Council of Advisors MTG Card

Council of Advisors - Portal Three Kingdoms

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Advisor
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	40
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Liu Shangying

Key Takeaways

Council of Advisors offers deep deck exploration to enhance strategic gameplay and maintain hand strength.
It can expedite mana resources, enabling earlier casting of impactful spells for a competitive edge.
Playable at instant speed, it offers game-turn adaptability and strategic flexibility to MTG players.

Text of card

When Council of Advisors comes into play, draw a card.

Sun Quan's long and successful rule in the years 199 to 251 was due to his ability to choose and foster talented advisors and generals.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Council of Advisors card offers a unique approach to maintaining a strong hand, providing the option to dig several cards deep into your deck which can yield valuable options and strategic depth during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: This card acts as a catalyst for quickening your mana resource pool, potentially leading to earlier plays of high-impact spells or creatures and giving you a significant edge over your opponents.

Instant Speed: The capacity to play Council of Advisors at instant speed lends flexibility to your strategy, allowing for reactive play to opponents’ actions or optimizing your turns for maximum efficiency without broadcasting your plans prematurely.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Council of Advisors card requires you to discard a card, potentially depleting your hand, which is not ideal when you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a precise blend of mana types to cast. If you’re not running a deck that can reliably produce the required mana, it might be difficult to play the card when you need it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost, Council of Advisors might come into play later than other options that can provide advisement or card advantage earlier in the game, which could be critical in fast-paced matches.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Council of Advisors shines in a variety of deck archetypes, particularly in those that look for consistent card selection each turn. Its ability to draw a card helps in keeping your hand replenished.

Combo Potential: With its council’s dilemma mechanic, it synergizes well in decks that focus on vote manipulation or political gameplay, making it a dynamic part of combo strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where decision-making and card selection are key, Council of Advisors provides that edge by allowing you to sculpt your game-plan while potentially disrupting your opponents’ strategies.

How to beat

The Council of Advisors card is known for its strategic value in Magic: The Gathering, offering players significant card advantage due to its ability to draw three cards. Beating this card requires disrupting the card advantage it provides. One effective tactic is to utilize instant-speed removal or counterspells as the Council of Advisors hits the board. This stops your opponent from drawing additional cards and maintains card parity.

Hand attack spells like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can also prove valuable by removing Council of Advisors from your opponent’s hand before it can impact the game. Players may consider employing card advantage of their own, such as with Phyrexian Arena, to keep pace with the opponent’s draw capability. Another key strategy is applying pressure with aggressive creatures, forcing the opponent to defend rather than benefiting from the card advantage Council of Advisors provides. This can often lead to an advantageous board state that outweighs the card draw.

In practice, staying ahead or even with your opponent’s card count, alongside pressuring their life total, can effectively counteract the advantage granted by the Council of Advisors. Keeping the board clear of creatures, especially before the Council is set to trigger, is crucial to limiting its impact on the game.

Cards like Council of Advisors

The Council of Advisors is an intriguing card that provides strategic advantages in player decision-making. It bears resemblance to well-known cards such as Sea Gate Oracle, which also permits players to look at the top cards of their library and select one. However, Council of Advisors offers a distinct benefit by allowing the player to consult with other players, adding a multifaceted dynamic to the game.

Another card with related functionality is Coiling Oracle, which allows players to reveal the top card of their library but places it directly onto the battlefield if it’s a land, or in hand otherwise. Council of Advisors, in contrast, specifically grants card selection from the top few cards, favouring precision over Coiling Oracle’s element of surprise.

Comparatively, advisory and selection effects take another form with Augur of Bolas which meticulously reveals the top three cards of a player’s library and adds an instant or sorcery card to their hand. While Augur leans into non-creature spells, Council of Advisors applies a broader approach, offering a wider array of choices. In the realm of card selection and communal gaming, Council of Advisors stands as a unique asset amongst its peers.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Council of Advisors MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Council of Advisors and other MTG cards: