Garrison Griffin MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Griffin |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Released | 2019-10-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Throne of Eldraine |
| Set code | ELD |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 305 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jason Kang |
Key Takeaways
- Gains value by creating tokens during attacks, strenghtening your creature force without depleting your hand.
- Offers battlefield flexibility, able to attack and then become a reliable blocker with vigilance.
- Its specific white mana cost may limit deck-building options, requiring a committed white mana base.
Text of card
Flying Whenever Garrison Griffin attacks, target Knight you control gains flying until end of turn.
The keen-eyed guardians of Ardenvale are ever on alert.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Garrison Griffin’s ability to create a token upon attacking helps maintain card advantage by populating the battlefield with additional creatures without depleting your hand.
Resource Acceleration: While the card itself doesn’t directly offer resource acceleration, any token synergies or anthems you may run with the Griffin can accelerate your board presence, converting one creature’s attack into a wider threat.
Instant Speed: Although Garrison Griffin doesn’t operate at instant speed, its vigilance allows it to serve as both an attacker and a blocker, thereby providing an adaptable resource that can react to developing threats or opportunities with ease.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Garrison Griffin requires you to discard another card to activate its ability. This can deplete your hand quickly, creating a disadvantage if you’re already facing a shortage of cards to play.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Garrison Griffin is specific to white mana, demanding two white symbols. This can become restrictive as it necessitates a dedicated white mana base, potentially excluding it from multicolored decks that can’t consistently produce enough white mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that can be considered high for its provided stats and abilities, Garrison Griffin faces stiff competition from others in its mana range. Many alternative creatures offer more impactful effects or better board presence for the same or less investment, affecting its viability in optimized decks.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Garrison Griffin provides flexibility to your strategies by blending both offensive and defensive capabilities. It’s a solid fit for decks that appreciate creatures who can contribute to board presence while holding off attacks.
Combo Potential: Its ability to gain flying until end of turn opens up avenues for synergy with cards that favor flying creatures or those that activate when a creature gains a keyword ability.
Meta-Relevance: As the game environment fluctuates, having adaptable cards is crucial. Garrison Griffin is contentious in metas that reward tactical combat tricks and creature-based interactions.
How to beat
Garrison Griffin adds an interesting dynamic to creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to grant attacking creatures +1/+1 until end of turn when casting a noncreature spell couples well with go-wide tactics. This means when facing decks that include Garrison Griffin, you’ll want to pivot your strategy to control the tempo and limit the number of creatures your opponent can attack with.
Removal spells are your best asset against Garrison Griffin. Instant-speed options like Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch the Griffin before its ability becomes a factor. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Doomskar can clear away multiple creatures, mitigating the cumulative bonuses from noncreature spell synergies that Garrison Griffin could provide. If creature combat is unavoidable, enhance your blockers with buffs or abilities to ensure they can withstand the increased power of your opponent’s attackers.
Ultimately, countering Garrison Griffin is about disrupting synergies and ensuring its ability doesn’t provide the opponent overwhelming advantage. Thus, focusing on flexible removals, timing your plays wisely, and maintaining board control can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Garrison Griffin.
Cards like Garrison Griffin
Garrison Griffin sweeps into the world of MTG as a versatile creature card, shining within decks that value defensive capabilities combined with offensive opportunities. It finds its kinship with cards like Concordia Pegasus, which also offers a flying trait, allowing players to block evasive threats. However, Garrison Griffin stands out with the ability to bolster another creature’s power and toughness when it attacks, a feature absent in Concordia Pegasus’s design.
Exploring further parallels, Aven Sentry is another card that could be considered when evaluating similar options. Both share the flying attribute, but unlike Garrison Griffin, Aven Sentry lacks the interaction with other attacking creatures. On the other hand, while Aven Sentry boasts higher power, Garrison Griffin’s attack-triggered ability potentially turns any other creature into a more substantial threat on the battlefield.
Ultimately, in comparing Garrison Griffin with other similar MTG creature cards, it’s the Griffin’s unique supportive attack ability that positions it as an invaluable asset. Its role in enabling and enhancing combat interactions makes it a noteworthy consideration for players crafting decks that revolve around synergy and collaborative combat strategies.
Cards similar to Garrison Griffin by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Garrison Griffin MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, 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 Garrison Griffin and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Garrison Griffin 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 |
| Timeless | Legal |
