Royal Warden MTG Card


Royal Warden enables card advantage and strategic flexibility through its instant-speed activation abilities. It requires a specific mana combination and a discard, which may limit its playability in some decks. Despite its mana cost, Royal Warden adds value to decks that capitalize on creature synergies and control.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Necron
Abilities Phalanx Commander,Unearth
Power 3
Toughness 2

Text of card

Phalanx Commander — When Royal Warden enters the battlefield, create two tapped 2/2 black Necron Warrior artifact creature tokens. Unearth (: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)


Cards like Royal Warden

Royal Warden is a unique piece on the chessboard of creature control in Magic the Gathering. Its intrinsic ability to tap another target creature brings to mind cards such as Blinding Mage. Yet, Royal Warden has the advantage of potentially being activated multiple times in a turn, if sufficient mana is available. This echoes the repeatable control offered by cards like Gideon’s Lawkeeper, albeit without the same renown that comes with name recognition.

Considering the nature of tactics, the comparison extends to Viscera Dragger, which not only can tap creatures but also carry other advantages like cycling to draw a card. However, Royal Warden requires no sacrifice and maintains board presence. We also see a resemblance with Deputy of Detention that can exile an opposing creature or artifact as long as it’s on the battlefield, offering a more permanent solution, even if less flexible compared to the Warden’s ability to target multiple foes over time.

Ultimately, when exploring the domain of control creatures in MTG, Royal Warden may not be the most aggressive or disruptive on its surface, yet it holds strategic value through its versatility and repeatable nature, making it a card worth noting in specific deck builds.

Blinding Mage - MTG Card versions
Gideon's Lawkeeper - MTG Card versions
Viscera Dragger - MTG Card versions
Deputy of Detention - MTG Card versions
Blinding Mage - MTG Card versions
Gideon's Lawkeeper - MTG Card versions
Viscera Dragger - MTG Card versions
Deputy of Detention - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Royal Warden by color, type and mana cost

Pewter Golem - MTG Card versions
Pith Driller - MTG Card versions
Pestilent Souleater - MTG Card versions
Graven Archfiend - MTG Card versions
Necron Deathmark - MTG Card versions
Anrakyr the Traveller - MTG Card versions
Triarch Stalker - MTG Card versions
Dalek Drone - MTG Card versions
Polygraph Orb - MTG Card versions
Foreboding Steamboat - MTG Card versions
Pewter Golem - MTG Card versions
Pith Driller - MTG Card versions
Pestilent Souleater - MTG Card versions
Graven Archfiend - MTG Card versions
Necron Deathmark - MTG Card versions
Anrakyr the Traveller - MTG Card versions
Triarch Stalker - MTG Card versions
Dalek Drone - MTG Card versions
Polygraph Orb - MTG Card versions
Foreboding Steamboat - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Royal Warden enables players to gain card advantage by potentially allowing for repeated activation of beneficial abilities or effects that may draw cards or manipulate the library.

Resource Acceleration: This card potentially synergizes with other cards that benefit from activations or triggers, thereby accelerating your resources both on the board and in hand.

Instant Speed: With the ability to activate at instant speed, Royal Warden offers strategic flexibility. You can respond to your opponents’ moves or end-of-turn actions, providing an upper hand during the game’s critical decision points.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Royal Warden comes at a cost beyond mana; it asks for a card to be discarded from your hand. This demand can be especially taxing if you’re grappling with a dwindling hand size, potentially forcing tough decisions over which cards to keep.

Specific Mana Cost: To summon Royal Warden, a precise mana blend is critical, making it a less flexible choice. If your deck doesn’t reliably produce the necessary mana types, incorporating this card could lead to situations where it’s stranded in your hand, unusable at the crucial moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a higher mana threshold than many other creatures within its role, Royal Warden can strain your resources. This may impact your game tempo, as allocating a significant portion of your mana in one turn to play it could leave you vulnerable to opponents’ responses or hinder your ability to play multiple spells in a single turn.


Reasons to Include Royal Warden in Your Collection

Versatility: The Royal Warden fits seamlessly into a variety of deck styles thanks to its adaptable nature. As a creature with a potentially game-altering tap ability, it belongs in collections that value flexibility on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card can serve as an integral part of combos, helping to unlock pieces or protect key creatures. Its ability to tap or untap another target creature weaves it into intricate plays, making it a combo enthusiast’s ally.

Meta-Relevance: In an MTG scene where control decks or those focused on creature interactions prevail, Royal Warden’s capability to influence the state of creatures can inversely affect the pace and outcome of matches, establishing it as a meta-relevant choice.


How to beat

The Royal Warden is a notable card in the realm of MTG, offering unique abilities that can challenge players’ strategies. This card is remarkable for its ability to temporarily boost other creatures, potentially swaying the battlefield in one swift move. It operates ideally in decks that thrive on synergy and cumulative creature effects. However, its dominance can be undermined with strategic moves and timely interventions during gameplay.

To counter a Royal Warden effectively, it is crucial to either prevent it from landing on the battlefield or neutralize it swiftly before its ability can be activated. Removal spells are reliable tools here; cards like Murder or Path to Exile come in handy, removing the threat instantly from the field. Additionally, employing counter spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak when your opponent attempts to cast Royal Warden can save you from its tactical advantages. Players can also use enchantments or artifacts that limit abilities or hinder creature effectiveness, such as Pacifism or Icy Manipulator, to restrict the Royal Warden’s impact. Through these methods, anyone can navigate the challenges posed by Royal Warden and maintain control over the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is an intricate dance of strategy, and cards like Royal Warden can sway the rhythm of any match. With the versatility to adapt to numerous scenarios, this card is a keystone for those looking to fine-tune their deck’s reaction time and resource management. Factor in its combo potential and meta relevancy, and you’ve got a multi-faceted tool at your command. Don’t let its drawbacks deter you; embrace the challenge of wielding Royal Warden’s power effectively. Join the BurnMana community for more insights, strategies, and a comprehensive look into the pivotal role Royal Warden could play in your journey to MTG mastery.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Royal Warden MTG card by a specific set like Warhammer 40,000 Commander and Warhammer 40,000 Commander, 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 Royal Warden and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Royal Warden Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Artur Nakhodkin.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 522015NormalBlackArtur Nakhodkin
22022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 52★2015NormalBlackArtur Nakhodkin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Royal Warden has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-10-07 Activating a permanent card's unearth ability isn’t the same as casting it as a spell. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Cancel) will not.
2022-10-07 At the beginning of the end step, a permanent returned to the battlefield with unearth is exiled. This is a delayed triggered ability, and it can be countered by effects that counter triggered abilities. If the ability is countered, the permanent will stay on the battlefield and the delayed trigger won’t trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile it if it eventually leaves the battlefield.
2022-10-07 If a permanent returned to the battlefield by an unearth ability would leave it for any reason, it’s exiled instead—unless the spell or ability that's causing it to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it. In that case, the spell or ability succeeds at exiling the permanent. If the spell or ability later returns the card to the battlefield, it will return as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.
2022-10-07 If you activate a card’s unearth ability but that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing.
2022-10-07 Unearth grants haste to the permanent that’s returned to the battlefield. However, neither of the “exile” abilities is granted to that permanent. If that creature loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead.