Selfless Cathar MTG Card
2011-09-30 - Number 30
2014-07-18 - Number 31
2021-08-26 - Number 126
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
, Sacrifice Selfless Cathar: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
"If I fail to offer myself, we will surely be overrun. My fate would be the same."
Cards like Selfless Cathar
Selfless Cathar occupies a unique space among white creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards such as Doomed Traveler, which also serves a sacrificial role in gameplay. While Doomed Traveler leaves behind a token creature upon its demise, Selfless Cathar instead opts for a temporary boost in power to your army, potentially turning the tide of battle in your favor.
Analogous in purpose, Benevolent Ancestor delivers similar effects with a defensive angle, offering the ability to shield your entities from harm. Although Selfless Cathar does not provide ongoing protection, the burst of strength it affords can be decisive during critical combat phases. Another kindred spirit to Selfless Cathar is Veteran Armorsmith, yet this card emphasizes bolstering defense over augmenting attack strength, highlighting the strategic diversity in MTG creature buffs.
Scrutinizing these options reveals that Selfless Cathar shines in strategies that capitalize on timing and swift offensive strikes. It stands out in MTG as a low-cost, altruistic creature that can surely shift the momentum of a match through a well-timed sacrifice and is an asset in decks designed to overwhelm opponents with a surge of power.
Cards similar to Selfless Cathar by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Selfless Cathar may not directly allow you to draw additional cards, it can turn the tide of the game by maximizing the potential of the creatures already on your battlefield. Through its ability to boost your creatures’ power, it leverages your existing assets, effectively giving you a card-quality advantage.
Resource Acceleration: This card contributes to resource acceleration in a subtle way. By buffing your entire team with its sacrifice ability, Selfless Cathar gives you the potential to end games quicker or make the most of your attacking phase, thereby accelerating your path to victory without the need for additional mana expenditure.
Instant Speed: The real potency of Selfless Cathar lies in its sacrifice ability which can be used at instant speed. This allows for unexpected power boosts during combat, turning defensive blocks into surprise victories, or catching an opponent off guard during their attack, which could shift the momentum of the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with Selfless Cathar requires sacrificing it, which is akin to a discard requirement. This can leave you down a card and potentially reduce your board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: Selfless Cathar relies on white mana. This exclusive mana requirement can restrict the card’s inclusion in multicolored decks, potentially hindering the deck-building process.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At one white mana and the additional cost of sacrificing the creature itself, some players may find the boost in attack provided by Selfless Cathar less impactful compared to other buffing options.
Reasons to Include Selfless Cathar in Your Collection
Versatility: This card seamlessly integrates into white-based aggro or token decks, providing a cost-effective way to boost the power of your creatures, often turning the tide of battle in your favor with its sacrificial ability.
Combo Potential: The Selfless Cathar works well with strategies centered around creatures entering or leaving the battlefield, such as with “Enter the Battlefield” effects or death-triggered abilities, enhancing synergy and combo interactions in your deck.
Meta-Relevance: Given its low casting cost and ability to serve as a force multiplier for creature-heavy decks, this card can be particularly useful in a meta that favors quick, decisive matches or in games where board presence is critical for maintaining control.
How to beat
Selfless Cathar presents a unique challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This card, primarily valued for its sacrifice ability, can bolster your opponent’s creatures during a crucial turn, often tipping the combat scales. However, versatile strategies exist to neutralize the impact of Selfless Cathar. Keeping removal spells at the ready allows players to deal with it before its ability can be activated, thus removing the threat before it has a chance to bolster an opponent’s offense.
Another approach is to counteract the pump effect by utilizing instant-speed removal or damage spells in response to the ability activation. This serves to minimize the buff the opposing creatures receive or to eliminate key targets before they benefit from the temporary power increase. Similarly, applying pressure and forcing your opponent to use their mana elsewhere can disrupt their ability to effectively use Selfless Cathar’s ability at an optimal time.
Ultimately, maintaining control over the pace of the game and managing resources efficiently can mitigate the advantages Selfless Cathar might offer. By staying ahead on cards and board presence, its sacrifice for a temporary boost becomes less of a threat. In summary, understanding when and how to interact with cards like Selfless Cathar is vital in securing victory on the MTG battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Selfless Cathar MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Magic 2015, 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 Selfless Cathar and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Selfless Cathar Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-09-30 | Innistrad | ISD | 30 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 2 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 31 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 3 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 126 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Selfless Cathar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Selfless Cathar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-09-22 | Only creatures you control when Selfless Cathar’s ability resolves will be affected. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that you gain control of later in the turn will not. |
| 2011-09-22 | You can activate Selfless Cathar’s ability even if you control no other creatures. |