Volunteer Reserves MTG Card
1997-06-09 - Number 29
2019-11-07 - Number 268
2020-09-26 - Number WTH-29
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Abilities | Banding,Cumulative upkeep |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Banding Cumulative upkeep o1
"I'm always a little leery of anyone who offers to kill other people for free." —Gerrard of the *Weatherlight*
Cards like Volunteer Reserves
Volunteer Reserves is a unique piece on the MTG battlefield, blending in with the ranks of creatures that possess a defensive edge. Within its family of white spells offering protective services, it’s akin to the likes of Wall of Omens, a card celebrated for its immediate card draw upon entering the battlefield. Unlike Wall of Omens, Volunteer Reserves can be tapped to prevent damage, a feature which doesn’t forward card economy but improves tactical defenses.
Comparatively, we spot Benevolent Bodyguard standing in a similar role with a noble purpose, but instead of a collective shield, it sacrifices itself to protect another. It’s a one-time use compared to the Reserves’ repeatable ability. Then there’s Selfless Spirit, a creature that offers a single, encompassing act of protection in the form of indestructibility, covering all creatures you control at a pivotal moment. While Volunteer Reserves requires a steady stream of mana investment, Selfless Spirit’s effect aims for a one-off yet resounding impact on the game state.
Each card holds strategic merit, yet Volunteer Reserves ensures a persistent presence, marking its territory by thwarting damage turn after turn, and establishing it as a sturdy controllable shield in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Volunteer Reserves by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Volunteer Reserves aides your defensive strategies without sacrificing your hand resources significantly. Controlling this card means bolstering your battlefield presence without the typical one-for-one trade-off, keeping your options wide open.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of mana, Volunteer Reserves can effectively preserve your resources. By providing a solid defensive line, it allows you to utilize your mana pool on critical turns for more impactful plays, pushing your game plan forward more efficiently.
Instant Speed: The ability to surprise your opponent by flashing in defenders can shift game dynamics instantly. The fact that Volunteer Reserves can be deployed at such speed adds a layer of tactical depth to your match, keeping opponents on their heels and forcing them to second guess their attacks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Volunteer Reserves card mandates a discard action that can deplete your hand, making it a potential liability in games where card advantage is critical.
Specific Mana Cost: Its white mana requirement narrows deck compatibility, potentially excluding the Volunteer Reserves from diverse mana base strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, including two white, Volunteer Reserves may be considered costly for its defensive benefits, especially when compared with other low-cost creatures or defensive spells.
Reasons to Include Volunteer Reserves in Your Collection
Versatility: Volunteer Reserves offers flexibility in white-based decks, serving as both a defensive and offensive asset. Its ability to block additional creatures makes it a solid choice for control strategies, as well as for adding depth to your defense in multiplayer formats.
Combo Potential: The card has synergy with effects that care about the number of creatures you control or those that benefit from activating tap abilities without actually tapping. It works well with cards that untap your creatures, allowing for robust defensive and offensive plays.
Meta-Relevance: Within the current landscape of MTG, Volunteer Reserves can be a key sideboard card against decks that flood the board with creatures. Its presence can swing matches in your favor, particularly in metas dominated by aggro strategies.
How to beat
Volunteer Reserves from Magic: The Gathering serves as a defensive barrier with its ability to prevent damage. This white card can be challenging to face for those relying on direct damage strategies to win the game. To effectively combat Volunteer Reserves, players need to look towards removal spells that can bypass this wall of defense. Cards like Wrath of God offer a clean solution by destroying all creatures, circumventing the damage prevention ability.
Alternatively, strategic plays involving bypassing creature defense altogether can work wonders. Employing spells that reduce a player’s life total directly or using abilities that cause loss of life instead of damage can nullify the effect of Volunteer Reserves. Furthermore, enchantments such as Pacifism can neutralize them without triggering their damage prevention clause by preventing them from blocking.
Remember, while Volunteer Reserves can be a formidable fortification, there are numerous tactics in your Magic: The Gathering arsenal to overcome it. Applying the suitable methods can turn this seemingly impassable guard into a minor obstacle on your path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Volunteer Reserves MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Mystery Booster, 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 Volunteer Reserves and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Volunteer Reserves Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Kev Walker.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-06-09 | Weatherlight | WTH | 29 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 268 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | WTH-29 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Volunteer Reserves has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Volunteer Reserves card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it. |
| 2008-10-01 | Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned. |
| 2008-10-01 | Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it’s not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can’t be made. For example, if a permanent with “cumulative upkeep ” has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay or sacrifice the permanent. |
| 2009-10-01 | If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment. |