Southern Paladin MTG Card
1997-06-09 - Number 27
2001-04-11 - Number 46★
2001-04-11 - Number 46
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Southern Paladin provides board control with its ability to target and remove threats instantly.
- Its need for white mana reserves may limit flexibility, requiring strategic mana management.
- Despite its casting cost, the tactical advantage it provides in controlling red threats makes it valuable.
Text of card
o Wo W, oc T: Destroy target red permanent.
"Look to the south; there you will find peace and serenity." —*The Book of Tal*
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Southern Paladin offers the ability to consistently control the board by removing key threats. This strategic removal can pave the way to gaining card advantage as your creatures can often remain unchallenged on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Although Southern Paladin does not directly contribute to resource acceleration, its presence can protect your mana-generating creatures, indirectly ensuring your mana base remains intact for crucial plays.
Instant Speed: Southern Paladin’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, providing flexibility and surprise factor during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions. This unexpected disruption can tilt the game in your favor at pivotal moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Southern Paladin offers the ability to destroy black creatures, it necessitates holding white mana in reserve which can restrict your ability to play other cards or abilities during your opponent’s turn.
Specific Mana Cost: Southern Paladin’s ability requires not just one but two white mana to activate. This specificity means its inclusion is mostly confined to mono-white or two-color decks that can reliably produce enough white mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana to cast, Southern Paladin’s mana investment may compete with other high-impact cards in the same mana range, potentially limiting strategic plays especially in the early to mid-game when board presence is critical.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Southern Paladin brings versatile removal to white-based decks, with its ability to destroy red permanents. This offers a safeguard in color-centered strategies or any deck needing control over red threats in a game.
Combo Potential: With the right mana acceleration and other cards that protect your knights and soldiers, the Paladin can become a recurring source of board control, disrupting opponents’ game plans and keeping the path clear for your own attacks.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where red decks are prominent, having Southern Paladin at your disposal gives an edge; it’s a meta call that can turn games around by specifically targeting prevalent red strategies.
How to beat
The Southern Paladin is a worthy challenger on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This white creature card offers a unique ability, allowing players to pay mana to destroy red creatures. To tackle the Paladin, strategic measures need to be adopted. Safeguarding your red creatures with hexproof or shroud can prevent the Paladin from using its ability effectively. Direct removal spells could serve as another efficient countermeasure. Furthermore, employing creatures with protection from white or indestructible properties can render the Paladin’s ability ineffective.
Consider using counter-spells or instant-speed removal when the Paladin attempts to enter the battlefield. This proactive approach can help maintain control over the game. Shifting the focus to non-creature strategies is yet another method, minimizing the impact that Southern Paladin can have on your board state. Cards and abilities that bypass or disable activated abilities can also be key. Neutralizing the Paladin before it can dominate the board, either by removing it or negating its abilities, gives players a variety of tactics to remain one step ahead.
While the Southern Paladin brings a level of complexity and strategic depth to the game, understanding its strengths and weaknesses is crucial for success. Implement these strategies effectively and the Paladin will prove less daunting to overcome.
Cards like Southern Paladin
The Southern Paladin stands out in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shows some resemblance to cards like Northern Paladin, another creature that offers the ability to destroy black creatures, yet it hails from a different geographical lineage. Unlike its Northern counterpart, the Southern Paladin requires a splash of red mana, reflecting its dual white and red allegiance.
Equally noteworthy is the Paladin en-Vec, which boasts protection from black and from red, making it a formidable foe against those colors, though it lacks the targeted destruction offered by our Southern ally. Its passive protection contrasts with the active, mana-dependent ability of the Southern Paladin. Moving on, Knights of Thorn is another kin card that shares the white mana lineage but introduces the twist of first strike and a pumped-up mana cost for its activation.
In the analysis of these creatures, Southern Paladin remains admirable for its straightforward, color-targeting ability. It provides a strategic edge in white and red MTG decks, that aim to control the battlefield by specifically hampering black creature strategies. Such focused power shows the niche appeal of the Southern Paladin within the diverse array of creature cards.
Cards similar to Southern Paladin by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Southern Paladin MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Seventh Edition, 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 Southern Paladin 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 Southern Paladin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-06-09 | Weatherlight | WTH | 27 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 46★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 46 | 1997 | Normal | White | Greg Staples |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Southern Paladin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
