Guided Passage MTG Card
2001-06-04 - Number 105
2019-11-07 - Number 1433
2022-07-08 - Number 503
2022-07-08 - Number 224
2020-09-26 - Number APC-105
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Key Takeaways
- Guided Passage allows curated card draws, aiding in maintaining game flow and strategy.
- The card requires a tri-color mana base, which impacts deck versatility and consistency.
- Despite the three mana cost, Guided Passage’s unique fetch mechanic can offer strategic advantage.
Text of card
Reveal the cards in your library. An opponent chooses from among them a creature card, a land card, and a noncreature, nonland card. You put the chosen cards into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Guided Passage offers a unique twist on card advantage. As you reveal your deck to an opponent, they choose three cards for you. This effect, although at the behest of an opponent, still nets you a land, a creature, and a non-creature spell, effectively curating elements that are fundamental for progressing your gameplay.
Resource Acceleration: While Guided Passage doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, it does ensure a land drop which can be crucial for keeping up the pace of play. This resource smoothing is a subtle form of acceleration that helps maintain consistency in your mana base over the course of a match.
Instant Speed: Guided Passage operates at sorcery speed, which encourages strategic planning for the most opportune moment of cast. This timing allows you to consider the composition of your deck and anticipate the opponent’s potential choices, turning a potential drawback into a considered tactic.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of using Guided Passage in your deck is that it does not require a discard as an additional cost, but it does hand the reins over to your opponent, potentially giving them the opportunity to disrupt your strategy by selecting the least beneficial cards from your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a diverse mana base to cast, as its cost includes one green, one red, and one blue mana. This specific mana cost can be challenging for decks that do not run all three colors, significantly limiting its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the ability to look for three cards in your deck can be advantageous, the three mana investment is significant when considering that you do not get to choose the cards. There are other multi-colored options in the game that can provide more control or direct benefits to your gameplay for a comparable or even lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Guided Passage in Your Collection
Versatility: Guided Passage offers an unexpected level of flexibility, catering to decks that thrive on being able to access a diverse set of tools. Its ability to fetch three different types of cards means you’re never caught without options.
Combo Potential: The nature of Guided Passage means it can seamlessly fit into strategies that reveal or benefit from manipulating cards from the deck. It’s a great enabler for setting up the pieces you need for a winning combination.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where knowing the current popular deck styles can give you a competitive edge, Guided Passage can be a useful sideboard card to help you adapt and overcome various meta-challenges.
How to Beat Guided Passage
Guided Passage is a unique card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, it stands out by allowing an opponent to delve into your deck and pull out a creature, a land, and a noncreature, nonland card for you. To counteract Guided Passage, you must employ a strategic deck construction. The key is to limit the number of beneficial choices your opponent can make. Tailor your deck with versatile cards having multiple functions to ensure whatever your opponent selects, you’re gaining resources that assist your game plan.
Another tactic for overcoming Guided Passage is to hold instant-speed removal or hand disruption abilities. This allows you to respond to the opponent’s choices effectively, possibly eliminating a creature they search for before it impacts the board. Using counter spells is also effective to prevent Guided Passage from resolving in the first place, ensuring that your opponent cannot benefit from searching your library.
Ultimately, it’s about foresight and manipulating your deck to turn the tables on your opponent. No matter which cards they choose, you remain in control and maintain the upper hand. Careful planning makes Guided Passage less of a hindrance and more of an intriguing challenge in your gameplay.
Cards like Guided Passage
Guided Passage stands out in the family of card advantage spells in Magic: The Gathering. When looking at counterparts, we may draw parallels with Fact or Fiction, which also reveals cards and offers a degree of selection to the player. Where Guided Passage diverges is in its unique ability to involve an opponent in the decision-making process by allowing them to choose the cards given from your deck. In contrast, Fact or Fiction places the decision in the hands of the caster.
Another similar card to consider is Gifts Ungiven. Like Guided Passage, this card involves an aspect of choice, but it runs deeper as it allows you to select four cards and then the opponent chooses two to go to your graveyard—which could even be an advantage depending on your strategy. Conversely, Guided Passage gives you no choice in the specific cards, but guarantees one of each type without any graveyard interaction.
Gleaning the nuances between these cards paints a clear picture of Guided Passage’s role within MTG. It’s a quirky yet potentially powerful card, offering a mix of predictability and strategy that is distinct within its category. Its collaborative yet competitive nature can offer unexpected advantages during gameplay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Guided Passage MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse 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 Guided Passage 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
Printings
The Guided Passage Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2001-06-04 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Alex Horley-Orlandelli.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-06-04 | Apocalypse | APC | 105 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1433 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | APC-105 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli | ||
| 4 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 503 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli | |
| 5 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 224 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Horley-Orlandelli |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Guided Passage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Guided Passage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If you have no cards of any of the specified card types, then ignore those types and the opponent only selects cards of the types you do have. |
| 2004-10-04 | Yes, your opponents get to look at all the cards in your library. |
