Advocate of the Beast MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elf Shaman
Released	2013-07-19
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2014
Set code	M14
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	164
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jesper Ejsing

Key Takeaways

Enhances board presence every turn by bolstering a Beast, creating a more formidable threat to opponents.
Fosters resource efficiency by negating the need for mana-spending to power up creatures each turn.
End-of-turn triggers pair well with instant-speed spells, adding a dynamic edge to strategy execution.

Text of card

At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on target Beast creature you control.

"I am neither their drover nor their leader. To these majestic beasts, I am simply their herdmate and nothing more."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Advocate of the Beast presents an ongoing benefit by allowing you to strengthen your board presence every turn. The ability to boost a Beast creature’s power and toughness with each end step not only improves your offensive capabilities but also subtly pressures your opponent without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: By nurturing your Beasts turn after turn, this card effectively diminishes your need for using mana-generating spells or abilities to enhance your creatures. This creature enables you to focus on other aspects of gameplay, maintaining a resource-rich environment for deploying more threats or responding to opponents’ moves.

Instant Speed: While Advocate of the Beast does not operate at instant speed, its end-of-turn triggering ability synergizes well with instant-speed spells and effects that can be played during your opponent’s turn, keeping your adaptations a step ahead and your strategy dynamic.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Advocate of the Beast lends support to Beast strategies, it does come with a specific requirement — owning a creature of the Beast type to really utilize its ability. Not being able to meet this condition can negate the intrinsic value of playing this card.

Specific Mana Cost: Advocate of the Beast necessitates one green mana, which can be a challenge in multicolored decks that can’t consistently provide the needed mana type. This can sometimes lead to it sitting unusably in your hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, Advocate of the Beast might be considered slow. When you’re looking to maintain tempo in the game, there are alternatives that could provide immediate benefits rather than the end-of-turn payoff that this card offers.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Advocate of the Beast slots into numerous green-centric decks, supporting creature-heavy strategies and synergizing with beast tribal themes. Its recurring end-of-turn ability offers consistent enhancement for the more formidable creatures in your menagerie.

Combo Potential: The card excels in combinations with other cards that benefit from +1/+1 counters or beef up your beasts each turn. Integrating this card with others that manipulate counters can lead to potent and escalating threats on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures play a dominant role, Advocate of the Beast keeps your large threats growing and challenging for your opponents to manage. Its relevance climbs in games that progress to the later stages, where the accumulated advantages can become overwhelming.

How to beat

Advocate of the Beast is a potent creature card in MTG that synergizes effortlessly with Beast decks. Its role is undeniably supportive, enhancing the power of other Beasts on the battlefield at the end of each turn. To effectively counter this card, ensuring creature removal options are at hand is critical. Spot removal spells that can target the Advocate before its ability triggers can disrupt opponent strategies. Board wipes can also be beneficial as they clear multiple threats at once, including the Advocate, before the beasts become overwhelming.

Another angle is to disrupt the synergy Advocates have with other beasts. This can be achieved through countering creature spells or using cards that strip creature abilities, diminishing the compounded power the Advocate could potentially provide. It is also vital to keep pace with your opponent’s build-up, hence deploying your own threats or defenses such as robust blockers or lifegain strategies could effectively mitigate the advantage the Advocate seeks to build over time.

To summarize, although Advocate of the Beast can be a key component in a synergistic Beast deck, with prepared removal, disruption, or defensive strategies, it’s possible to neutralize its impact on the game and maintain the upper hand.

Cards like Advocate of the Beast

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Advocate of the Beast plays a unique role by bolstering your Beasts each turn. Comparing this to other creature-enhancing cards reveals its niche. Take for example, Wild Beastmaster, which also synergizes with your creatures by boosting their power and toughness whenever it attacks. However, it applies the bonus only until end of turn, highlighting the longevity of the Advocate’s influence.

Looking at other tribal support cards, like Elvish Archdruid for Elves or Goblin Chieftain for Goblins, we see a pattern of providing boosts. Yet, Advocate of the Beast differs as it doesn’t affect the entire field but targets a single creature every upkeep. This provides incremental, but consistent advantage. Cards such as Metallic Mimic come to mind, as they grant a +1/+1 counter to creatures of the chosen type entering the battlefield, an immediate impact compared to the Advocate’s ongoing effect.

Each of these cards shines in their respective roles, but Advocate of the Beast carves out its special place by being a dedicated, persistent enhancer for Beasts, ensuring a presence that grows more threatening with each of your turns in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Advocate of the Beast by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Advocate of the Beast MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014, 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 Advocate of the Beast and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Advocate of the Beast has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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