Kopala, Warden of Waves MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Kopala adds a mana tax to targeted spells, bolstering merfolk defenses and maintaining card advantage.
  2. Constant, instant-speed protection enables strategic merfolk deployment and impedes opponents’ plans.
  3. Though a solid protector, Kopala’s casting requirements may limit its inclusion in diverse color decks.

Text of card

Spells your opponents cast that target a Merfolk you control cost more to cast. Abilities your opponents activate that target a Merfolk you control cost more to activate.

"I know these waters better than you know yourselves."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kopala, Warden of Waves ensures your merfolk are not easily targeted by providing an additional cost for opponents to pay. Each time an opponent considers interfering with your creatures, the extra tax can deter them, leaving your hand untouched and your board strong, maintaining a tactical edge over your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Kopala doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure, the card’s ability to protect your resources on the battlefield may lead to indirect acceleration. By making it harder for opponents to remove your merfolk, you effectively sustain your ability to generate mana and apply pressure, both of which are critical to outpacing the opponent in the long game.

Instant Speed: Kopala’s influence applies at all times, not just on your turn. Notably, the tax on targeted spells or abilities means your merfolk squad is safer even during the opponent’s turns when instant-speed interactions are most prevalent. This continuous, passive protection allows you to deploy your merfolk with confidence, secure in the knowledge that any attempt to disrupt your strategy will come at a premium.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kopala, Warden of Waves does not have a discard requirement, which is advantageous in maintaining hand advantage over oppponents.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one blue and two other mana to cast, Kopala may not easily fit into multicolored decks that are not heavily focused on blue mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Kopala’s abilities provide a layer of protection to your other Merfolk, a three-mana investment can be steep compared to other options in the Merfolk tribe that may provide a more aggressive board presence or more immediate impact on the game state.


Reasons to Include Kopala Warden of Waves in Your Collection

Versatility: This merfolk wizard adds a layer of protection to your other aquatic creatures, making it a strong defensive addition to merfolk tribal decks and any blue-based control strategies. Its ability to make spells targeting your creatures more expensive for opponents is universally useful.

Combo Potential: Kopala fits seamlessly into combos that capitalize on having a high density of merfolk or spells. It can safeguard key pieces of intricate synergies, ensuring your setup remains undisturbed as you navigate towards victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta environment dense with targeted removal or control strategies, Kopala’s ability to tax opponent’s spells ensures your creatures can stay afloat longer, giving you the edge in sustaining a formidable board presence against interactive decks.


How to Beat Kopala, Warden of Waves

When facing Kopala, Warden of Waves in Magic: The Gathering, players encounter a character that undeniably fortifies Merfolk synergy and protection. The challenge intensifies, as this legendary creature raises the mana cost of abilities your opponents activate that target a Merfolk you control. Shielding your aquatic allies becomes a costly affair for your adversaries.

To navigate these treacherous waters, a successful strategy is implementing removal spells that don’t target, or using board wipes to clear the gulf of empowered Merfolk. Consider cards like Doom Blade or Fatal Push ineffective against Kopala’s patrol. Instead, spells such as Wrath of God or Damnation circumvent Kopala’s protective bubble by not singling out individual creatures with their sweeping effects.

In essence, the key to outmaneuvering Kopala, Warden of Waves lies in choosing your spells wisely and opting for methods that impose a broader impact. It’s a nuanced approach but crucial for tipping the scales in your favor in the dynamic and ever-changing battlefields of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Looking to strengthen your MTG strategy with merfolk synergy? Kopala, Warden of Waves offers a robust defensive mechanism that can turn the tide in your favor. Whether you’re fortifying your merfolk army against removal-heavy decks or seeking to maintain a persistent board presence, Kopala’s ability to tax opposing spells and abilities is an enduring advantage. Mastering the interaction of cards like Kopala enhances your gameplay experience and ups your competitive edge. Ready to dive deeper into MTG’s tactical potential and make waves in your next match? Explore the depths of strategy with us and bring your A-game to the table.


Cards like Kopala, Warden of Waves

Kopala, Warden of Waves, stands out in the pantheon of protective creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Similar in essence to cards like Kira, Great Glass-Spinner, Kopala provides a shield for your other merfolk, making it costlier for opponents to target them with spells or abilities. Kira offers a broader protection, affecting all creatures you control but does so only once per turn. Conversely, Kopala’s ability applies specifically to merfolk, yet it works every time an opponent attempts to interfere with them, albeit at a lesser increased cost.

We can also compare Kopala to Judge of Currents, another merfolk who offers a different type of utility by gaining you life whenever your merfolk tap. While Judge of Currents excels in life-gain strategies, Kopala’s protective aura can be more directly influential in the current game state by making your merfolk tougher to remove. Then there is Sygg, River Guide, who actively protects any merfolk with a targeted ability that requires mana investment each time you want to use it. Sygg’s adaptability is noteworthy, but Kopala passively deters multiple threats without tapping resources.

In sum, within the scope of safeguarding allies and frustrating the opponent’s strategies, Kopala, Warden of Waves, is a valuable addition to any merfolk-centered MTG deck, scoring high in its unique preventative role.

Kira, Great Glass-Spinner - MTG Card versions
Judge of Currents - MTG Card versions
Sygg, River Guide - MTG Card versions
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner - MTG Card versions
Judge of Currents - MTG Card versions
Sygg, River Guide - MTG Card versions

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Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Cephalid Pathmage - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kopala, Warden of Waves MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan Promos and Ixalan 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 Kopala, Warden of Waves and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Kopala, Warden of Waves Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Magali Villeneuve.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 61s2015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
22017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 61p2015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
32017-09-29IxalanXLN 612015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
42023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1602015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kopala, Warden of Waves has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-09-29 Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "
-ost:
-ffect]."
2017-09-29 Kopala's abilities won't affect triggered abilities (starting with "when," "whenever," or "at") that target a Merfolk you control.
2017-09-29 Spells and abilities that target more than one Merfolk you control cost only more to cast or activate.
2017-09-29 To determine the total cost of an opponent's spell that targets a Merfolk you control, start with the mana cost or alternative cost that player is paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.

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