Squire's Devotion MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
| Released | 2018-01-19 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Rivals of Ixalan |
| Set code | RIX |
| Number | 25 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Winona Nelson |
Text of card
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has lifelink. When Squire's Devotion enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink.
Understanding the Impact of Enchantment Auras
In the diverse landscape of enchantment auras in Magic: The Gathering, Squire’s Devotion holds its own with a unique mix of abilities. A direct comparison can be drawn with cards such as Sentinel’s Eyes. While Sentinel’s Eyes also gives a power and vigilance boost, it lacks the Lifelink ability, making Squire’s Devotion stand out for its defensive and life-gaining capabilities.
Cards like Squire's Devotion
Squire’s Devotion shares its enchantment aura type with cards like Ethereal Armor, conferring a potent advantage to creatures. Though both enchantments enhance creature abilities, Ethereal Armor’s main focus is boosting power and toughness based on the number of enchantments you control, which can lead to a vastly different gameplay strategy. On the other hand, Squire’s Devotion adds lifelink to creatures, a feature that Ethereal Armor does not. The additional 1/1 Vampire creature token with lifelink that Squire’s Devotion brings is another twist, ensuring you get added board presence as well as a bump in life total.
Comparing it with Cartouche of Solidarity, we observe that Cartouche also gives a modest bump to the creature’s power and produces a token. However, it eschews lifelink in favor of granting first strike, and the token differs as well with the production of a 1/1 Warrior with vigilance. Depending on the specific needs of a player’s strategy, each of these enchantments carries its distinct benefits.
In essence, while there are a number of enchantment auras in Magic: The Gathering that may seem to mirror the effects of others, Squire’s Devotion distinguishes itself with a combination that supports both aggressive and defensive tactics.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Squire’s Devotion shines in offering not just an enchantment, but also the creation of a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink. This means you’re effectively getting two permanents for the price of one, setting yourself up for better board presence and potential gains in card advantage over your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: While Squire’s Devotion itself does not directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, the lifelink token it provides can contribute to strategies that benefit from gaining life, such as triggering ascend for permanent bonuses or enabling synergies with other life-gain dependent cards.
Instant Speed: Although Squire’s Devotion is an aura that requires sorcery speed to cast, it pairs well with creatures that have flash, allowing you to potentially surprise your opponent with an unexpected lifelink blocker or attacker. Additionally, it can be instantly beneficial in the sense that the moment it’s attached to a creature, any attack or block with that creature yields immediate life gain, potentially swinging the game in your favor right when you need it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Within your hand, each card is a precious resource. Squire’s Devotion asks for an additional commitment beyond mana, requiring a creature that you must enchant. This means if you’re short on creatures, this card’s value significantly drops, limiting its immediate utility.
Specific Mana Cost: Some cards offer flexibility with generic mana costs, but Squire’s Devotion demands a white mana within its total cost. This requirement restricts its placement to decks that are capable of generating white mana efficiently and might not fit as seamlessly into a multicolored deck strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Comparable enchantments or creature buffs can come at a lower cost. For three mana, you’d expect a substantial benefit, and while Squire’s Devotion provides lifelink and a 1/1 Vampire token, in a fast-paced game, it may not be the most mana-efficient play. Other cards might grant a more impactful immediate benefit or require less of an investment, allowing for a more diversified play or enabling more actions in a turn.
Reasons to Include Squire’s Devotion in Your Collection
Versatility: Squire’s Devotion isn’t just an aura that boosts a creature’s power; it also provides an essential lifelink ability. This simple enchantment can be a game-changer in both aggressive and defensive decks, allowing for life swings that can turn the tide in your favor.
Combo Potential: As an enchantment that brings a lifelink ability to the table, Squire’s Devotion can be combined with cards that trigger on life gain or have lifelink synergies. It also creates a Vampire token, adding another body on the board for strategies that capitalize on creature count or token generation.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where aggro decks are prominent, equipping a creature with Squire’s Devotion can make it a formidable blocker that not only deters attackers but also stabilizes your life total. In slower, drawn-out matches, the consistent life gain ensures staying power against decks that rely on grinding out victories.
How to beat
Squire’s Devotion is a card that brings a twist to creature enhancement in Magic: The Gathering. What sets Squire’s Devotion apart is its ability to not only buff a creature but to also create a lifelink dynamic, which is key in many white-based life gain strategies. By attaching it to a creature, you not only get a permanent +1/+1 boost but also gain life equal to the damage that creature deals, which can be a game-changer in drawn-out matches.
In comparison to other aura cards like Ethereal Armor or All That Glitters, Squire’s Devotion does not scale with the number of enchantments you control but instead provides a steady and predictable benefit. Furthermore, the addition of a lifelink token can help build board presence and sustain your life total. Overcoming Squire’s Devotion requires a focus on removal spells that can bypass the lifelink or target enchantment destruction, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, to eliminate the aura without having to deal with the creature it’s enhancing. Interrupting the synergy before it takes hold is crucial for keeping Squire’s Devotion from tipping the scales.
Ultimately, to nullify Squire’s Devotion’s impact, prioritizing the management of your opponent’s creatures and enchantments is key, ensuring that the value they extract from such combinations is minimized and their strategy disrupted. This approach can effectively counter the sustained advantages brought by cards like Squire’s Devotion.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Squire's Devotion MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Squire's Devotion and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Squire's Devotion 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 Squire's Devotion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | If the creature this Aura would enchant is an illegal target by the time Squire’s Devotion tries to resolve, the Aura spell doesn’t resolve. It won’t enter the battlefield, so its ability won’t trigger. |
| 2018-01-19 | You need a creature for Squire’s Devotion to target as you cast it. There’s no way to have it enter the battlefield attached to the Vampire token it’ll create. |