Intrepid Adversary MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Human Scout
Abilities Lifelink
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates card advantage through Valor counters, enhancing its presence turn after turn.
  2. Requires specific white mana and substantial investment for peak performance in matches.
  3. Stays meta-relevant in various formats, contributing to aggressive and midrange deck strategies.

Text of card

Lifelink When Intrepid Adversary enters the battlefield, you may pay any number of times. When you pay this cost one or more times, put that many valor counters on Intrepid Adversary. Creatures you control get +1/+1 for each valor counter on Intrepid Adversary.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Intrepid Adversary enters the battlefield with the potential to create multiple Valor counters using its Lifelink ability, ensuring a stable board presence and turning it into an investment for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating mana resources, Intrepid Adversary’s ability to multiply its effects via mana investment during casting means a single creature can act as a focal point for a game-changing board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Intrepid Adversary itself does not operate at instant speed, its power scaling synergizes well with instant-speed interactions, allowing you to scale its power strategically in response to the game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Intrepid Adversary does not directly have a discard requirement, using its Lifelink ability optimally often necessitates having additional creatures or spells. This could indirectly lead to a heavier hand rotation, potentially causing you to discard valuable cards later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Intrepid Adversary requires white mana to play, which makes it exclusively valuable in white or multicolored decks. Players running mono-colored decks that aren’t white or those with a limited mana base may find it challenging to incorporate this card effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though the initial cost is reasonable, getting the most out of Intrepid Adversary’s ability can result in a substantial mana investment. Triggering its Valor ability multiple times to boost other creatures greatly increases the overall cost, making it a pricy play in the long run, especially compared to other cards with similar buff effects.


Reasons to Include Intrepid Adversary in Your Collection

Versatility: Intrepid Adversary can adapt to a wide array of strategies due to its Lifelink ability and scalability. This allows it to fit seamlessly into aggressive white decks or slot into more midrange builds that can take advantage of its flexibility.

Combo Potential: With the ability to give a +1/+1 bonus to other creatures you control, it’s a perfect addition for decks that focus on swarm tactics. This bonus can become substantial, multiplying its effect with the number of Valor counters you invest in it.

Meta-Relevance: Given its strength in combat and capacity to enhance your entire team, Intrepid Adversary remains relevant in environments where white-based aggro or weenie decks thrive. Its potential to affect the board greatly upon entry makes it a must-consider for competitive play.


How to beat Intrepid Adversary

Intrepid Adversary poses a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering due to its Lifelink and the ability to enhance other creatures on the battlefield. This creature card truly shines when it’s surrounded by a squad, elevating everyone’s power with its Valor counters. To conquer this Adversary, one effective strategy is to remove it from play before it can amplifiy its team. Cards that can swiftly neutralize creatures, like Doom Blade or Path to Exile, can terminate this threat before it becomes insurmountable.

Another tactic is to counter this creature spell entirely. Blue players might keep a Mana Leak or Counterspell in hand for Intrepid Adversary’s arrival. Board wipes also become valuable, ensuring that sacrificing card advantage is a worthy trade-off to reset the battlefield. Cards like Wrath of God or Damnation erase any enhancements the Adversary could have provided. Finally, direct player aggression can divert the advantage, shifting focus away from bolstering creatures to protecting life totals. Timely spells and strategic thinking are the keys to suppressing this formidable foe.

Overall, understanding the timing and choosing the right response from your deck will ensure that this Intrepid Adversary doesn’t turn the tide against you during the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

With the Intrepid Adversary, you’re not just adding a card to your collection; you’re embracing a creature capable of tipping the scales in your favor. Its Lifelink ability and potential to distribute +1/+1 counters make it a valuable asset in bolstering your forces. Whether facing down a horde of opponents or pushing for that final, decisive victory, the adaptability of this card allows for tactical play enhancing both aggro and midrange white strategies. MTG players looking to upgrade their decks with a flexible and potential game-changer will find Intrepid Adversary a fitting choice for competitive play. Discover more strategies and optimize your deck to its full potential with our insights.


Cards like Intrepid Adversary

Intrepid Adversary brings versatility to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, akin to creatures like Elite Spellbinder and Thalia’s Lieutenant. This standout from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt can bolster your troops through its Lifelink ability and its rally cry for valorous charge, reminiscent of the anthem effects found in Honor of the Pure. Thalia’s Lieutenant also pumps up your team but leans towards the Human synergy, underscoring its uniqueness in tribal decks.

Adanto Vanguard shares similarities by offering an aggressive two-drop with a resilience to removal, though it lacks Intrepid Adversary’s scalable impact on the game’s later stages. Intrepid Adversary allows for a mana sink, uplifting an entire squad with multiple Valor counters, which can turn the tide. Whereas, Benalish Marshal provides a consistent buff to your creatures without the need for additional investment, but at a fixed higher mana value and without the flexibility of Intrepid Adversary’s Lifelink.

While analyzing different creatures, Intrepid Adversary holds its ground as a solid choice with its capability to adapt as the game progresses, presenting players with strategic depth that can lead to triumphant victories in Magic: The Gathering.

Elite Spellbinder - MTG Card versions
Thalia's Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Honor of the Pure - MTG Card versions
Adanto Vanguard - MTG Card versions
Benalish Marshal - MTG Card versions
Elite Spellbinder - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Thalia's Lieutenant - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)
Honor of the Pure - Magic 2010 Promos (PM10)
Adanto Vanguard - Ixalan (XLN)
Benalish Marshal - Dominaria Promos (PDOM)

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White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
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Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
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Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
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Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Intrepid Adversary MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Promos, 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 Intrepid Adversary and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Intrepid Adversary Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Viktor Titov.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 938822015normalblackViktor Titov
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 25s2015normalblackViktor Titov
32021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 252015normalblackViktor Titov
42021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3292015normalblackViktor Titov
52021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 25p2015normalblackViktor Titov
62022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 252015normalblackViktor Titov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Intrepid Adversary has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Intrepid Adversary card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-09-24 After you pay the cost one or more times, a second ability triggers and players may respond to it. As that ability resolves, the Intrepid Adversary gets its valor counters.

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