Skyclave Sentinel MTG Card

Skyclave Sentinel offers game longevity as a resilient defender and potential aerial threat. It aligns with various MTG strategies, including stalling or artifact-based combos. While versatile, the sentinel requires precise conditions to fully capitalize on its strengths.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Gargoyle
Abilities	Defender,Flying,Kicker
Released	2020-09-25
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar Rising
Set code	ZNR
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	253
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Joseph Meehan

Text of card

Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.) Flying, defender If Skyclave Sentinel was kicked, it enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it. As long as Skyclave Sentinel has a +1/+1 counter on it, it can attack as though it didn't have defender.

Cards like Skyclave Sentinel

Skyclave Sentinel offers a unique blend of defense and adaptability in the realm of MTG creature cards. A card like Wall of Omens may spring to mind due to its defensive capabilities. Although Wall of Omens doesn’t have the ability to attack, it compensates by drawing a card upon entering the battlefield. Skyclave Sentinel, conversely, can become an attacker if invested with the right amount of mana for its kicker cost.

Guardian Idol is another comparable artifact creature, which, while initially unable to attack or block, can become a creature with a simple mana investment. In contrast, Skyclave Sentinel requires a more substantial mana commitment for its transformation but emerges as a flying threat. Moreover, Guardian Idol doubles as a mana source, an aspect Skyclave Sentinel lacks.

Ultimately, Skyclave Sentinel stands out in its duality—it’s a defender with a potential aggressive upside, demonstrating that creature cards in MTG can occupy versatile roles in play strategy, especially when kicker costs are at play to elevate their potential on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Skyclave Sentinel by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skyclave Sentinel ensures a sustained presence on the battlefield with its defender mode, yet when it becomes necessary, you can kick it into a higher gear. The kicker mechanic provides the flexibility to turn it into a formidable flier, capable of shaping the flow of the game and swinging in for damage when the time is right.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating your resources, Skyclave Sentinel can be a crucial piece in stalling the game until you reach the key mana thresholds. Its durable 2/3 body can deter early aggression, buying you critical turns to deploy your game-changing spells.

Instant Speed: The true strength of Skyclave Sentinel lies in the adaptability it offers as a creature you can play at instant speed, assuming you have the tools to flash it into play. This gives you the upper hand; allowing you to wait out your opponent’s moves while keeping mana open for responses, only committing the sentinel to the board once the coast is clear or the most opportune moment arises.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Skyclave Sentinel doesn’t mandate discarding directly, it’s important to note that it does require other specific conditions to maximize its utility. Without fulfilling these, the card may not perform as well as others that offer more flexibility.

Specific Mana Cost: Skyclave Sentinel comes with a mana cost that includes colorless mana, which can be somewhat restrictive. Decks that struggle to generate colorless mana might find it difficult to cast this creature efficiently on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Skyclave Sentinel’s initial investment of three mana may appear reasonable, but to unlock its full potential and have it gain flying, you’ll need to invest an additional six mana for its kicker cost. This can be quite costly, especially when there are other cards that may offer more immediate board impact or versatility for a similar, if not lower, cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Skyclave Sentinel thrives in decks that can exploit its flexible kicker mechanic. This means it can be a valuable addition to both aggressive strategies, as a reliable early blocker, or in longer games where it becomes a formidable flyer.

Combo Potential: This artifact creature can seamlessly integrate into combo decks focused on artifact synergy or ramping strategies. It can also work well with return-to-hand mechanics to be recast with kicker for repeated value.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta rich with flyers or decks that stall the board, Skyclave Sentinel can become an essential piece, offering both defense and evasion. Its resilience to common removal spells due to its higher toughness also makes it a sturdy option in various matchups.

How to beat

Breaking down the Skyclave Sentinel, an artifact creature with defender found within MTG, reveals certain strategies for countering it effectively. The sentinel presents a formidable barrier with its ability to gain flying until the end of turn when you put a +1/+1 counter on it. This aspect makes it unique among the defender archetype, as it can turn into an offensive asset under right circumstances.

Understanding its kicker ability is crucial. Skyclave Sentinel can be kicked for an additional two mana, entering the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters if kicked. A savvy player would recognize the importance of removing it before these counters can be put to use or preventing the kicking process entirely. Counterspells or removal spells that can target artifacts or creatures while they are being cast or before their abilities are activated can mitigate the threat posed by the sentinel. Moreover, dealing with this winged guardian before it becomes a larger problem through aggressive plays or direct damage spells can tilt the game back in your favor.

Taking these approaches into account ensures that the Skyclave Sentinel doesn’t dominate the board and helps maintain an advantageous position in combat scenarios. A well-timed response to this sturdy construct can make a world of difference in a match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skyclave Sentinel MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Skyclave Sentinel and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skyclave Sentinel 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 Skyclave Sentinel card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2020-09-25	An ability that triggers when a player casts a kicked spell resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger, but after targets have been chosen for that spell. It resolves even if that spell is countered.
2020-09-25	If you copy a kicked spell, the copy is also kicked. If a card or token enters the battlefield as a copy of a permanent that’s already on the battlefield, the new permanent isn’t kicked, even if the original was.
2020-09-25	If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can’t kick it.
2020-09-25	Kicker represents an optional additional cost that you may choose to pay as you cast the spell. A spell cast with that additional cost paid is “kicked.”
2020-09-25	Some instant or sorcery spells require alternative or additional targets if they’re kicked. You ignore these targeting requirements if those spells aren’t kicked, and you can’t kick those spells unless you can choose the appropriate targets. On the other hand, you can kick a permanent spell even if you won’t be able to choose targets for an enters-the-battlefield ability of that permanent once the spell resolves.
2020-09-25	To determine a spell’s total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card’s effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The converted mana cost of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2020-09-25	You can’t pay a kicker cost more than once.