Kjeldoran Phalanx MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Abilities | Banding,First strike |
| Released | 1995-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ice Age |
| Set code | ICE |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 37 |
| Frame | 1993 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Richard Kane Ferguson |
Key Takeaways
- Kjeldoran Phalanx deters attacks, providing indirect card advantage and impacting opponent strategy.
- Vigilance allows it to attack and defend, offering a continuous tactical presence on the board.
- While statically strong, the card’s high mana cost and color specificity can limit deck inclusion.
Text of card
Banding, first strike
"There's nothing I like better than watching a street full of soldiers kicking down the doors of the guilty and the impure." —Avram Garrisson, Leader of the Knights of Stromgald
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you deploy Kjeldoran Phalanx, its ability to potentially neutralize a threat or deter an attack can equate to indirect card advantage. By discouraging opponents from attacking or forcing suboptimal plays, you effectively prevent the loss of your own cards, keeping your hand and battlefield presence stronger.
Resource Acceleration: While Kjeldoran Phalanx itself does not directly offer resource acceleration, its vigilance trait ensures that it could remain a defender even after attacking. This may lead to an advantageous board state where your resources can be allocated more efficiently elsewhere.
Instant Speed: Kjeldoran Phalanx may not have instant speed itself, but it complements instant-speed interactions. As a sturdy blocker with vigilance, it allows you to hold back on casting instants until the most opportune moment, secure in the knowledge that your defense is fortified.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Kjeldoran Phalanx card may put some players at a disadvantage as it doesn’t have a discard requirement that can sometimes be leveraged to a player’s benefit, such as discarding a card with madness or reanimation potential.
Specific Mana Cost: One of the challenges with Kjeldoran Phalanx is its specific mana cost, requiring two white mana, which might restrict its inclusion only to mono-white or two-color decks where mana base consistency is fundamental.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of five, including two white, Kjeldoran Phalanx’s ability to muster an imposing defense can be overshadowed by other creatures or spells that offer more impact or versatility at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include Kjeldoran Phalanx in Your Collection
Versatility: Kjeldoran Phalanx can be a solid addition to decks that focus on defense or require a formidable blocker. Its vigilant trait ensures that it can act on both offense and defense without taking a break.
Combo Potential: This card has the ability to slot into strategies revolving around soldiers and other creature-type synergies, enhancing those interactions and potentially springboarding into powerful plays.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based strategies are prominent, Kjeldoran Phalanx offers a reliable way to deter attacks, maintaining a stable board presence against aggressive opponents.
How to beat
Kjeldoran Phalanx is a card that presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As a formidable defensive unit, it holds the line with its Vigilance trait, allowing it to act as both an offensive and defensive force. To overcome this card, smart play and strategic removal are key. Cards that can bypass its defensive capabilities, such as those with Flying or Trample, can prove to be effective. Additionally, spells that can exile or destroy without targeting can neatly sidestep the Phalanx’s potential to become indestructible or be bolstered by other protective spells.
Another tactic is to use mass removal spells. Since Kjeldoran Phalanx thrives in a deck that aims to build a strong board presence, clearing the field with a well-timed Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the game to your advantage. Alternatively, taking control of how the combat phase unfolds, with spells that force or prevent blocks, can effectively neutralize the Phalanx’s influence and allow you to dictate the flow of battle.
Ultimately, while Kjeldoran Phalanx may initially seem overwhelming, its power can be mitigated with careful planning and the right counters. Recognizing the right moment to deploy your answers is crucial to turn the tide in your favor.
Cards like Kjeldoran Phalanx
Kjeldoran Phalanx is a tactical component in the realm of creature control within Magic: The Gathering. It shares kinship with cards like Guardian of the Ages, which also provides a formidable defensive presence. Kjeldoran Phalanx distinguishes itself with its activated ability to tap opponent’s creatures, giving players a tactical advantage during combat phases. Meanwhile, Guardian of the Ages lacks this proactive control capability but compensates with a potentially game-changing transformation into an attacker upon the triggering condition.
Conversely, Benalish Commander is another card that resonates with the theme of soldier synergy, much like Kjeldoran Phalanx. While it doesn’t offer the direct creature-tapping utility, it does provide a growing army of soldier tokens, effectively bolstering your battlefield presence over time. Benalish Commander’s strength lies in its scalability with the suspend mechanic, juxtaposed with Kjeldoran Phalanx’s immediate board impact.
In inspecting each card’s strategic benefits, one can appreciate Kjeldoran Phalanx’s unique position among creature-based control options in Magic: The Gathering. It’s not just about presenting a barrier but also actively dictating the flow of combat through its tap-down ability, making it a card worth considering for decks aiming to control and dominate the battlefield dynamically.
Cards similar to Kjeldoran Phalanx by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kjeldoran Phalanx MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Kjeldoran Phalanx and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kjeldoran Phalanx has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kjeldoran Phalanx card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it. |
| 2008-10-01 | Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned. |
| 2009-10-01 | If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment. |
