Professor's Warning MTG Card


Professor's Warning - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number84
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byKieran Yanner

Key Takeaways

  1. Professor’s Warning excels in protection while offering a surprise power uptick, preventing card loss effectively.
  2. Its specificity in black mana decks may limit versatility but guarantees a slot in mono-black strategies.
  3. Outplaying this card involves timing removals cleverly and anticipating its appearance in opponent’s gameplay.

Text of card

Choose one — • Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. • Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it.)

Professor Onyx urged the twins to prepare for the dark mage Extus, sounding very much like someone familiar with the rise of tyrants.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Professor’s Warning doesn’t inherently provide card advantage by drawing cards, its ability to protect a creature or bolster its combat potential can effectively translate into preserving card value on the battlefield. This protective measure ensures that your key creatures remain a threat, indirectly contributing to maintaining card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Professor’s Warning isn’t designed for resource acceleration in the traditional sense of ramping mana. However, by saving mana for protection rather than having to recast creatures, you are able to allocate resources more efficiently elsewhere, thus subtly accelerating your board state development.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Professor’s Warning is one of its most crucial aspects. It allows you to respond swiftly to threats during any phase of the game, be it during combat or in response to an opponent’s spell or ability. This adaptability provides a tactical edge, enabling surprise combat tricks or timely protection that can shift the game’s momentum in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Professor’s Warning requires a card to be in your hand that you’re willing to part with. In high-pressure situations, choosing the right card to discard can be a challenge and might cost you valuable momentum if your hand is already running low.

Specific Mana Cost: Professor’s Warning has a mana cost that requires one black mana. This specificity means that the card is best suited for mono-black or black-inclusive decks, potentially excluding it from a variety of multicolor deck builds that can’t accommodate the mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to cast Professor’s Warning may seem reasonable at one mana, but in a fast-paced game, even this minor expenditure could set you back, especially when other instant-speed protection spells might offer similar benefits without the additional discard cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Professor’s Warning is a low-cost spell that offers protection and power boost in a single package, making it a suitable addition to a wide variety of decks, particularly those that value creature survivability and combat tricks.

Combo Potential: This card can enable key combos by safeguarding combo pieces or by incrementally growing a creature to create a formidable threat, effectively coupling with mechanics like proliferate or undying.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where removal spells are prevalent, being able to defend your important creatures with a cost-effective instant like Professor’s Warning could give you a tactical edge during matches.


How to beat

Professor’s Warning is a versatile Magic: The Gathering card that offers protection and power boost in a single, low-cost package. Key to outmaneuvering this card is to anticipate it in black mana decks, where it’s often utilized to safeguard valuable creatures or intensify the threat on the battlefield. A smart strategy is to apply removal spells post-combat phase, to skirt around the card’s instant timing, minimizing the window for your opponent to cast it effectively.

By choosing removals that don’t target, such as board wipes or exile effects, you can circumvent the indestructibility that Professor’s Warning provides. Additionally, maintaining open mana and having instant-speed interaction can be crucial. This will allow you to respond aptly, either by countering the spell or by removing the creature in response to the pump effect before the combat damage step.

Overall, understanding your opponent’s likely moves and having versatile responses at the ready, can significantly diminish the impact of Professor’s Warning on the game. With careful play and well-timed reactions, the advantages it confers to your adversary can be effectively neutralized, securing you a more stable route to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG players seeking to reinforce their strategies need to consider their decks’ synergy and resilience. With the breakdown of Professor’s Warning, you recognize the card’s potential to maintain card value on the battlefield and subtly accelerate your board state. As your journey through the MTG realm continues, it’s crucial to reflect on both the strengths and limitations of the cards you wield. To fully grasp the art of deck building and gameplay, absorb the insights provided here and beyond. Enhance your collection with spells that not only protect but empower your creatures. Dive deeper with us into strategies that turn your game from a series of moves to a calculated conquest with each card you play.


Cards like Professor's Warning

Professor’s Warning offers versatility in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, providing targeted protection or a subtle power boost. It mirrors the traits of cards like Blossoming Defense, which grants a creature +2/+2 and hexproof for a turn. Yet, Professor’s Warning stands out with its option to choose counter placement, allowing for longer-term strategy beyond immediate protection. Conversely, Blossoming Defense exclusively offers the power boost and hexproof without the adaptability of choice.

Gods Willing is another spell comparable to Professor’s Warning. It provides protection from the color of your choice for a creature and has the added benefit of scrying 1. While it doesn’t offer a power/toughness enhancement, the potential card advantage through scrying can be a significant tactical move. Ranger’s Guile is akin to Professor’s Warning as well, offering a creature +1/+1 and hexproof until end of turn. Much like Blossoming Defense, Ranger’s Guile is locked into its singular effect, without leaving room for the versatility of Professor’s Warning.

Evaluating similar options in Magic: The Gathering, Professor’s Warning finds its niche with dual utility, allowing players to adapt their response whether they’re bolstering their defenses or enhancing their offensive capabilities.

Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Ranger's Guile - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Ranger's Guile - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Professor's Warning MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Professor's Warning and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Professor's Warning has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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