Valiant Veteran MTG Card


Valiant Veteran improves creature draws, turning each into a valuable extra resource on the battlefield. It acts as an accelerant in soldier or warrior decks, quickly empowering your creatures to take control. The Veteran does not operate at instant speed but significantly strengthens instant-speed responses.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Kor Soldier
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Other Soldiers you control get +1/+1. , Exile Valiant Veteran from your graveyard: Put a +1/+1 counter on each Soldier you control.

"Let them come. We will show them that Argivian steel is stronger than any Phyrexian metal."


Cards like Valiant Veteran

Valiant Veteran is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, joining the ranks of soldiers that have long been a staple in many decks. It finds parallels with cards like Veteran Swordsmith which also buffs other soldiers, empowering them with an attack bonus. While Veteran Swordsmith exclusively enhances attack, Valiant Veteran extends this by increasing life thanks to its lifelink ability. This makes Valiant Veteran a more versatile option in soldier-themed decks especially when durability and endurance in battles are essential.

Another card reminiscent of Valiant Veteran is Benalish Marshal. Both are designed to augment the power of fellow creatures, but Benalish Marshal offers an across-the-board stat boost to all your creatures regardless of type. This universal advantage is balanced by a color-restricted casting cost, which makes it less flexible than Valiant Veteran in multicolor decks.

Considering the synergy and the ability to bolster your frontlines, Valiant Veteran provides a significant edge in any soldier-centric strategy. Its ability to enhance both the offensive capabilities through its power boost and defensive resilience via lifelink makes it a formidable card that can anchor a strong and cohesive army in your MTG matches.

Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Benalish Marshal - MTG Card versions
Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Benalish Marshal - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Valiant Veteran by color, type and mana cost

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Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions
White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Soltari Priest - MTG Card versions
Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Valiant Veteran. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius SoldiersAzorius Soldiers StandardAzorius Soldiers2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open
Boros AggroBoros Aggro StandardBoros Soldiers~~ Izzet Explosive Experiment Event
Mono-White AggroMono-White Aggro PioneerMono-White HumansPeasant Pioneer Showdown - A Josh and Pat's MTG Bazaar Sponsored Event
Azorius AggroAzorius Aggro StandardAzorius Soldiers2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open
WUWU StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: February 5, 2024
Jeskai AggroJeskai Aggro StandardJeskai Soldiers~~ Izzet Explosive Experiment Event
Azorius HumansAzorius Humans ModernAzorius HumansModern Challenge 64 2024-01-15

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Valiant Veteran offers a multifaceted approach to card advantage in MTG. By bolstering your battlefield with robust creature support and synergy, it boosts the effectiveness of each creature card drawn. Its presence can make each of your creature draws feel like gaining an additional resource.

Resource Acceleration: In decks that capitalize on soldier or warrior tribes, Valiant Veteran can serve as an accelerant. Each creature you summon can potentially become a more significant threat, empowering your board state swiftly, leading to a more dominant position earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: While Valiant Veteran itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its influence on the game ensures that your instant-speed removals or buffs become more potent. This happens as it increases your army’s strength and resilience, making your instantaneous actions during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn substantially more impactful.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Valiant Veteran’s abilities may force you to allow key cards to hit the graveyard, potentially upsetting your hand balance and overall strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Bearing a strict color identity, the Valiant Veteran requires white mana, which can be challenging for multi-color decks to accommodate consistently without perfecting the mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering its cost against its impact on the battlefield, Valiant Veteran might be overshadowed by other cards of similar or less mana investment that provide immediate effects or greater versatility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Valiant Veteran offers a robust addition to any deck that focuses on Knights or other creature-based strategies. Its ability to enhance the power of fellow Knights with its presence makes it a flexible pick for tribal synergies.

Combo Potential: With its ability to pump other Knights you control, the Valiant Veteran plays well with mechanics like Battalion, and can be instrumental in executing powerful combat strategies or enhancing board presence with pump effects.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-evolving nature of the MTG metagame, Valiant Veteran can potentially shine in environments where aggressive creature-based decks are prevalent, giving you an edge in such dynamic settings.


How to Beat

Valiant Veteran brings an aura of resilience to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This card bolsters your creatures, specifically Soldiers, by giving them an extra edge, much like Honor of the Pure. What sets Valiant Veteran apart is its ability to persistently level up the field with each fallen comrade through its liberation counter mechanic which increases the strength of your army over time.

Overcoming Valiant Veteran’s impact calls for a calculated approach. Spot removal like Fatal Push can be key to preemptively eliminating the Veteran before its effect amplifies. Board wipes such as Wrath of God ensure a reset on the growing threat by clearing the battlefield. Counterspells can also be a strategic move, halting the Veteran from ever setting foot on the battlefield. Of prime importance is disrupting the synergy early on, as an outfit of Soldiers can quickly turn into an overwhelming force under Valiant Veteran’s command.

In essence, targeted removal, board control, and timely counters are instrumental in containing the value that Valiant Veteran promises. Addressing the card promptly and preventing the accumulation of liberation counters is fundamental in crippling an opponent’s strategy built around this resilient Soldier ally.


BurnMana Recommendations

Expanding your MTG card collection with strategy and insight can make your deck building process inspiring and effective. Valiant Veteran provides multifaceted benefits that can revolutionize how you play, particularly within soldier or warrior-based decks. It’s not just the cards you play, but how they work together to create an unstoppable force. With Valiant Veteran, you’re not just adding a card, you’re amping up your entire squad. Dive deeper with us into the tactics, deck synergies, and advanced play strategies that can turn Valiant Veteran from a single piece to the cornerstone of your next victorious deck. Step into a broader world of MTG wisdom and ensure every battle is a step towards triumph. Discover more now.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Valiant Veteran MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Dominaria United Promos, 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 Valiant Veteran and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Valiant Veteran Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-09-09 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by Nestor Ossandon Leal.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1033842015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal
22022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 38p2015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal
32022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 38s2015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal
42022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 3902015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal
52022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 382015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Valiant Veteran has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Valiant Veteran card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-09-09 Exiling Valiant Veteran from your graveyard is part of the cost to activate its last ability. This means that once it has been activated it is no longer in the graveyard, and players can’t respond to it by removing it from your graveyard to prevent you from activating it.