Honor Guard MTG Card
1998-03-02 - Number 7
2001-04-11 - Number 21
2001-04-11 - Number 21★
2003-07-28 - Number 25
2003-07-28 - Number 25★
2005-07-29 - Number 20
2005-07-29 - Number 20★
2007-07-13 - Number 23
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
oo W Honor Guard gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
"It is not a choice I make, to have this guard. It is the choice of my people, and my duty to them." —Oracle *en*-Vec
Cards like Honor Guard
Honor Guard stands out in Magic: The Gathering’s array of creatures due to its unique ability to hamper the abilities of other cards. This distinctive trait places it in a similar category with cards like Hushbringer, which also nullifies abilities that trigger when other creatures enter or leave the battlefield. While Hushbringer has the additional effect of stifling death triggers, Honor Guard specializes in neutralizing any abilities that opponents’ creatures may trigger upon entering the battlefield.
Comparatively, Tocatli Honor Guard is another card worth mentioning. It shares the effect of stopping creatures from activating their enter the battlefield abilities. While Tocatli Honor Guard covers much of the same ground, it offers different deck synergy opportunities, especially in tribal decks or where creature types are relevant. Lastly, Torpor Orb is a non-creature variant providing a similar effect. Despite Torpor Orb’s vulnerability as an artifact, it comes with the advantage of being harder to remove for colors that struggle with enchantment removal.
Each card presents a strategic option for disrupting opponents’ gameplay, making Honor Guard a valuable card choice for players looking to control the flow of their matches in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Honor Guard by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you’re seeking to maintain a strong hand, Honor Guard proves to be an asset. This card has the capability to support your strategy by offering effective ways to mitigate opponent’s buffs or recurring creature abilities, potentially messing with their game plan and indirectly working as a card advantage tool by negating your opponent’s would-be card benefits.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting resources, Honor Guard can play a pivotal role in resource acceleration indirectly. Its presence may deter opponents from playing certain creature spells or abilities, allowing you to maintain a strong mana base for more impactful plays. In the long run, it contributes to your tempo, giving you the upper hand in resource management.
Instant Speed: Honor Guard itself may not be an instant, but its effect on the board is immediate. Upon hitting the field, it alters the game state by restricting certain creature abilities from being used. This allows you strategic flexibility, aligning your responses and plays more effectively at a pace that suits you, simulating the tactical edge usually afforded by instant speed maneuvers.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One aspect of Honor Guard that some players might find restrictive is the discard requirement to activate certain abilities. This can be a stumbling block, especially when your hand is depleted, forcing you to weigh the benefits of the ability against the cost of losing card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Honor Guard comes with a precise mana cost that includes white mana. This specificity means that it fits best in white or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility in a format where deck flexibility can be crucial to adapting to opponents’ strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the balance between cost and effect, Honor Guard’s mana cost might seem steep. In the early game, allocating resources to summoning Honor Guard could delay other essential plays, and in the later stages, it may not have as significant an impact compared to other cards with a more extensive set of abilities or greater power for the same investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Honor Guard is a flexible card that seamlessly integrates into white-based control or midrange decks. Its ability to shut down enter-the-battlefield triggers can frustrate opponents who rely on those effects for their strategies.
Combo Potential: In addition to thwarting the opponent’s combos, it can also protect your own game plan from similar disruptive tactics, ensuring your combos can proceed without interference.
Meta-Relevance: With a constantly evolving competitive scene, where creature-based strategies often dominate, including Honor Guard in your collection ensures you have a confident answer to such threats on the battlefield.
How to beat
Honor Guard can disrupt plans since it stops creatures from activating their abilities upon entering the battlefield. This card stands as a shield against strategies that rely on these triggers. To effectively navigate around Honor Guard, prioritize using spells that directly remove it, like murder or cast down. Cards that provide a wide array of removal options, such as abrupt decay or path to exile, also work wonders in stripping your opponent of this key piece.
Another tactic to consider is going over Honor Guard’s head. Instead of focusing on creature triggers, shift your strategy to leverage instants and sorceries that have a lasting board impact or plan for an aggressive line of creatures that don’t lean on enter-the-battlefield effects. Lastly, cards that can bounce Honor Guard back to the owner’s hand, like unsummon or cyclonic rift, can open a window to execute your enter-the-battlefield triggers effectively.
To summarize, while Honor Guard poses a formidable barrier against certain strategies in Magic: The Gathering, a proactive game plan with removals, strategic shifts, and tempo plays can help turn the tides in your favor against this card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Honor Guard MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold and Seventh Edition, 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 Honor Guard 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 Honor Guard Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1998-03-02 and 2007-07-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-03-02 | Stronghold | STH | 7 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Joel Biske | |
| 2 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 21 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mark Zug | |
| 3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 21★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Zug | |
| 4 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 25 | 2003 | Normal | White | Mark Zug | |
| 5 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 25★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Zug | |
| 6 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 20 | 2003 | Normal | White | Mark Zug | |
| 7 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 20★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Zug | |
| 8 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 23 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dan Dos Santos |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Honor Guard has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |