Gideon's Avenger MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2011-07-15
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2012
Set code	M12
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	17
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Randy Gallegos

Key Takeaways

Acts as a deterrent, influencing the opponent’s creature play and gaining you card advantage.
Grows stronger with opponents’ actions, requiring fewer resources for board control.
Synergizes with instant-speed spells to boost power on each opponent’s turn.

Text of card

Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes tapped, put a +1/+1 counter on Gideon's Avenger.

"The good don't sit and wait for the evil to act. They prepare to defend. They prepare to punish."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gideon’s Avenger does not provide direct card draw, but it can act as a deterrent, discouraging your opponents from increasing their board presence. This could lead to your opponent playing fewer creatures, which subtly tips the card advantage scale in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Gideon’s Avenger doesn’t directly increase your mana resources, its presence can speed up your strategy. As a creature that grows stronger with each of your opponent’s moves, it can quickly become a formidable force, potentially reducing the need for additional resources to control the board.

Instant Speed: While Gideon’s Avenger itself is a creature card and doesn’t have instant speed capabilities, it has synergy with instant-speed spells. Casting removal or bounce spells during an opponent’s turn can cause multiple creatures to tap, growing the Avenger’s power significantly by the time your turn rolls around.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Gideon’s Avenger does not directly demand you discard a card, it can indirectly cause card disadvantage. This is due to the fact that its ability triggers when an opponent’s creature becomes tapped. However, ensuring that condition can require using spells or abilities that result in you discarding cards, which could deplete your hand quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: Gideon’s Avenger requires a specific mana setup of one white and two other mana to cast. This can be restrictive in multicolored decks, especially if the deck’s mana base is not optimized to consistently produce white mana during the early turns of the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 2/2 creature, Gideon’s Avenger can be considered costly regarding its base stats. While its ability to grow stronger as enemies’ creatures become tapped could outweigh the initial cost, in a fast-paced game, players might prefer a creature with immediate impact rather than a conditional, gradual growth.

Reasons to Include Gideon’s Avenger in Your Collection

Versatility: Gideon’s Avenger is a flexible card that can be slotted into a variety of white decks. It shines in those that focus on controlling the board, as its ability to gain +1/+1 counters plays well with consistent creature tap mechanics.

Combo Potential: This card has the potential to grow rapidly in power. Pair Gideon’s Avenger with cards that tap your opponent’s creatures to not only disable their offensive capabilities but also to bolster your own threat on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are common, Gideon’s Avenger holds its own. It can become a problematic threat for your opponent, as it capitalizes on their creatures’ movements, growing stronger with each action they take.

How to beat Gideon’s Avenger

Gideon’s Avenger is a force to be reckoned with in MTG, a true warrior that thrives in environments where opponents’ creatures are consistently tapped. This white card gains strength with each tap, threatening to become an overwhelming presence on the battlefield. To counter this power, smart play revolves around minimising tapping your creatures, especially during combat.

One effective strategy is leveraging abilities or spells that don’t require tapping or using creatures with vigilance. Also, employing removal spells before Gideon’s Avenger can accumulate counters is key. Board wipes like “Wrath of God” can reset the playing field before the Avenger gets out of control. Instant removals like “Path to Exile” can also dispatch the Avenger without delay. Moreover, avoiding unnecessary engagements that force you to tap your creatures can limit the Avenger’s growth, keeping its threat level manageable.

Ultimately, defeating Gideon’s Avenger requires a blend of cautious play and decisive action. Holding back on attacking unless you can secure a win or maintaining control of the board with spells and abilities that keep your creatures untapped will ensure that Gideon’s Avenger doesn’t turn the tides against you.

Cards like Gideon's Avenger

Gideon’s Avenger is a unique creature within the MTG realm, bearing comparison to other creatures that thrive on opponents’ actions. Its ability to accumulate +1/+1 counters each time an opponent’s creature taps sets it in the same league as Ajani’s Pridemate, which gains counters whenever you gain life.

While Ajani’s Pridemate demands an entirely different deck strategy focused on life gain, Gideon’s Avenger is more passive, relying on your opponent’s move to grow stronger. Another comparable card is Barrenton Cragtreads, adept at bolstering its strength as enemies come into play tapped. However, it doesn’t offer the same consistent growth potential as Gideon’s Avenger, which can snowball into an imposing threat on the battlefield.

Opposition is one more card sharing the tap synergy, though it falls more into control territory, allowing you to tap opponents’ creatures and thus manipulate the board to your advantage. While not as directly aggressive as Gideon’s Avenger, it provides strategic control that could pave the way for victory. In essence, Gideon’s Avenger stands out in its niche, capable of becoming a devastating force under the right circumstances and with a passive yet effective strategy.

Barrenton Cragtreads - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gideon's Avenger by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gideon's Avenger MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012, 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 Gideon's Avenger and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gideon's Avenger has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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