Dutiful Servants MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie
Released	2017-07-14
Set symbol
Set name	Hour of Devastation
Set code	HOU
Power	2
Toughness	5
Number	12
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Volkan Baǵa

Key Takeaways

Dutiful Servants can enhance card advantage by reclaiming resources from the graveyard.
They offer instant speed flexibility, impacting the game during opponent turns.
Their mana requirements and higher cost are notable drawbacks for players.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ability of Dutiful Servants to bring cards back from the graveyard can effectively increase the number of resources at your disposal, thus giving you an edge in card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: By retrieving key creatures or artifacts from the graveyard with Dutiful Servants, you can accelerate your resource development, helping to establish a stronger board presence more quickly.

Instant Speed: The agility that Dutiful Servants offers, by functioning at instant speed, provides the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves on their turn, while keeping your options open.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Dutiful Servants card asks players to part with another card from their hand to unleash its potential. This can be a significant drawback, especially when the game is tightly contested and every card in hand counts towards the strategic advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting demands of Dutiful Servants are restrained by its exact mana requirements, making it a less versatile option for decks that might struggle with managing precise mana pools or that are not aligned with the Servants’ color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at a higher mana cost than similar cards in its category, Dutiful Servants could be overshadowed by lower cost cards that provide similar benefits or effects. Deck builders often look for the most efficient use of their mana, and as such, Dutiful Servants might not always make the cut in optimized deck lists.

Reasons to Include Dutiful Servants in Your Collection

Versatility: Dutiful Servants can easily find a home in various white-based decks. Their resilience and reliable blocking capabilities make them a solid choice in limited formats or any deck that prioritizes a strong defense.

Combo Potential: While not inherently a combo piece, Dutiful Servants can serve as a crucial enabler in decks that benefit from having creatures on board, setting up for synergistic interactions or as sacrificial fodder for more powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment that values creature presence and board stability, Dutiful Servants can prove invaluable. Their ability to hold the ground can be pivotal against aggressive decks, making them a strategic addition amidst creature-heavy metas.

How to Beat Dutiful Servants

Dutiful Servants might not stand out at first glance in the universe of Magic the Gathering. Its straightforward functionality as a creature card with a solid physical presence due to its toughness makes it a reliable defender on the battlefield. Yet, any player looking to maintain tempo may want more than what its standard stats offer. With no additional abilities, Dutiful Servants does not bring the same level of versatility or board impact found in other cards within the same mana cost range.

Overcoming Dutiful Servants is about efficiency. By leveraging cards that can provide you with greater value for the same or lower mana investment, you can easily outclass the static nature of Dutiful Servants. Cards with evasion abilities such as flying or trample can bypass Dutiful Servants’ defenses, enabling players to put uninterrupted pressure on the opponent. Efficient removal spells are another route to clearing a path, making way for more potent threats that can lead you to victory.

Ultimately, while Dutiful Servants may hold the line momentarily, matching against dynamic cards with multi-faceted effects or setting up aggressive combos will tip the scales in your favor, reducing the impact of such a basic defensive card in your path to win.

Cards like Dutiful Servants

Dutiful Servants finds its place in the pantheon of solid yet unassuming creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It evokes memories of other four-mana creatures such as Gavony Ironwright. Both cards share the same mana cost and a focus on defensive strategies with their higher toughness stats. However, Gavony Ironwright offers an additional ability enhancing its utility during late-game scenarios under specific conditions.

Another peer in stability is the Moorland Inquisitor. While Moorland Inquisitor comes with a lower mana cost, it grants the potential to become a more offensive asset through its first strike ability when activated. In contrast, Dutiful Servants focus on being a reliable blocker that can fend off standard attackers without any additional mana investment.

When weighing the merits of these creatures, Dutiful Servants are a testament to the importance of steadfast and dependable cards in a player’s arsenal. While it may lack the complexities and flair of its siblings, its role in maintaining a defensive line is undeniable, making it a worthy consideration for decks that value endurance over flashy play.

Cards similar to Dutiful Servants by color, type and mana cost

Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions

Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions

Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions

Sunspire Gatekeepers - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dutiful Servants MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation, 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 Dutiful Servants and other MTG cards: