Safeguard MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Released	1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set name	Tempest
Set code	TMP
Number	39
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Thomas M. Baxa

Key Takeaways

Safeguard ensures critical game moments are unhindered, boosting your strategic upper hand.
Instant speed play allows swift threat response, elevating in-game tactics.
Resource acceleration protection sustains game plan execution efficiency.

Text of card

o W: Target creature deals no combat damage this turn.

"I'm amused by wasted effort when it's not my own." —Hanna, *Weatherlight* navigator

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Safeguard offers a critical defense mechanism that can be a turning point by negating a potentially game-changing spell or ability. This protective barrier contributes to preserving your hand and board state, ensuring you stay ahead in the match.

Resource Acceleration: While Safeguard itself doesn’t generate additional resources directly, its function enables you to safeguard your key pieces responsible for resource acceleration, ensuring your strategy remains unimpeded and that you can deploy your game plan faster and more efficiently.

Instant Speed: One of the most compelling assets of Safeguard is its capacity to be played at instant speed. This feature grants you the agility to respond to threats immediately and decisively, disrupting an opponent’s strategy at a critical moment without sacrificing the pace of your own gameplay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations players encounter with Safeguard is its discard requirement. Engaging in gameplay that necessitates discarding can leave players at a disadvantage, particularly when their hand size is already diminished, potentially minimizing strategic options and impacting game presence.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Safeguard is quite particular, necessitating a precise combination of mana types. This requirement can impose constraints on deck-building, as it might not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes, especially those that run a diverse palette of mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering the card’s efficacy against its mana investment, some players may find the cost of Safeguard on the higher side. There are alternative cards in the realm of MTG that could offer similar or better protection or counterplay options at a lower mana expenditure, potentially making them more appealing choices during deck construction.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Safeguard’s ability to grant protection from a chosen color or type for a turn gives it the adaptability needed in a variety of decks. It’s especially beneficial in protecting valuable creatures or securing key plays uninterrupted.

Combo Potential: In decks that revolve around creature-based strategies or defensive tactics, Safeguard can be a linchpin, setting up your moves without the fear of interference from specific threats your opponents may present.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting landscape in player strategies, staying one step ahead is crucial. Safeguard provides an edge by offering tailored defense against prevalent deck types that lean heavily on certain colors or creature types.

How to beat

The Safeguard card presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This enchantment can act as a formidable defensive tool, nullifying the effects of spells and abilities your opponents direct at you. When facing an opponent wielding Safeguard, it’s essential to craft a strategic approach.

One effective tactic is utilizing spells that don’t specifically target your opponent, such as those with global or “each opponent” effects. Cards like Wrath of God or Earthquake bypass Safeguard’s protection by not targeting any single player directly. Alternatively, you could employ enchantment removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize. These allow you to dismantle the protective shield of Safeguard directly and pave the way for targeted spells and abilities once again.

Moreover, employing creatures with abilities like hexproof or shroud can be advantageous, as Safeguard does not protect against such intrinsic characteristics. In sum, while Safeguard may seem daunting, its defenses can be systematically dismantled with a careful selection of spells, strategic creature deployment, and by shifting focus to non-targeted actions.

Cards like Safeguard

Safeguard is an intriguing defensive spell in Magic: The Gathering that offers distinct protection for a turn. It shares similarities with cards like Fog, which is a legendary classic for preventing combat damage for a mere single green mana. Nonetheless, Safeguard adds its own flavor by extending its protective shield to cover all permanents you control, not just from combat damage but from all damage types for a slightly higher cost.

Another comparison can be drawn with cards such as Make a Stand, which renders your creatures indestructible for the turn, although it requires a mana investment of three, one of which is white. While Make a Stand focuses exclusively on creature survivability, it also comes with the upside of a power boost for your creatures. In some cases, that temporary empowerment could shift the balance of the game in your favor more than the broad safeguarding insulation does.

Assessing these options, it’s clear that Safeguard maintains a strong position in MTG as a versatile shield. While it may not be as cost-effective as Fog or as aggressively positioned as Make a Stand, the sheer breadth of protection it provides makes it a valuable tool in any player’s arsenal for those critical turns where safeguarding assets is key.

Make a Stand - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Cards similar to Safeguard by color, type and mana cost

Commander's Authority - MTG Card versions

Sigil of the Empty Throne - MTG Card versions

Near-Death Experience - MTG Card versions

Mammoth Umbra - Planechase Anthology (PCA)

Commander's Authority - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Sigil of the Empty Throne - Commander Masters (CMM)

Knightly Valor - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)

Near-Death Experience - From the Vault: Lore (V16)

Consulate Crackdown - Aether Revolt Promos (PAER)

Call for Unity - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Safeguard MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Safeguard and other MTG cards: