Protect the Negotiators MTG Card


This card offers card advantage and resource acceleration, crucial for gaining a competitive edge. Instant-speed use allows for strategic play and maintaining game tempo at critical moments. Demands careful consideration of mana and hand resources due to discard and specific mana costs.
Protect the Negotiators - Dominaria United
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Kicker
Released2022-09-09
Set symbol
Set nameDominaria United
Set codeDMU
Number62
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDominik Mayer

Text of card

Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.) If this spell was kicked, create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token. Counter target spell unless its controller pays for each creature you control.


Cards like Protect the Negotiators

Protect the Negotiators is a highly strategic spell card in the trading card game Magic: The Gathering that allows a player to safeguard their important creatures from harm. This card is parallel to other protective spells like Negate, serving a basic yet effective function of nullifying the enemy’s spell or ability targeting a creature you control. However, Protect the Negotiators stands out by not only countering an enemy’s harmful effect but also enabling the drawing of a card, which can potentially turn the tide by refilling your hand.

Adjacent to it in function and form is the card Dive Down, which also offers a degree of protection with a stat boost. Unlike Protect the Negotiators, it doesn’t provide card draw but compensates with a lower mana cost and an increase in toughness. There’s also Blossoming Defense which grants a similar effect with an additional benefit of increasing a creature’s power, potentially helping with an offensive strategy. Despite these differences, the case for Protect the Negotiators is solidified in situations that demand both defense and card advantage in one package.

When evaluating these options together, Protect the Negotiators holds a unique position by offering a dual benefit, blending defense with deck fluidity, thereby proving to be a valuable tool for players who wish to maintain momentum while protecting their board position.

Negate - MTG Card versions
Dive Down - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Negate - MTG Card versions
Dive Down - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Protect the Negotiators by color, type and mana cost

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Feeling of Dread - MTG Card versions
Dramatic Rescue - MTG Card versions
Azorius Charm - MTG Card versions
Dovin's Veto - MTG Card versions
Faithful Mending - MTG Card versions
Disorder in the Court - MTG Card versions
Brokers' Safeguard - MTG Card versions
Argivian Welcome - MTG Card versions
Permission Denied - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Protect the Negotiators. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius TempoAzorius Tempo StandardAzorius TempoStandard Challenge 64 2024-01-14
Azorius MentorAzorius Mentor StandardAzorius TempoClassic Qualifier Prague 2024
Azorius SoldiersAzorius Soldiers StandardAzorius SoldiersThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Azorius ConvokeAzorius Convoke StandardAzorius AggroThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Azorius AggroAzorius Aggro StandardAzorius AggroStandard Challenge 64 2024-01-07
WUWU StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: February 5, 2024
Esper AggroEsper Aggro GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Azorius MidrangeAzorius Midrange StandardAzorius TempoThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Esper MidrangeEsper Midrange StandardEsper MidrangeStandard League 2024-01-26

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you cast Protect the Negotiators, you get the opportunity to bolster your hand, maintaining a lead or helping you catch up by providing additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: This card offers an efficient way to accelerate your resources. It’s a lever to ramp up your mana, streamlining your play and enabling you to cast costlier spells sooner than expected.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Protect the Negotiators at instant speed cannot be overstated. It allows a strategic player to wait until the most opportune moment to act, ensuring maximum impact on the game state while keeping opponents guessing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Protect the Negotiators demands that a player discards a card as part of its casting cost. This can lead to a potential loss of advantage, especially if the player’s hand is already depleted or if the discarded card could have been pivotal for subsequent turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Protect the Negotiators has an exact mana cost that includes both white and blue mana. This requirement can be restrictive as it necessitates a certain color combination, thus its inclusion is mainly viable in Azorius or multicolored decks that can reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher side for its effect, some players may find that Protect the Negotiators isn’t the most mana-efficient option available. This may lead to it being overshadowed by cards that provide similar protection or counterspell effects for a lesser cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Protect the Negotiators offers flexibility for control decks, particularly those aiming to manipulate the tempo of the game while safeguarding key creatures or planeswalkers.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to divert damage to lifegain can pair nicely with effects that trigger upon life gain or when damage is prevented, enhancing strategic layers and synergies within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where burn strategies are prevalent, Protect the Negotiators can serve as a significant counter, turning potential threats into opportunities for stabilization and swinging the momentum in your favor.


How to beat

Protect the Negotiators is a unique control tool that Magic: The Gathering players utilize to guard their life total and other permanents. Its capability to grant protection from a certain color until your next turn provides a significant advantage, allowing players to safeguard key pieces on their board from targeted removal or damage spells of the named color. Like a knight standing watch, this card offers a strategic line of defense that requires a forward-thinking approach to overcome.

When facing off against Protect the Negotiators, consider adopting multi-color decks or spells that can bypass its protection. Cards with colorless damage sources, such as those from artifacts or creatures with devoid, can be particularly effective. Additionally, using board wipes that don’t specify colors, like ‘Planar Cleansing,’ can clear the path. Focus on versatility in your spell choices and anticipate the colors your opponent might choose to protect from, prepping your deck with a varied toolbox to dismantle their defenses.

Navigating around Protect the Negotiators is a testament to a well-constructed deck and a player’s ability to adapt in-game. By carefully evaluating your options and maintaining a diverse suite of answers, you can effectively counter this card’s protective measures and keep the upper hand in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhance your MTG gameplay with strategic depth by considering Protect the Negotiators for your deck. This card exemplifies wise resource acceleration and card advantage at crucial moments. Ideal for control decks, it’s adept at maintaining pace and protecting vital assets. Understand the pros, weigh against the cons, and contemplate its place in your collection with regard to the current meta and deck synergies. For those looking to finesse their battlefield tactics and navigate around opponents’ defenses, mastering the use of Protect the Negotiators can be key. Ready to add a layer of strategy to your deck? Immerse yourself in the nuances of gameplay with our expertise.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Protect the Negotiators MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United, 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 Protect the Negotiators and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Protect the Negotiators has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-09-09 Once Protect the Negotiators starts to resolve, its instructions are followed in the order they’re written. If it was kicked, the Soldier creature token will be on the battlefield when the amount of mana the target spell’s controller needs to pay is determined.
2022-09-09 You may not cast Protect the Negotiators without a spell to target.