Oath of Chandra MTG Card
2016-01-22 - Number 113
2016-01-22 - Number 113s
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Enchantment |
Text of card
When Oath of Chandra enters the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to target creature an opponent controls. At the beginning of each end step, if a planeswalker entered the battlefield under your control this turn, Oath of Chandra deals 2 damage to each opponent.
"If it means that people can live in freedom, yeah, I'll keep watch."
Cards like Oath of Chandra
Oath of Chandra is a unique piece in the pantheon of red damage-dealing spells in MTG. It shares common ground with cards like Lightning Bolt, a MTG classic, for its capacity to deal 3 damage to any target. However, Oath of Chandra is distinct in its dedication to a Planeswalker. It stands out by dealing damage to a creature when it enters the battlefield and potentially to a player each turn if a Planeswalker has been played.
Analogous to Oath of Chandra is Flames of the Raze-Boar, which also excels at dealing damage to multiple targets. Unlike Oath of Chandra, it does not offer loyalty to Planeswalkers. It does, however, provide a sweeping damage effect, which can be a vital asset when facing a board crowded with opponents’ creatures.
Assessing the ensemble of red spells analogous to Oath of Chandra, it’s apparent that its synergy with Planeswalkers delivers a strategic edge, positioning it as a valued card for those seeking to protect and enhance their Planeswalker-led decks.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Oath of Chandra. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gruul Bard Class | Pioneer | Gruul Bard Class | F2F Tour Championship - Toronto Round 4 (Regional Championship) |
 | Five-color Fires Incarnation | Pioneer | 5c Enigmatic Fires | HBMO24 - GenX Comics and Games Pioneer 5k |
 | Enigmatic Fires | Pioneer | 4c Enigmatic Fires | Sat. 9:30 AM U.S. Regional Championship - Dreamhack Atlanta 2023 |
 | 4c Enigmatic Fires | Pioneer | 4c Enigmatic Fires | Pioneer League 2023-12-12 |
| 5c Enigmatic Fires | Pioneer | 5c Enigmatic Fires | Pioneer Challenge 96 2023-12-10 (1) |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Oath of Chandra card provides a repeated effect, enabling you to deal damage each turn when you cast a planeswalker. This ongoing ability gives you a form of card advantage by effectively dealing with smaller creatures or chipping away at your opponent’s life total without expending additional cards from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: While Oath of Chandra doesn’t directly provide mana acceleration, its low casting cost is synergistic with decks that aim to drop planeswalkers early. This assists in keeping the board clear of small threats, setting the stage for your walkers to take over the game, thereby accelerating your resource dominance.
Instant Speed: Oath of Chandra’s initial damage is dealt as a sorcery; however, its secondary ability triggers during each end step, which simulates instant speed interaction. This allows you to stay reactive and efficient with your resources without compromising the development of your own gameplan.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Oath of Chandra offers a potent direct damage effect to an opponent’s creature, it doesn’t come without its own demands. Players must have a planeswalker on the battlefield to trigger its secondary ability. This prerequisite can be restrictive and might not always align with your game strategy, particularly if your deck isn’t planeswalker-focused, leaving its full potential untapped.
Specific Mana Cost: Casting Oath of Chandra requires a precise mana arrangement, one red and one generic. This specificity might seem minor, but in multicolor decks that are juggling various mana needs, fitting in a double color commitment can sometimes result in a hiccup in the deck’s mana curve and overall fluidity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of two mana, Oath of Chandra’s initial damage output is decent. However, in some situations, players might weigh its value against other two-mana spells that could offer more versatility or a wider damage range. When optimizing a deck, these considerations could lead players to replace Oath of Chandra with lower-cost or more flexible removal options.
Reasons to Include Oath of Chandra in Your Collection
Versatility: Oath of Chandra is a well-rounded card that serves multiple purposes. It fits seamlessly into red-based control or midrange decks, offering both direct damage to creatures to help stabilize the board and potentially recurring damage to opponents, which can help chip away at their life total over time.
Combo Potential: This card works well with planeswalkers, creating a synergy that rewards you for playing these powerful allies by dealing extra damage to your opponent. For those who enjoy building around planeswalkers, including Oath of Chandra can amplify your strategy and increase your win condition.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to disrupt creature-based strategies and the prevalence of creature-heavy decks in various metas, Oath of Chandra maintains relevance as a useful tool. In a meta where planeswalkers also play a significant role, its additional damage trigger can provide a critical edge.
How to Beat
Oath of Chandra is a unique magic card, adding a strategic layer to red decks in Magic the Gathering with its direct damage potential. Unlike simple direct damage spells, Oath of Chandra promises recurring value each turn. To effectively counteract this enchantment’s effect, consider including enchantment removal options in your deck such as Naturalize or Disenchant. These provide an affordable and quick answer to Oath of Chandra, allowing you to regain control of the game.
Control decks could also benefit from counterspells like Negate to prevent Oath of Chandra from hitting the battlefield in the first place. For a more proactive strategy, focus on deploying creatures with toughness greater than three to withstand the initial damage and avoid the subsequent loss at the end of your turn. Planeswalker-heavy strategies should be executed with caution, as each planeswalker played could potentially trigger Oath of Chandra’s secondary ability, leading to unwanted damage across matches.
Understanding the mechanics and timing can help you navigate around Oath of Chandra’s limitations, shifting the MTG match in your favor. It’s pivotal to adjust strategies on the fly and know when to hold back, protecting valuable pieces from its damaging oath.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Oath of Chandra MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Oath of the Gatewatch 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 Oath of Chandra 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
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Printings
The Oath of Chandra Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2016-01-22. Illustrated by Wesley Burt.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 113 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wesley Burt | |
| 2 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch Promos | POGW | 113s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wesley Burt |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Oath of Chandra has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Oath of Chandra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-22 | Each of the Oaths is legendary: if you control more than one of any particular Oath, you choose one to remain on the battlefield and the others are put into your graveyard. |
| 2016-01-22 | Even if you control a particular Oath, you can cast another of that Oath to take advantage of its enters-the-battlefield ability. It will enter the battlefield, causing its first ability to trigger. You will then choose one to keep, as detailed above, and then its enters-the-battlefield ability will resolve. |
| 2016-01-22 | Oath of Chandra’s last ability will trigger even if the planeswalker that entered the battlefield under your control is no longer on the battlefield, no longer under your control, or no longer a planeswalker. This is also true if Oath of Chandra wasn’t on the battlefield when the planeswalker entered. |
| 2016-01-22 | The last ability triggers only once per turn, even if more than one planeswalker entered the battlefield under your control. |
| 2016-01-22 | The “legend rule” checks the full names of legendary permanents. You can control Oath of Gideon and Oath of Chandra at the same time, for example. |