Shalai's Acolyte MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Angel |
| Abilities | Flying,Kicker |
| Released | 2022-09-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dominaria United |
| Set code | DMU |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 33 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Zara Alfonso |
Text of card
Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.) Flying If Shalai's Acolyte was kicked, it enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
Armed by Multani, she protected the forest from above.
Cards like Shalai's Acolyte
Shalai’s Acolyte joins the ranks of unique creatures within Magic: The Gathering, providing both utility and defense mechanisms. The card reminds seasoned players of Sylvan Caryatid in its ability to add one mana of any color to your pool. Unlike Sylvan Caryatid, Shalai’s Acolyte doesn’t feature hexproof, but compensates with lifelink, contributing to your overall sustain in the game.
Exploring further, Birds of Paradise also serves as a mana fixer with flying, offering a slight advantage in terms of evasiveness. However, it lacks the direct survivability boost that comes with Shalai’s Acolyte’s lifelink. Noblesse of War is another creature worth mentioning – while it boasts an aggressive emphasis on attacking and adds mana, it forgoes the defensive lifelink that defines Shalai’s Acolyte’s role on the battlefield.
In the landscape of mana-generating creatures, Shalai’s Acolyte presents a balanced blend of resource acceleration and life-gaining capabilities, securing its niche spot among its peers. For players seeking a creature that aids in mana diversification while bolstering their life total, this card proves to be an attractive option.
Cards similar to Shalai's Acolyte by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shalai’s Acolyte provides a unique benefit with its ability to bolster your hand. Whenever you gain life, the card allows you to draw an additional card which can continuously provide you with more options and put you ahead of your opponent in resources.
Resource Acceleration: Coupled with the right deck construction, Shalai’s Acolyte can speed up your resource availability. By synergizing with other life-gain mechanisms within your deck, each instance of life gain potentially translates to drawing into more lands or spells that increase your board presence faster than usual.
Instant Speed: Flexibility is a key feature of Shalai’s Acolyte. Its ability to be played at instant speed means you can adapt to the flow of the game, responding to your opponent’s moves and optimizing the timing of life gain triggers to maximize card draw.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shalai’s Acolyte necessitates the discard of another card to activate its ability. This can be a significant drawback during gameplay when card advantage is crucial, potentially putting you at a negative resource balance if used imprudently.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific combination of mana colors to be cast, making it less flexible for decks that aren’t centered around its color identity. Integrating it into a multicolored deck could lead to consistency challenges, especially if the mana base is not optimally constructed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its higher mana requirement, Shalai’s Acolyte might not be the most resource-effective creature you could play. Other cards within the same mana range might offer greater impact or versatility, making it a less favorable choice when building an efficient deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Shalai’s Acolyte can easily be integrated into numerous deck archetypes, particularly those seeking to bolster their creatures’ defense capabilities with its added layer of protection against your opponents’ targeted abilities.
Combo Potential: This card shines in synergistic plays, partnering well with abilities that trigger upon gaining life or casting creature spells, thus fostering a diverse array of strategic combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta densely populated with targeted removal and control tactics, Shalai’s Acolyte helps preserve vital creatures on the board, making it a smart inclusion for those looking to counteract such prevalent strategies.
How to beat Shalai’s Acolyte
Shalai’s Acolyte is a recent addition to the multiverse of creatures in Magic: The Gathering, becoming a popular choice for decks that focus on bolstering life totals while simultaneously putting a sturdy creature on the board. With abilities that emphasize protection and growth, overcoming Shalai’s Acolyte can be a strategic puzzle.
To edge out Shalai’s Acolyte, removal spells that can bypass Hexproof or target multiple creatures are key. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, can nullify the Acolyte’s presence on the battlefield without targeting it directly. Additionally, countering the spell before it hits the board with a Negate or a Dovin’s Veto ensures the Acolyte’s abilities never come into effect. Identifying and disrupting the synergies it relies on, such as with cards like Thoughtseize, can also weaken the impact of Shalai’s Acolyte, making it easier to manage over the course of the game.
Ultimately, dealing with Shalai’s Acolyte in MTG requires a mix of preemptive and reactive tactics. Playing smart and keeping control over the board state prevents Shalai’s Acolyte from becoming an insurmountable threat.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shalai's Acolyte MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United, 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 Shalai's Acolyte and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- 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 Shalai's Acolyte has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |