Relief Captain MTG Card
2016-01-22 - Number 32
2017-06-16 - Number 19
2019-11-15 - Number 11
2022-07-08 - Number 24
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Kor Knight Ally |
| Abilities | Support |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Relief Captain enters the battlefield, support 3. (Put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to three other target creatures.)
Sometimes gestures of support are small. Sometimes not.
Cards like Relief Captain
Relief Captain stands out among creature cards in Magic: The Gathering for its support mechanic, which strengthens your other creatures on the battlefield. It shares similarities with the Tandem Tactics card, wherein you can also give a boost to two creatures, though Relief Captain does so through a firm +1/+1 counter to each instead of a temporary buff. Moreover, it affects up to three creatures rather than two, making it potentially more impactful in a game involving multiple creatures.
Comparable too is the renowned card, Juniper Order Ranger, which not only adds +1/+1 counters onto other creatures but itself whenever another creature enters the battlefield. While not providing an immediate across-the-board boost like Relief Captain, the ranger can grow into a larger threat over time. On the more aggressive side, we see the Ainok Bond-Kin which, when bolstered with +1/+1 counters, grants other creatures with counters on them first strike – a tactical advantage Relief Captain doesn’t offer.
Each of these cards offers different strategic advantages, but Relief Captain delivers an immediate bolster to a wider range of creatures, enabling more power spread across the board, which can be decisive in swaying the tides of battle in your favor.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Relief Captain enters the battlefield, its support ability can distribute +1/+1 counters across multiple creatures, effectively bolstering your board presence without using additional cards. This can create significant card advantage, especially if you’re enhancing already valuable creatures in play.
Resource Acceleration: Although Relief Captain itself doesn’t directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, the increased creature stats can lead to faster victories, thereby shortening the game and reducing the need for extensive resource accumulation. This essentially accelerates your resource utilization by making your existing assets – your creatures – more potent and thus more likely to yield a winning position.
Instant Speed: While Relief Captain operates at sorcery speed, its impact on the board can complement instant-speed interactions you may have available. This means that after committing Relief Captain to the board, you’re in a better position to capitalize on those interactions, with stronger creatures ready to respond to the evolving state of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Relief Captain offers valuable support abilities, it lacks a discard requirement that could synergize with graveyard strategies or madness mechanics. This limits its versatility in decks designed to utilize the graveyard as a resource.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Relief Captain consists of both colorless and white mana. This specific mana need means players must be running a deck with a white mana base, potentially narrowing the card’s adaptability to a more diverse range of mana systems.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, including three white mana, Relief Captain’s cost is considerable compared to other creatures with supportive abilities. Players may find that investing four mana into a creature without immediate board impact can be a drawback in a game where tempo plays a crucial role.
Reasons to Include Relief Captain in Your Collection
Versatility: Relief Captain is a valuable card to have due to its ability to synergize with a variety of deck types. This includes those centered around +1/+1 counters as well as decks that capitalize on creature-based strategies.
Combo Potential: The Support mechanic on this card lets you distribute counters among creatures you control, setting the stage for powerful combinations with cards that thrive on counters, or with proliferate effects to intensify the impact.
Meta-Relevance: In play environments where board presence and creature buffs are key, Relief Captain can make a substantial difference. It’s perfect for decks that aim to outpace the opponent through incremental advantage and creature synergies.
How to beat
Relief Captain from Magic: The Gathering represents a solid piece in bolstering your board presence with its support mechanic. Imagine the scenario where you’ve fielded a diverse array of creatures; Relief Captain arrives and distributes valuable +1/+1 counters, but it doesn’t act in isolation. To efficiently handle a Relief Captain, it’s pivotal to adopt a proactive disruption strategy. Neutralize this Ally’s impact by maintaining removal spells that can easily target it the moment it hits the battlefield. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile allow you to respond before the support ability triggers.
Another technique to undermine Relief Captain’s potency is to limit the number of creatures it can affect. Board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God can reset the playing field, ensuring that when Relief Captain comes into play, its impact is minimal. Also consider employing counter magic to prevent it from ever hitting the field. If playing against decks wielding Relief Captain, keeping a hand capable of dealing with creatures of its caliber, either through direct removal or counter strategies, is the key to ensuring your opponent doesn’t capitalize on its potential.
It all comes down to timing and the precise execution of control elements. By anticipating Relief Captain’s appearance and having an answer at the ready, you can turn its supportive entrance into a strategic downfall for your opponent.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Relief Captain MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Archenemy: Nicol Bolas, 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 Relief Captain 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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Printings
The Relief Captain Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Anastasia Ovchinnikova.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 32 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova | |
| 2 | 2017-06-16 | Archenemy: Nicol Bolas | E01 | 19 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova | |
| 3 | 2019-11-15 | Game Night 2019 | GN2 | 11 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova | |
| 4 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 24 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Relief Captain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Relief Captain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-22 | If a spell with support has other abilities that target creatures, those abilities and the support ability can target the same creature. |
| 2016-01-22 | Support can target a creature you don’t control. |
| 2016-01-22 | You can’t put more than one +1/+1 counter on any one target using the support action. |