Ivory Guardians MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 23
1995-07-01 - Number 8
1997-03-24 - Number 40
2009-09-07 - Number 15
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Giant Cleric |
| Abilities | Protection |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Protection from red All guardians gain +1/+1 if an opponent controls any red cards.
The elite guard of the Mesa High Priests, the Ivory Guardians, were created to protect the innocent and faithful. Some say their actions are above the law.
Cards like Ivory Guardians
Ivory Guardians, a card of both resilience and defiance in the face of red spells in Magic: The Gathering, beckons a comparison with other guardians of the deck. It shares similarities with cards like Venerable Monk, which also provides a life benefit upon entry to the battlefield. However, Ivory Guardians boasts an immunity to red spells which Venerable Monk lacks, offering a specific advantage in matchups where red decks dominate.
Examining another parallel, Guardian of Pilgrims stands out with its ability to buff another creature upon entering the game. It lacks the higher toughness of Ivory Guardians but offers an immediate offensive boost. When considering the defensive role, Palisade Giant comes to mind, absorbing damage dealt to other creatures. While it plays a protective role like Ivory Guardians, it doesn’t have the red spell immunity that sets Ivory Guardians apart in particular tactical positions.
To sum up, within the sphere of protector cards in Magic: The Gathering, Ivory Guardians commands a special place with its niche protection against red spells, despite its higher mana cost. It’s this unique safeguarding trait that can make all the difference in your deck’s fortitude against red-focused adversaries.
Cards similar to Ivory Guardians by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ivory Guardians can provide significant resilience against burn spells and damage-based removal, effectively offering card advantage by preventing the need to use multiple cards to protect your life total.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, the presence of the Ivory Guardians in a white-based deck can enable you to commit to board development without the usual worry of board wipes, thereby indirectly accelerating your access to key resources.
Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the card’s situational power at instant speed is evident when considering synergies with flash enablers, allowing you to surprise opponents and maximize your mana usage efficiency during their end step or in response to threats.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While not requiring a discard outright, Ivory Guardians’ dependency on opponent’s action may lead to forced discards due to excessive cards in hand, particularly if waiting for the condition to be met.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Ivory Guardians demands a commitment to white mana, which could potentially restrict deck flexibility, especially for those not focused on a mono-white strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At six mana, Ivory Guardians can be a hefty investment, especially considering other creatures available at lower costs that provide immediate impact without conditional prerequisites.
Reasons to Include Ivory Guardians in Your Collection
Versatility: Although Ivory Guardians may appear niche at first glance, they have a place in decks that capitalize on defensive strategies and the ability to withstand red spells and abilities. Their protection from red makes them a solid wall against one of the more aggressive colors in the game.
Combo Potential: In decks that rely on life gain or that can increase toughness, Ivory Guardians can become a formidable defensive unit. Pair them with cards or abilities that buff their toughness, and they can turn into a significant obstacle for your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: With the rise of red spells and creatures within some meta environments, having a creature immune to one of the most common damage sources can tip the scales in your favor. Their inherent resistance to red, combined with the tendency for creatures of their type to get stronger as the game progresses, can offer strategic advantages in the right meta.
How to beat Ivory Guardians
Ivory Guardians presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As a creature card that thrives in the presence of red spells, it’s crucial to craft a strategy that circumvents its strength. One of the key ways to overcome Ivory Guardians is by avoiding spells with the red attribute. Instead, focus on leveraging black or blue spells to bypass its protection. Cards like Doom Blade or Murder offer a solution to eliminating the Ivory Guardians without triggering its resistance.
Beyond direct removal, another tactic is to manage the board state to minimize the Guardians’ impact. Counterspells, bounce spells, and cards that change creature attributes can neutralize the threat. For instance, altering the Guardians’ color with a card like Painter’s Servant could open it up to a wider range of removal options. Additionally, strategies involving creatures with the flying ability can soar over the Ivory Guardians, evading its defense and dealing crucial blows to your opponent’s life points.
Ultimately, overcoming the Ivory Guardians requires a targeted approach. Prioritize non-red removal, manage the board effectively, and exploit its terrestrial limitation to claim victory over this imposing card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ivory Guardians MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Ivory Guardians 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
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Printings
The Ivory Guardians Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 23 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 8 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 3 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 40 | 1997 | Normal | White | Adam Rex | |
| 4 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 15 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ivory Guardians has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ivory Guardians card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Each ability applies a maximum of once, even if an opponent controls multiple nontoken red permanents or multiple opponents each control a nontoken red permanent. |
| 2009-10-01 | The abilities from multiple Ivory Guardians are cumulative. For example, if you control two different Ivory Guardians and an opponent controls a nontoken red permanent, each of your Ivory Guardians will be 5/5. |
| 2009-10-01 | The ability of an Ivory Guardians will affect itself as well as all other creatures named Ivory Guardians (not just the ones you control). |