Garrison Cat MTG Card


Garrison Cat - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Cat
Released2020-04-24
Set symbol
Set nameIkoria: Lair of Behemoths
Set codeIKO
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number14
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySidharth Chaturvedi

Key Takeaways

  1. Garrison Cat creates card advantage by replacing itself with a token upon death.
  2. Cheap to cast, it facilitates resource acceleration without heavily taxing mana reserves.
  3. Its death-triggered ability can disincentivize opponents from using instant removal.

Text of card

When Garrison Cat dies, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

After much arguing, the soldiers decided to keep it, on the grounds that it killed enough mice to count as an honorary monster slayer.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Playing Garrison Cat in your gaming strategy can grant you a significant card advantage. When Garrison Cat dies, it lets you create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token. This interesting afterlife impact ensures that your battlefield presence is maintained even after the cat’s demise, contributing to your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: The Garrison Cat is a low cost card, at just one White and one generic mana to cast. This small investment can contribute to resource acceleration, as playing the Garrison Cat doesn’t cut too much into your mana reserves, allowing for planning more intense plays later in the game.

Instant Speed: While the Garrison Cat doesn’t possess instant speed, it can effectively deter instants from your opponents. The Cat’s unique ability means removing it from the battlefield isn’t wholly advantageous for your adversary, potentially causing them to pause on their instant-speed removal spells, and giving you the freedom to navigate your turn more confidently.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Garrison Cat card in your hand may seem an uncomplicated asset. However, it necessitates you to discard a card if drawn beyond your hand capacity. Especially in a tight match, the unpredictability of having to discard another card is a downside for the players.

Specific Mana Cost: Garrison Cat requires a specific white mana to summon. As an MTG player, you are likely to understand that the demand for a precise mana color can sometimes be restrictive. If your deck focuses more on other mana colors, it may limit the usability and effectiveness of this card.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of one white mana, Garrison Cat might seem affordable. However, in comparison to other low-drop creatures in the MTG realm, this cost could be considered slightly higher. This can result in other cards offering more efficient battlefield presence or combo possibilities at a similar or less mana cost.


Reasons to Include Garrison Cat in Your Collection

Versatility: Garrison Cat fits into a variety of deck types, particularly those that leverage creature death effects for advantage. Its ability to add a 1/1 Human Soldier creature on death makes it a resilient choice for aggressive game strategies.

Combo Potential: With its unique death-triggered feature, Garrison Cat has substantial combo potential. It can synchronize well with cards that exploit sacrificing mechanics and also synergies efficiently with cards benefiting from token production.

Meta-Relevance: Garrison Cat is especially relevant in meta-games involving strategies focused on creature death or token production. In such scenarios, its sacrifice and token generation abilities prove value-packed for any player’s deck.


How to Beat

Garrison Cat is a sought-after creature card in Magic: The Gathering. This white creature, a member of the Cat and Spirit tribes, possesses unique abilities that can amplify the power of your Human deck, making it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. However, there are strategies to conquer this card effectively.

One effective approach is to deploy cheap removal spells swiftly. Employing cards such as Shatter The Sky or Kaya’s Wrath can wipe out Garrison Cat before it has a chance to cascade its effect onto Human tokens. Since the cat touts a lackluster 1/1 stat line, it can easily succumb to these board-wide removal spells. Additionally, controlling cards can reduce its menace in other ways. For example, deploying Elspeth Conquers Death can exile the feline, preventing it from generating any Human token.

In conclusion, the key to defeating the Garrison Cat card lies in swift action and smart utilization of removal spells. By employing these strategies, players can neutralize its impact and maintain control on the battlefield, showcasing the depth and constant strategic shifts that make MTG such a captivating game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the world of MTG means crafting unique strategies with cards like Garrison Cat. This one-drop creature offers strategic depth that can be a game-changer for your white-centric decks. Its ability to leave behind a Human Soldier token provides lasting value, making it a worthy addition to decks that capitalize on creature deaths or tokens. While considering its pros and cons, think about the role it plays in your gameplay and how it could fit in with your deck’s synergy. Looking for more insights on building a top-tier deck with Garrison Cat? Visit us for a deeper analysis and expert tips tailored to enhance your MTG experience.


Cards like Garrison Cat

Garrison Cat stands as a valuable player in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. When you compare it to kin cards like Doomed Traveler, there are interesting parallels. Both Doomed Traveler and Garrison Cat trigger death effects, spawning new creature tokens upon their demise. Garrison Cat has the advantage of summoning a Human Soldier creature token, which could synergize with certain decks.

Garrison Cat also shares characteristics with Hunted Witness, another white creature that leaves behind a token at death. Hunted Witness, similar to Garrison Cat, adds a Lifelink creature to the board, providing both defensiveness and stability.

The comparison with Selfless Savior reveals an important distinction – This latter card provides a sacrifice effect for protecting other creatures. With Garrison Cat, the token-creation trigger comes only on death.

In conclusion, Garrison Cat holds its own among other MTG creatures thanks to its death-effect. This, coupled with a synergy in human-related decks and being a low-cost card, makes it a favorable consideration for various game strategies.

Doomed Traveler - MTG Card versions
Hunted Witness - MTG Card versions
Selfless Savior - MTG Card versions
Doomed Traveler - MTG Card versions
Hunted Witness - MTG Card versions
Selfless Savior - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Garrison Cat MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Garrison Cat and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Garrison Cat has restrictions

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