Daru Spiritualist MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Released | 2003-05-26 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Scourge |
| Set code | SCG |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 5 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dave Dorman |
Key Takeaways
- Daru Spiritualist shines in combos, transforming toughness into life for gameplay advantage.
- Flexible in response, it complicates opponents’ tactics with its instant-speed interactions.
- Despite synergy potential, it poses deck building challenges with its specific requirements.
Text of card
Whenever a Cleric you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, it gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
He lifts the spirits of his people so they may descend in wrath upon their foes.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Daru Spiritualist is a unique tool in strategies aiming to bolster life totals. When combined with cards that target it multiple times, it can significantly increase its toughness, feeding into cards that convert that toughness into card draw or life gain, effectively transferring the toughness boost into a form of card or resource advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Though Daru Spiritualist itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its synergy with other cards can. By growing its toughness, it amplifies the worth of cards like Starlit Sanctum, which can transform that increased toughness into a burst of life, setting the stage for effects that trigger off life gain for accelerated advantage.
Instant Speed: One of the Spiritualist’s key strengths lies in its ability to interact beneficially with instant-speed spells and abilities. You can activate abilities or play spells that target Daru Spiritualist in response to an opponent’s actions, which can catch opponents off guard and turn the tide by creating a potentially huge life buffer at instant speed or when optimal opportunities arise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Daru Spiritualist’s ability requires another card to target it, which subjects it to potential card disadvantage if you’re unable to produce repeatable targeting effects within your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: This card has a colored mana cost that includes white, which can restrict its integration into multicolored decks or those that rely on colorless mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Daru Spiritualist provides a significant toughness boost when targeted, its initial investment of two mana for a 1/1 creature may seem steep when there are other creatures and spells that offer more immediate impact on the game state for the same or less cost.
Reasons to Include Daru Spiritualist in Your Collection
Versatility: Daru Spiritualist has a unique ability to boost its toughness, making it useful in decks that capitalize on high-toughness creatures. Its potential grows in environments that emphasize damage redirection or require durable blockers.
Combo Potential: This card is well-known for its synergy with cards like Shaman en-Kor, allowing for infinite toughness combos. It can be a key piece in building a surprise win condition in creature-based decks with the right support cards.
Meta-Relevance: In formats where life gain and toughness matters strategies are effective, Daru Spiritualist can serve as a resilient component. Its ability to scale defensively helps in combating aggressive decks, making it a valuable asset in a shifting meta.
How to beat
Daru Spiritualist is an intriguing creature card in Magic the Gathering that boosts its toughness whenever it becomes the target of a spell or ability. At face value, this may seem like a tough nut to crack, especially since many decks rely on targeted removal or effects to manage the board. However, there are strategies to mitigate the advantage Daru Spiritualist can provide.
One approach is to use board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, which bypass the targeting restriction altogether, efficiently removing the Spiritualist regardless of its increased toughness. Alternatively, players can opt for forced sacrifice effects; since these do not target, cards like Diabolic Edict can effectively deal with the Spiritualist. Players should also consider redirecting their target spells, utilizing them either before the Spiritualist’s ability triggers or simply choosing different targets altogether. Keep in mind, allowing a Spiritualist to build up too much toughness can backfire if paired with cards designed to exploit high-toughness creatures.
In summary, while Daru Spiritualist can become a formidable defender, wise players will know to pack their decks with the right tools to ensure this card doesn’t become an insurmountable obstacle in their path to victory.
Cards like Daru Spiritualist
When looking at Daru Spiritualist in MTG, its unique ability to gain toughness makes it an exceptional option for decks focusing on toughness boosts. Comparable to creatures like Nomads en-Kor, Daru Spiritualist shines when combined with targeting abilities. Nomads en-Kor, while also capable of redirecting damage, does not boast the passive toughness increase that Daru Spiritualist provides.
Exploring other kin, we find cards like Task Force, equipped with a similar mechanic. Task Force can also increment its toughness, although it requires a trigger from targeted spells or abilities, much like Daru Spiritualist. However, the Spiritualist’s synergy with cards like Shaman en-Kor, which can target multiple creatures, allows for potentially unparalleled toughness gains within a single turn.
Moreover, with its Cleric type, Daru Spiritualist fits well into Cleric tribal decks, synergizing with cards like Starlit Sanctum, offering an avenue for converting its toughness into life gain. This synergy emphasizes the card’s unique position in MTG, highlighting its role in specialized strategy builds where every increment in toughness translates directly to an in-game advantage.
Cards similar to Daru Spiritualist by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Daru Spiritualist MTG card by a specific set like Scourge, 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 Daru Spiritualist 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 Daru Spiritualist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
