Wingshield Agent MTG Card

Provides card advantage and encourages defensive play with potential for strategic card draws. Enables resource preservation while maintaining board presence and enhancing defensive tactics. Its instant speed synergy allows for impactful plays during crucial phases of the game.

Wingshield Agent - Streets of New Capenna

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2022-04-29
Set symbol
Set name	Streets of New Capenna
Set code	SNC
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	64
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Aaron J. Riley

Text of card

Wingshield Agent enters the battlefield with a shield counter on it. (If it would be dealt damage or destroyed, remove a shield counter from it instead.) Whenever Wingshield Agent attacks, up to one other target creature gains flying until end of turn.

Cards like Wingshield Agent

Wingshield Agent is a recent addition to the lineup of creatures that provide a defensive edge in Magic: The Gathering. Remarkably, this card shares synergy with creatures like Tenth District Veteran, as both support the vigilant stance in gameplay. However, Wingshield Agent offers a unique twist with its ability to gain a +1/+1 counter whenever it blocks, something the Tenth District Veteran lacks. This not only can create a sturdy blocker but also a growing threat for your opponent.

In a similar light, Sentry of the Pearl Trident also brings something interesting to the table. While it doesn’t grow through blocking, it can protect another valuable creature on your battlefield with its flash ability. The utility is different, but players can appreciate the versatility it adds to defense strategies.

Moreover, the Wingshield Agent is akin to Lagonna-Band Elder in the sense that both cards reward players for having a strong focus on enchantments. Despite the different ways they operate within this archetype, the potential for incremental advantage over time lends a strategic depth to deck building choices. Through comparing these creatures, Wingshield Agent showcases its unique role in a player’s defensive lineup within Magic: The Gathering.

Tenth District Veteran - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wingshield Agent can provide significant advantages in card economy by encouraging a more defensive play, due to its mechanic that can potentially draw cards or deter opponents from attacking.

Resource Acceleration: This card offers resource acceleration as it allows you to maintain board presence without the need to expend additional cards, effectively saving those resources for other strategic plays.

Instant Speed: While the Wingshield Agent itself is not an instant, it benefits from having instant speed supporting cards in your deck that can interact or enhance its capabilities during critical phases of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Wingshield Agent presents a potential disadvantage for players as it demands a card be discarded to activate certain abilities. This can lead to a depletion of hand resources, making it challenging for a player to maintain card advantage, especially if their strategy relies heavily on a full grip.

Specific Mana Cost: Another limitation of the Wingshield Agent is its color-weighted mana cost. Being tied to specific colors could restrict the card’s inclusion to decks that can accommodate its mana requirements, possibly excluding it from more versatile or multi-color deck builds that do not support its color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although it offers unique abilities, Wingshield Agent’s mana value might be considered on the higher end for its effects. In the landscape of MTG cards, there are other creatures or spells that provide similar or greater value for the same or less mana investment, potentially overshadowing the utility of this particular agent in competitive play.

Reasons to Include Wingshield Agent in Your Collection

Versatility: Wingshield Agent can seamlessly slot into various decks due to its ability to protect itself and other key creatures with its shield counters. This makes it a strong addition to both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card opens up opportunities to engage with +1/+1 counter synergies or proliferate mechanics, where maximizing the number of counters on creatures elevates your board presence substantially.

Meta-Relevance: With many decks focusing on removal to control the battlefield, Wingshield Agent’s resilience can maintain your board state, giving you a sturdy foothold in a fluctuating competitive environment.

How to Beat Wingshield Agent

Wingshield Agent serves as an intriguing defensive choice for those looking to fortify their ground in Magic the Gathering. With its shield mechanic, granting it an additional +1/+1 counter whenever you cast a multicolored spell, it becomes sturdy against common attacks. Its ability makes direct confrontation risky, as it has the potential to outgrow threats rapidly.

To effectively deal with Wingshield Agent, consider utilizing removal spells that don’t rely on damage, such as exile or bounce effects. Cards like Swords to Plowshares bypass the counter accumulation, removing the threat without triggering its ability. Alternatively, countering the spell upon cast nullifies the threat altogether. Keeping pressure on opponents to restrain their multicolored spellcasting can also impede the Agent’s growth, making it more manageable over the course of the game.

When strategizing against Wingshield Agent, remember that this card can pivot from a passive defender to an imposing attacker if left unchecked. Immediate action or restraint of the opponent’s multicolored spellcasting are your prime levies against this rising force on the battlefield. Adapt your game plan accordingly to maintain control and overcome this obstacle.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wingshield Agent MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 Wingshield Agent and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wingshield Agent has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2022-04-29	A creature with a shield counter on it may still be destroyed by state-based actions if it has damage marked on it equal to its toughness or has been dealt unpreventable damage by a source with deathtouch.
2022-04-29	If a permanent that would be dealt damage has more than one shield counter on it, that damage is prevented and only one shield counter is removed.
2022-04-29	If a permanent with a shield counter is dealt unpreventable damage, that damage will be dealt and a shield counter will still be removed.
2022-04-29	Removing a shield counter in this way isn't the same as regenerating a creature.
2022-04-29	Shield counters don't prevent players from sacrificing creatures.
2022-04-29	“Shield” is not an ability that creatures have and shield counters are not keyword counters. If a creature with a shield counter loses its abilities, the shield counter will still protect it as normal.