Leonin Armorguard MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Cat Soldier
Released	2009-04-30
Set symbol
Set name	Alara Reborn
Set code	ARB
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	72
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steven Belledin

Key Takeaways

Leonin Armorguard boosts creatures immediately, making it a game-changer during combat.
Its low cost synergizes with creature-heavy strategies, speeding up board dominance.
Demands creature discard for ability activation, which can limit strategic options.

Text of card

When Leonin Armorguard comes into play, creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.

Well suited are the nacatl to a coat of steel and forge-tempered claws.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Leonin Armorguard offers a dual advantage upon entering the battlefield—buffing your creatures and potentially improving your board presence. What makes it significant for your arsenal is its ability to give you leverage during combat phases and create favorable matchups against your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: While the Leonin Armorguard itself doesn’t directly produce resources, its low cost and synergy with other creatures can lead to an accelerated board state. It’s a catalytic addition in decks focusing on building a strong creature presence quickly, ensuring you’re ahead in the race for board control.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, the Leonin Armorguard’s ability correlates well with instant speed spells and tricks. By being a creature that can influence the board immediately upon entering, it ensures you maintain the ability to react to your opponent’s moves, while being flexible enough to leave mana available for instant speed interactions as needed.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Leonin Armorguard card demands that you discard another creature card to activate its ability. This requirement can be rather taxing, especially when your hand is already running low on creature cards, leaving you with fewer options to respond to opponents’ moves.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes both white and another arbitrary color, Leonin Armorguard may not fit seamlessly into multicolored decks, especially those that are mana-hungry or have a less stable mana base. This specificity can hinder the card’s versatility and limit the types of decks that can effectively utilize it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering the mana investment needed to put Leonin Armorguard into play, the benefits it offers might not always match up favorably with other creatures in the same mana range. Some players might find it less appealing when there are alternative creatures that either provide a greater immediate impact or have more potent abilities with lower mana requirements.

Reasons to Include Leonin Armorguard in Your Collection

Versatility: Leonin Armorguard offers a unique blend of aggressive stats with a supportive ability, making it a solid fit for decks focusing on creature-based strategies. Its ability to buff other creatures when it enters the battlefield allows for significant swing turns, developing both your board presence and overall control of the game.

Combo Potential: The Armorguard synergizes well with cards that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield or that incentivize wide, creature-heavy play. It can facilitate explosive plays in concert with flicker effects or populate mechanics, turning an already potent force into an overwhelming one.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting landscape of MTG play, having adaptable cards that support various deck archetypes becomes invaluable. The Leonin Armorguard’s blend of stats and utility ensures it stays relevant, especially in metas favoring creature interactions and multi-creature synergies.

How to beat

The Leonin Armorguard is a unique piece in the grand chessboard of MTG, belonging to a class of creatures that bolster the resilience of other creatures under your control. Navigating against it can be challenging, as its ability to boost the toughness of your creatures upon entering the battlefield creates an uphill battle. However, there are strategic maneuvers to outmaneuver this feline sentinel.

One effective tactic is to employ removal spells before the Leonin Armorguard’s ability triggers, such as using instant speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push to dispatch it without its effect taking place. You could also employ counterspells like Mana Leak or Negate to ensure it never hits the field at all. Additionally, leveraging board wipes such as Wrath of God can be decisive, eliminating the Armorguard along with all creatures you’re facing, irrespective of any temporary buffs they may have attained.

Remember, the key to besting the Leonin Armorguard lies in anticipation and timely reaction. By dismantling its alliances or preventing its deployment altogether, you can neutralize the strategic advantage it seeks to provide and maintain control over the battlefield’s balance.

Cards like Leonin Armorguard

The Leonin Armorguard card brings a unique twist to creature spells in MTG. At first glance, it can be compared to other creature spells that reward you with benefits upon entering the battlefield. Aven Riftwatcher, for instance, provides life gain during its entrance and exit from the game. While the Riftwatcher can impact life totals, the Leonin Armorguard instead bolsters your army directly with +1/+1 counters, which could turn the tide in a tense match.

Another related card worth discussing is Juniper Order Ranger. Like the Armorguard, the ranger excels in boosting your creatures. Yet, it differs significantly as the ranger adds counters for each creature coming into play, not just upon its own arrival. Though it requires a higher mana investment than the Armorguard, the ranger’s ability has the potential to steadily grow your forces over time.

When considering the benefits of creature enhancements in your deck, the Leonin Armorguard’s immediate impact and affordability in mana cost could make it an optimal choice for players seeking to strengthen their lineup promptly. Its synergies with other creatures that benefit from counters amplify its usefulness, making it a compelling option within the pantheon of creature spells in MTG.

Juniper Order Ranger - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Leonin Armorguard by color, type and mana cost

Heron's Grace Champion - MTG Card versions

Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn - MTG Card versions

Leinore, Autumn Sovereign - MTG Card versions

Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa - MTG Card versions

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice - MTG Card versions

Dr. Julius Jumblemorph - MTG Card versions

Shalai, Voice of Plenty - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Leonin Armorguard MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, 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 Leonin Armorguard and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Leonin Armorguard has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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