain pressure on opponents.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or those that utilize mentor mechanics, Fresh-Faced Recruit can quickly become a more formidable force on the battlefield, contributing to the overall synergy and potential for combo plays in both limited and constructed formats.

Meta-Relevance: Given that the meta often cycles through periods where aggressive strategies are favored, the Fresh-Faced Recruit can serve as an efficient tool to challenge slower decks by providing early game advantages and maintaining a steady pace of damage against your opponent’s life total.


How to beat

Fresh-Faced Recruit is a relatively straightforward card in MTG that draws its strength from its inherent flexibility on the battlefield. As a two-mana creature that can attack as though it didn’t have defender on your turn, this card can catch an opponent off guard, especially in the early game stages. However, to effectively counter Fresh-Faced Recruit, consider using removal spells that are efficient against low-toughness creatures. Cards like Shock or Dead Weight can easily handle the recruit before it can deal significant damage or benefit from buffs and combat tricks.

Defensive strategies also play a key role in overcoming the potential advantage posed by Fresh-Faced Recruit. Ensuring you have creatures with high toughness can provide a strong defense, neutralizing the recruit’s attacks and forcing your opponent to invest more resources to get through your lines. A vigilant defense combined with smart removal plays undermines the benefit that Fresh-Faced Recruit can provide, essentially nullifying its impact on the game and allowing you to maintain control of the board.

In sum, by understanding the card’s strengths and limitations, players can employ effective tactics that allow them to neutralize Fresh-Faced Recruit’s offensive potential and retain the upper hand in their MTG matches.


Cards like Fresh-Faced Recruit

When we consider Fresh-Faced Recruit’s role in MTG, its potential for aggressive strategies comes to light. It reminds us of cards like Boros Challenger, which also thrives in an aggressive deck format. The Challenger has a mentor ability, which Fresh-Faced Recruit lacks, but it makes up for it with its ability to be blocked only by creatures with two or more power, giving it a subtle evasion edge.

Another card it resonates with is Fencing Ace, a creature known for its double strike. While the Ace might deal more damage under the right conditions, Fresh-Faced Recruit is more consistently able to get those hits in against a wider range of blockers. Furthermore, while Fencing Ace requires buffs or equipment to truly shine, the Recruit can press an advantage as is, right from the turn it’s played.

In essence, Fresh-Faced Recruit may not boast fancy keywords or effects, but it’s precisely this simplicity paired with its conditional unblockability that can make it a valuable player on the battlefield, adept at sneaking through defenses when you need it most.

Boros Challenger - MTG Card versions
Fencing Ace - MTG Card versions
Boros Challenger - Guilds of Ravnica Promos (PGRN)
Fencing Ace - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Fresh-Faced Recruit by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Legionnaire - MTG Card versions
Boros Challenger - MTG Card versions
Koll, the Forgemaster - MTG Card versions
Plargg, Dean of Chaos // Augusta, Dean of Order - MTG Card versions
Reyav, Master Smith - MTG Card versions
Akiri, Line-Slinger - MTG Card versions
Boros Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Boros Swiftblade - MTG Card versions
Battlegate Mimic - MTG Card versions
Cerodon Yearling - MTG Card versions
Stun Sniper - MTG Card versions
Sunhome Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Truefire Paladin - MTG Card versions
Akroan Hoplite - MTG Card versions
Flamewright - MTG Card versions
Weapons Trainer - MTG Card versions
Veteran Motorist - MTG Card versions
Thundersong Trumpeter - MTG Card versions
Honored Crop-Captain - MTG Card versions
Relentless Raptor - MTG Card versions
Goblin Legionnaire - Friday Night Magic 2007 (F07)
Boros Challenger - The List (PLST)
Koll, the Forgemaster - Kaldheim (KHM)
Plargg, Dean of Chaos // Augusta, Dean of Order - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Reyav, Master Smith - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Akiri, Line-Slinger - Commander Legends (CMR)
Boros Guildmage - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Boros Swiftblade - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Battlegate Mimic - Planechase (HOP)
Cerodon Yearling - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Stun Sniper - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Sunhome Guildmage - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Truefire Paladin - Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters (DDL)
Akroan Hoplite - The List (PLST)
Flamewright - Conspiracy (CNS)
Weapons Trainer - The List (PLST)
Veteran Motorist - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Thundersong Trumpeter - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Honored Crop-Captain - Amonkhet (AKH)
Relentless Raptor - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fresh-Faced Recruit MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Fresh-Faced Recruit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Fresh-Faced Recruit Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Anthony Palumbo.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 2162015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
22024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 1822015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
32024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 1922015normalblackAnthony Palumbo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fresh-Faced Recruit has restrictions

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

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