Ledev Guardian MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | Convoke |
| Released | 2018-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Guilds of Ravnica |
| Set code | GRN |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 18 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Kimonas Theodossiou |
Text of card
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for or one mana of that creature's color.)
"I've raised her since she was a pup, and she's raised me since I was a recruit."
Cards like Ledev Guardian
Ledev Guardian serves as a steadfast creature within a player’s defense in MTG. Its parallels can be seen when examining cards like Lagonna-Band Trailblazer. The Trailblazer also brings a solid defensive option to the table, starting with a toughness of four when bolstered by its heroic ability. However, Ledev Guardian holds a slight edge in power and can become a more consistent blocker regardless of triggered abilities.
Moving to creatures like Concordia Pegasus, we see another flyer much like Ledev Guardian. The Pegasus may be swifter to the battlefield due to lower mana costs, but it doesn’t have the staying power against opponents with more substantial creatures. Conversely, the Guardian’s heftier stats for its cost make it preferable for a durable defense over multiple turns. Then there’s Prowling Caracal, a creature with comparable cost. It’s favored for aggressive strategies given its higher power, but in a defensive role, Ledev Guardian’s higher toughness is typically more desirable.
All these considerations put Ledev Guardian in a solid position when it comes to selection for a deck that requires a reliable defense. It stands as a notable option among cards that fill the role of sturdy blockers.
Cards similar to Ledev Guardian by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Despite its role as a dependable blocker, Ledev Guardian’s influence extends beyond mere board presence. While it may not inherently provide card draw, the synergy it creates with spells and abilities that capitalize on the number of creatures you command can indirectly contribute to card advantage. Through such interactions, the Ledev Guardian can become a linchpin in strategies that thrive on a wide battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Ledev Guardian itself doesn’t accelerate your mana production, its modest mana cost enables a swift deployment. Establishing a strong defense early in the game can protect your more crucial mana accelerants or other value-generating creatures, helping to facilitate your game plan and setting the stage for a robust board state in the subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: While the Ledev Guardian is not an instant-speed spell, its presence on the board allows for greater flexibility with your mana. Knowing you have a solid defender in play lets you hold back mana confidently for instant-speed interactions during your opponent’s turn, which might include countering threatening spells or creating combat tricks that can alter the state of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Ledev Guardian may require you to remove other valuable cards from your hand which can be detrimental, especially in the late game when every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Equipped with a specific hybrid mana cost, Ledev Guardian can pose deck-building challenges, limiting its inclusion to decks that can produce both green and white mana consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given its mana cost, the Ledev Guardian can be a costly addition to your army. There might be alternatives with lower mana costs that could fulfil a similar role in your deck more efficiently.
Reasons to Include Ledev Guardian in Your Collection
Versatility: Ledev Guardian offers a flexible role in your deck, acting as a reliable blocker or an aggressive creature when convoked with other characters on the battlefield. Its adaptability makes it a solid choice for a variety of deck builds seeking dependable creature performance.
Combo Potential: With its convoke ability, this card seamlessly integrates into strategies that capitalize on tapping creatures for value. It can work in tandem with cards that benefit from creature tapping or those that untap creatures for additional benefits.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies are common, having a cost-efficient creature like Ledev Guardian could thwart many early threats. Its presence provides critical board stabilization, which can be essential in shifting the tide of the game in your favor.
How to beat
Ledev Guardian, a sturdy presence on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, offers players a dependable blocker with its significant toughness. Besting this stalwart defender calls for strategic maneuvers. Direct damage spells like Lightning Strike can swiftly remove Ledev Guardian before it stabilizes your opponent’s defenses. Alternatively, bypassing it altogether with flying or unblockable creatures can render its defensive advantage moot.
Dealing with this guardian through combat can be an uphill battle, so spells that force the opponent to sacrifice creatures, such as Diabolic Edict, are also effective as they circumvent Ledev Guardian’s size. Enchantment-based removals like Luminous Bonds or Pacifism can attach to the Guardian, effectively negating it without triggering any abilities that might benefit from it being targeted or destroyed.
In essence, overcoming the challenge posed by Ledev Guardian requires a mix of direct removal, evasion, or disabling enchantments. Each of these strategies can integrate smoothly into a game plan, ensuring you stay one step ahead even as formidable guards take the field.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ledev Guardian MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Ledev Guardian 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ledev Guardian has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ledev Guardian card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | Because convoke isn’t an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs. |
| 2018-10-05 | Convoke doesn’t change a spell’s mana cost or converted mana cost. |
| 2018-10-05 | If a creature you control has a mana ability with in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with convoke will result in the creature being tapped before you pay the spell’s costs. You won’t be able to tap it again for convoke. Similarly, if you sacrifice a creature to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with convoke, that creature won’t be on the battlefield when you pay the spell’s costs, so you won’t be able to tap it for convoke. |
| 2018-10-05 | Tapping a multicolored creature using convoke will pay for or one mana of your choice of any of that creature’s colors. |
| 2018-10-05 | When calculating a spell’s total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Convoke applies after the total cost is calculated. |
| 2018-10-05 | When using convoke to cast a spell with in its mana cost, first choose the value for X. That choice, plus any cost increases or decreases, will determine the spell’s total cost. Then you can tap creatures you control to help pay that cost. For example, if you cast Worldsoul Colossus (a spell with convoke and mana cost ) and choose X to be 3, the total cost is . If you tap two green creatures and two white creatures, you’ll have to pay . |
| 2018-10-05 | You can tap an untapped creature you haven’t controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn to convoke a spell. |