Phantom Centaur MTG Card
2002-05-27 - Number 127
2002-08-14 - Number bk127
2002-08-14 - Number rl127sb
2002-08-14 - Number shh127
2003-08-07 - Number dh127sb
2010-11-08 - Number A82
2019-11-07 - Number 1292†
2019-11-07 - Number 1292
2020-09-26 - Number JUD-127
2020-09-26 - Number JUD-127†
| Card sets | Released in 10 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Centaur Spirit |
| Abilities | Protection |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Text of card
Protection from black Phantom Centaur comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it. If damage would be dealt to Phantom Centaur, prevent that damage. Remove a +1/+1 counter from Phantom Centaur.
Cards like Phantom Centaur
Phantom Centaur stands out as a unique creature within Magic: The Gathering due to its resilience and combat-oriented abilities. Comparable to other protection creatures like Silver Knight, Phantom Centaur offers protection from black, granting it an edge against any black creatures or spells. Unlike the Knight, however, the Centaur comes with the phantom mechanic. This ability allows it to prevent damage by removing a +1/+1 counter, differentiating it from Silver Knight’s battle-readiness with its fixed stats.
Another creature card worth mentioning is Troll Ascetic, which shares the Centaur’s knack for survival with its regeneration ability. While both have the potential for longevity in combat, Troll Ascetic’s regeneration demands an active mana investment whereas Phantom Centaur’s phantom ability is passively built-in, providing a more versatile defense against damage. The Centaur, with a higher base toughness, also outshines the Troll’s defensive capabilities.
These cards illustrate the balance MTG maintains between creature durability and cost-effectiveness. Phantom Centaur, with its inherent damage prevention and broad protection, is an admirable choice for players who prioritize a steadfast presence on the battlefield while still employing strategic depth in their deck building.
Cards similar to Phantom Centaur by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The resilience of Phantom Centaur comes from its protection from black, making it less susceptible to a swathe of removal spells, effectively keeping the card advantage on your side of the battlefield. All those targeted by black spells or abilities will find them ineffective against this steadfast Centaur.
Resource Acceleration: Phantom Centaur provides a formidable presence on the board early in the game. With a casting cost manageable in green-focused decks focused on ramping up mana, getting this creature out can often mean accelerating the pressure you’re able to apply on the opponent significantly.
Instant Speed: While this creature itself may not interact at instant speed, its four toughness and protection give it a unique resilience that allows you to effectively ignore certain threats that your opponent might present at instant speed. The Centaur’s presence encourages a play style where you can safely commit mana to other spells or abilities, knowing that your Centaur remains a stable battlefield asset.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Phantom Centaur doesn’t have this downside directly, but playing a creature with a protection ability often requires holding cards back to react to threats, effectively slimming your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring three green mana, this creature demands a heavy commitment to green, potentially restricting deck-building flexibility outside mono-green or heavily green-focused decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 2/0 with protection from black that can prevent a certain amount of damage is useful, the four mana investment might be steep when other lower-cost creatures can provide faster board presence or more immediate impact.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Phantom Centaur offers robust defense capabilities in a variety of decks, particularly those focused on creature resilience. Its innate protection from black makes it a solid choice in metas heavy with black removal spells.
Combo Potential: This card’s proclivity for counters and combat buffs creates opportunities to strengthen your battlefield presence significantly. Combining it with proliferate mechanics or +1/+1 counter synergies can quickly escalate its threat level.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where black-based removal is prevalent, Phantom Centaur shines by being a difficult creature to remove. Its ability to prevent all damage that would be dealt to it once per turn frequently demands specific answers from opponents, ensuring its relevance in such metas.
How to Beat
Phantom Centaur is a creature card that earns itself a position of resilience on the battlefield in Magic the Gathering. Its protection from black and the preventive shield in the form of +1/+1 counters make it a daunting challenge for opponents. To successfully navigate around this card, consider employing removal spells that don’t target it directly, such as board wipes, which evade its protection. Cards like Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict can clear the field, negating the Centaur’s defenses.
Another efficient method is using colorless sources of damage. Since Phantom Centaur’s ability only protects it from black, spells and abilities that deal damage without mentioning color can be quite effective. Engaging those options disrupts the resilience of the Centaur and can shift the tide of the game. Artifacts and land-based strategies, which often provide colorless damage, also skirt around its shield of protection, offering a consistent way to defeat this creature.
Strategic planning and the right choice of cards can mitigate the impact of Phantom Centaur, ensuring that even the most robust creatures can be addressed and overcome within the rules and infinite possibilities that Magic the Gathering offers.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phantom Centaur MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and World Championship Decks 2002, 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 Phantom Centaur 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Phantom Centaur Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Carl Critchlow.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-05-27 | Judgment | JUD | 127 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 2 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | bk127 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Carl Critchlow | |
| 3 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | rl127sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Carl Critchlow | |
| 4 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | shh127 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Carl Critchlow | |
| 5 | 2003-08-07 | World Championship Decks 2003 | WC03 | dh127sb | 2003 | Normal | Gold | Carl Critchlow | |
| 6 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | A82 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 7 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1292† | 2015 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 8 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1292 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 9 | The List | PLST | JUD-127 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | ||
| 10 | The List | PLST | JUD-127† | 2015 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phantom Centaur has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Phantom Centaur card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If this card is going to take damage from a black source, you can choose to apply Protection from Black’s damage prevention ability prior to applying this card’s built-in ability. This means you don’t have to remove a counter. |
| 2004-10-04 | If this card takes damage from multiple sources at once (for example if it is blocked by multiple creatures in combat), it only loses one counter. |
| 2004-10-04 | If unpreventable damage is applied to this card, you still remove a counter even though the prevention fails. |
| 2004-10-04 | Remove one counter each time it would be damaged. If it was going to take more than one point of damage, you prevent all the damage and still only remove one counter. |
| 2004-10-04 | The damage prevention ability works even if it has no counters, as long as some effect keeps its toughness above zero. |