Prowess of the Fair MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeTribal Enchantment — Elf

Key Takeaways

  1. Prowess of the Fair excels in card advantage by replacing lost elves with 1/1 tokens, maintaining board presence.
  2. Instant enchantment nature provides continuous, passive value, disrupting opponents and bolstering your strategy.
  3. Despite a specific mana cost and potential hand advantage loss, its strategic depth justifies inclusion in elf decks.

Text of card

Whenever another nontoken Elf is put into your graveyard from play, you may put a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token into play.

An elvish duel is a thing of beauty: the warriors' grace, the crash of steel, then the artful spray of blood.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Prowess of the Fair provides a robust mechanism for fueling card advantage. Each time an Elf you control is put into the graveyard from play, it creates a 1/1 black Elf Warrior creature token. This ability ensures that every loss is compensated by gaining a token, which maintains your board presence and can lead to advantageous card interactions later in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Prowess of the Fair itself doesn’t directly generate mana, the tokens it creates can be exceedingly beneficial for strategies that capitalize on creatures as a resource. These tokens can be used as fodder for anything from mana abilities, sacrificing to power up other cards, or simply adding to the synergy of an Elf-themed deck, thus indirectly contributing to your resource acceleration on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: As an enchantment, Prowess of the Fair operates continuously at all times. This feature, akin to the reactionary nature of an instant, means you’re always ready to profit from Elf creatures going to the graveyard, whether during your turn or your opponents’. The assurance of token creation without the need to spend mana or time at a specific moment gives you consistent, passive value that can prove disruptive to your opponents’ strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Prowess of the Fair does not require a card discard to be played, its mechanism does involve an investment of resources when enchanting creatures are destroyed, potentially leading to losing hand advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Elaborated for black mana decks, Prowess of the Fair demands a precise black and generic mana combination. This can hamstring deck-building flexibility, limiting the card’s inclusion to predominantly black or elf-themed decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of two mana, including one black, Prowess of the Fair could be considered steep for its effect – generating 1/1 elf creature tokens. In a fast-paced game, players might opt for other cards that offer more immediate board presence or versatility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Prowess of the Fair is a unique enchantment that can seamlessly slot into Elf tribal decks or any strategy centering around creature tokens. Its ability to create 1/1 Elf Warrior creature tokens whenever another nontoken Elf is put into your graveyard from play provides persistent board presence, enhancing both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Combo Potential: This card excels when combined with mechanics like sacrifice or death triggers. Its synergy with cards that capitalize on creatures dying or entering the battlefield offers a plethora of combo opportunities, significantly boosting the strategic depth of your deck.

Meta-Relevance: Elf decks have long been a formidable archetype in various formats. By reinforcing this existing strategy, Prowess of the Fair can increase resilience against common removal spells and board wipes that are prevalent in many metagames, making it a highly relevant addition to your arsenal.


How to beat

Prowess of the Fair is an intriguing enchantment card that players of Magic: The Gathering often incorporate into Elf-centric strategies. This card not only reinforces the presence of Elf creatures on the battlefield but also carries the potential to flood the board with Elf Warrior tokens. The card plays a pivotal role within Elf synergy decks, fueling game-states that are difficult to dismantle.

That said, overrunning Prowess of the Fair requires a mindful approach. Sweeper cards that clear the board, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, are exceptionally effective against it, as they eliminate the source of the tokens by removing all creatures before Prowess of the Fair can trigger. Targeted removals or exile effects can be less impactful due to Prowess of the Fair’s recursive nature. Therefore, focusing on cards that restrict the use of abilities or those that control the board globally would be the most beneficial strategy in combatting this resilient enchantment.

Additionally, leveraging graveyard hate cards, like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, neutralizes Prowess of the Fair by preventing Elf Warriors from ever entering the battlefield upon the death of an Elf. These strategies, when executed effectively, can shift the tide of the game by limiting the strategic advantage Prowess of the Fair presents.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the dimensions of MTG means never missing an opportunity to enrich your deck’s potential. Prowess of the Fair is a gem for those looking to fortify their Elf-based strategies and ensure that each loss is a step towards victory. Whether your goal is to maintain board control or concoct intricate combos, this enchantment can serve as a cornerstone of your tactics. Consider enriching your collection with its token-generating prowess to create resilient and adaptive gameplay. Ready to harness the power of your fallen Elves and command legions that rise from defeat? Discover the strategic depth Prowess of the Fair can add to your deck assembly with us.


Cards like Prowess of the Fair

Prowess of the Fair offers a unique twist for elf tribal decks in Magic: The Gathering by rewarding players whenever another nontoken Elf you control dies. This mechanic bears a resemblance to other cards that trigger upon creature death. However, Prowess of the Fair specifically caters to elves and creates Elf Warrior tokens, which can perpetuate an army on the battlefield.

Looking at Poison-Tip Archer, for instance, it also capitalizes on creatures dying but in a different way – dealing damage to each opponent instead of token generation. Moreover, while Deathreap Ritual doesn’t discriminate based on creature type and triggers upon any creature’s demise, it leans towards card draw rather than enlarging your creature base. Another comparable card is Lys Alana Huntmaster, which directly creates Elf tokens, though it does so upon casting an Elf spell rather than from elf deaths, offering a proactive rather than reactive elf strategy.

Considering the synergy in elf decks and the automatic response to creature loss, Prowess of the Fair stands out among similar cards for its defensive resilience and offense-building potential, especially in formats where elves are prominent.

Poison-Tip Archer - MTG Card versions
Deathreap Ritual - MTG Card versions
Lys Alana Huntmaster - MTG Card versions
Poison-Tip Archer - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Deathreap Ritual - Conspiracy (CNS)
Lys Alana Huntmaster - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Prowess of the Fair by color, type and mana cost

Bitterblossom - MTG Card versions
Nameless Inversion - MTG Card versions
Warren Weirding - MTG Card versions
Bitterblossom - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Nameless Inversion - The List (PLST)
Warren Weirding - Modern Masters (MMA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prowess of the Fair MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Kaldheim Commander, 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 Prowess of the Fair and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Prowess of the Fair Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by Jeremy Jarvis.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-10-12LorwynLRW 1362003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
22021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 532015normalblackJeremy Jarvis

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prowess of the Fair has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-10-01 If Prowess of the Fair and another nontoken Elf are put into your graveyard simultaneously (by Akroma’s Vengeance, for example), the other Elf will cause Prowess of the Fair’s ability to trigger.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks