Student of Warfare MTG Card
2010-04-23 - Number 47
2020-09-26 - Number ROE-47
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | Double strike,First strike,Level Up |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Efficiently scales in power via its level-up ability, enhancing its battlefield impact with minimal card draw.
- Instant speed leveling provides tactical flexibility and the element of surprise against opponents during play.
- Though mana-intensive at higher levels, its potential for dominance in white-based decks is undeniable.
Text of card
Level up (: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.) LEVEL 2-6 3/3 First strike LEVEL 7+ 4/4 Double strike
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Student of Warfare rapidly enhances battlefield presence by leveling up, effectively turning it into a stronger card without the need for additional card draw. This can tip the scales in your favor as you’re improving board state with a single card investment.
Resource Acceleration: With this card, you’re not directly accelerating your mana resources, but because it is highly efficient in cost for what it can become, it allows you to allocate resources elsewhere. Levelling it up is a form of investment that can lead to faster development compared to other plays.
Instant Speed: The level up ability can be activated at instant speed, meaning you can flexibly decide when to strengthen this creature. Whether it’s at the end of your opponent’s turn or in response to a threat, this tactical flexibility is key in optimizing your plays and surprise-factor during the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Student of Warfare doesn’t force a discard directly, the need to keep refilling your hand to leverage its level-up mechanic can feel like a subtle pressure to discard cards indirectly, especially if you are trying to maintain a level-up pace with other creatures on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: Student of Warfare requires white mana to both cast and level up. This can restrict deck construction, as you’ll need to ensure a steady source of white mana, which can be a challenge in multi-color decks and may discourage its use outside of mono-white builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the initial cost is low, the total mana investment to reach its highest level and full potential can be quite steep. This is especially true in aggressive formats where speed is critical, and the mana used to level up Student of Warfare could be spent on deploying additional threats or controlling the board.
Reasons to Include Student of Warfare in Your Collection
Versatility: Student of Warfare offers a robust level up mechanic, allowing you to scale its power to the current needs of the game. From a humble one-drop to a formidable threat, it can adapt to various situations on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: As a Knight, it synergizes with other knight-themed cards and equipment, opening up opportunities for powerful interactions and synergy within both aggressive and midrange deck strategies.
Meta-Relevance: With fast-paced games and the prevalence of creature-based strategies, Student of Warfare can be a key player, capable of becoming a dominant early force or an unexpected late-game swinger in many decks.
How to beat
Overcoming the challenge of the Student of Warfare in MTG requires a thoughtful strategy. This card can become a powerhouse quickly with its Level Up ability, evolving from a mere 1/1 to a menacing 3/3 with double strike. It’s crucial to address this card early in the game before it has the chance to level up and control the battlefield.
A well-timed removal spell is the most straightforward method to dispatch the Student of Warfare. Instant speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently deal with it before your opponent invests too much mana into leveling it up. Another effective tactic is to use cards that prevent counters from being placed on creatures, therefore halting its progression entirely. Moreover, Creature-based strategies can involve blockers with high toughness values, preventing the Student from inflicting substantial damage and buying you time to find a more permanent solution.
The key to success lies in anticipation and quick action. By keeping the Student of Warfare in check early on, you’ll have a smoother path to victory and contain any potential threat that this one-drop creature poses.
Cards like Student of Warfare
The Student of Warfare is a standout creature in the landscape of level up cards within MTG. It finds company among other level up creatures like Enclave Cryptologist and Transcendent Master. Student of Warfare excels due to its low initial cost and rapid ascent to a 3/3 first striker at its first level. Enclave Cryptologist, for its part, levels up to become a looting powerhouse, while Transcendent Master evolves into a formidable lifelink force.
Comparable to Student of Warfare, Kargan Dragonlord offers the red deck players a similar escalating threat. Though it starts off as a 2/2, the Dragonlord quickly becomes a game-ending threat, boasting flying and a fire-breathing ability upon reaching its higher levels. Meanwhile, the white-aligned Student of Warfare shines for its ease of reaching first strike status and possible upgrade to a 4/4 double striker, turning it into a significant player on the battlefield.
Each of these level up cards carry distinct advantages, but the versatility and swift power boost of Student of Warfare make it a card that can strongly influence the pace and outcome of a match, offering a unique blend of early aggression and late-game potential.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Student of Warfare MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and The List, 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 Student of Warfare 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
Printings
The Student of Warfare Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2010-04-23. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-04-23 | Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | 47 | 2003 | Leveler | Black | Volkan Baǵa | |
| 2 | The List | PLST | ROE-47 | 2003 | Leveler | Black | Volkan Baǵa |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Student of Warfare has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Student of Warfare card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-06-15 | A creature’s level is based on how many level counters it has on it, not how many times its level up ability has been activated or has resolved. If a leveler gets level counters due to some other effect (such as Clockspinning) or loses level counters for some reason (such as Vampire Hexmage), its level is changed accordingly. |
| 2010-06-15 | Effects that modify a leveler’s power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Glorious Anthem, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature’s power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness. |
| 2010-06-15 | Effects that set a leveler’s power or toughness to a specific value, including the effects from a level symbol’s ability, apply in timestamp order. The timestamp of each level symbol’s ability is the same as the timestamp of the leveler itself, regardless of when the most recent level counter was put on it. |
| 2010-06-15 | If another creature becomes a copy of a leveler, all of the leveler’s printed abilities — including those represented by level symbols — are copied. The current characteristics of the leveler, and the number of level counters on it, are not. The abilities, power, and toughness of the copy will be determined based on how many level counters are on the copy. |
| 2010-06-15 | The abilities a leveler grants to itself don’t overwrite any other abilities it may have. In particular, they don’t overwrite the creature’s level up ability; it always has that. |
