Paladin's Shield MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip, Flash |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | 30 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alayna Danner |
Text of card
Flash When Paladin's Shield enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. Equipped creature gets +0/+2. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Cards like Paladin's Shield
Paladin’s Shield stands out as a protective equipment card in MTG, offering a boost in defense stats for creatures. It can be considered alongside other defensive artifacts like Shield of the Realm. Paladin’s Shield provides an additional two toughness to the equipped creature for a versatile edge in combat. Shield of the Realm, while reducing damage dealt to the equipped creature by two, lacks in enhancing toughness directly and comes with a higher equip cost.
Additionally, we examine Armored Ascension, which grants both a toughness and power increase, along with flying which Paladin’s Shield does not offer. However, the mana commitment and limitation to white creatures can be restrictive. On the topic of buffs, Fireshrieker could also be mentioned, doubling a creature’s power with double strike, though it does not offer anything in the defensive department like Paladin’s Shield does with toughness.
When analyzing defensive options for creatures, Paladin’s Shield is a solid choice for players wanting to maintain a robust battlefield presence. Its balance between cost and effect as well as the flexibility it provides makes it a card worth considering for decks aiming to fortify their defenses.
Cards similar to Paladin's Shield by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Paladin’s Shield is a versatile addition to your deck that can be essential in protecting key creatures. By enhancing a creature’s toughness, it enables it to survive board wipes and combat, indirectly contributing to card advantage as you prevent loss of your valuable creatures. This boon to longevity can be the difference when grinding out long-term victories.
Resource Acceleration: While Paladin’s Shield itself does not directly accelerate resource generation, it can be seen as a resource preservation tool. By investing a small amount of mana to protect a significant creature early on, it saves resources in the long run. This avoids the need to spend additional mana and cards to replace fallen creatures, thus maintaining your resource pool for other strategic plays.
Instant Speed: Although Paladin’s Shield does not function at instant speed, its effect once equipped can be a constant deterrence against opponents’ actions. The ability to attach it when most advantageous can influence opponents’ decisions, allowing you to keep mana available for instant speed interactions. A well-timed equipment of Paladin’s Shield can pivot the flow of the game, acting as a silent sentinel preserving your board presence.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Paladin’s Shield, there is no direct discard cost, but it’s necessary to acknowledge the opportunity cost. Having it in your hand means one less card that could be an immediate answer to an opponent’s threat, which might be critical in the fast-paced dynamic of contemporary gameplay.
Specific Mana Cost: One of the challenges when incorporating Paladin’s Shield is its specific mana cost requirement — one colorless and one white mana. This arcane restriction can potentially limit the card’s playability only to decks that can consistently provide white mana, thereby reducing its versatility across the broader spectrum of deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two mana to cast and another two to equip, Paladin’s Shield has a total investment of four mana before impacting the board. This is comparatively high when considering alternative equipment cards or creature boosts that offer more immediate or substantial effects for the same or less mana investment. In a game where efficiency is often king, Paladin’s Shield may be overshadowed by these other options.
Reasons to Include Paladin’s Shield in Your Collection
Versatility: Paladin’s Shield is a robust addition to decks focusing on defense or those with creatures worth protecting. Its ability to give a boost to toughness makes it flexible for various gameplay situations and a sturdy enabler for both offensive and defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: Paladin’s Shield pairs well with effects that trigger upon taking damage, with creatures that have abilities when they’re targeted, or within equipment synergies. It can enhance strategies where damage control or creature survivability are key.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment with aggressive strategies, Paladin’s Shield shines by turning your critical creatures into formidable blockers, thus helping to maintain board presence against such tempo-driven opponents.
How to beat
Paladin’s Shield, as a popular equipment card in Magic: The Gathering, is known for offering a defensive boost by increasing a creature’s toughness. The card can be quite a hurdle, especially with its relatively low equip cost, making it a staple in decks that prioritize durability on the battlefield.
To counter Paladin’s Shield effectively, removal spells that can target artifacts, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, provide direct solutions by destroying the equipment itself. Additionally, using cards that can bypass toughness, like those with the “destroy” or “exile” effects, can overcome the Shield’s protection. Inclusion of such cards in your deck can be crucial when facing decks that leverage equipment like Paladin’s Shield to their advantage.
Lastly, strategies involving counterspells can prevent Paladin’s Shield from ever hitting the board, proving that sometimes the best defense is a pre-emptive approach. Syncopate and Negate are excellent examples of spells that can disrupt your opponent’s efforts and keep you in control.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Paladin's Shield MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Paladin's Shield 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Paladin's Shield 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 |
| Timeless | Legal |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.