Votary of the Conclave MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Released | 2005-10-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ravnica: City of Guilds |
| Set code | RAV |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 35 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alan Pollack |
Key Takeaways
- Votary of the Conclave excels in token generation, enhancing board presence and strategic depth in matches.
- Flexibility at instant speed and resource acceleration potential make it a solid addition to Green-White decks.
- Demanding mana requirements and potential hand depletion are considerations for integrating this card effectively.
Text of card
: Regenerate Votary of the Conclave.
An ageless order, the votaries receive the gift of rejuvenation from the temple gardens they guard.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Votary of the Conclave offers a unique advantage by potentially creating token creatures. This adds to your board presence, making you more formidable as the game progresses. Additionally, if the card includes mechanisms to populate those tokens or synergizes with decks that capitalize on creature quantity, it can be a key element in sustaining or expanding your card advantage over your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: If Votary of the Conclave provides a means of ramping up your resources, this can significantly boost your gameplay. This could be through enhancing your mana pool, allowing you to cast more substantial spells earlier, or by interacting with other resources in a way that propels your deck’s strategy at a faster rate.
Instant Speed: Any abilities that Votary of the Conclave has which can be activated at instant speed grant you flexibility. This allows you to react swiftly to your adversaries’ actions, make pivotal plays during their turn, or simply capitalize on the timing to maximize the effectiveness of your strategy without having to commit to a course of action until it’s most advantageous for you.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Votary of the Conclave comes with the strategic setback of discarding another card from your hand. This cost might deplete your hand’s resources prematurely, leaving you at a disadvantage against opponents with fuller grips.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost demands a hybrid of White and Green mana. This can be restrictive, potentially alienating the card from a more extensive array of deck architectures, especially those that cannot sustain such a strict color requirement.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that might be viewed as steep for its abilities, Votary of the Conclave demands a significant investment. Players must judiciously weigh this card against others at similar mana values, considering whether its utility justifies its placement in a deck.
Reasons to Include Votary of the Conclave in Your Collection
Versatility: Votary of the Conclave offers an adaptable choice for many deck archetypes due to its cost-effective design and the advantage it gives by bolstering your creature ranks.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability to produce token creatures makes it a strong partner in strategies focusing on building a formidable army, synergizing well with cards that capitalize on creature count.
Meta-Relevance: With the current trend of creature-heavy decks, Votary of the Conclave can serve as a valuable asset by consistently increasing your on-field presence, which is fundamental in many competitive formats.
How to Beat Votary of the Conclave
Votary of the Conclave is an attractive choice for players aiming to fortify their board presence in Magic the Gathering. This card’s main strength lies in its capability to bolster other creatures, making them tougher for opponents to deal with on the battlefield. To effectively counter this card, one must focus on removing it from play swiftly, thereby halting its supportive influence on other creatures and disrupting the deck’s synergy.
Targeted removal spells such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile are excellent tools to exile Votary of the Conclave directly from the battlefield. In addition, utilizing board wipes like Wrath of God can clear multiple threats, including the Votary, in one fell swoop. Moreover, taking advantage of the timing of spells and abilities is key; activating removals in response to the card’s ability activations minimizes the benefits your opponent gains and keeps you ahead in resource management.
By prioritizing the Votary of the Conclave as a removal target and managing your spells efficiently, you can negate the advantage it provides and maintain control over the game state. Understanding when and how to neutralize key cards such as Votary of the Conclave is essential for any player looking to stay competitive.
Cards like Votary of the Conclave
Votary of the Conclave carves its niche in the world of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. With its convoke ability, it shares similarities to cards like Siege Wurm, as both leverage the power of creatures you control to cast for less. Votary of the Conclave, however, takes a more defensive stance by offering lifelink, thus turning the tide in games by buffering your life total with each attack or block made.
Conclave Cavalier is another creature that resonates with Votary of the Conclave, not only because of its conclave association but also through its capability to present a resilient threat on the board. While the Cavalier lacks the lifelink ability, it compensates with vigor, leaving behind two smaller creatures upon death. Lastly, Centaur Healer comes into play, a creature card able to impart an immediate impact with its life-gaining entry ability, but unlike the Votary, it doesn’t repeatedly offer life as the game progresses.
In evaluating the utility and strategic advantage of these cards, Votary of the Conclave holds a commendable position particularly in decks that capitalize on creature synergy and incremental life gain, a testament to its unique offerings in MTG matchups.
Cards similar to Votary of the Conclave by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Votary of the Conclave MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Votary of the Conclave and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Votary of the Conclave has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |