Guardian of Solitude MTG Card

Guardian of Solitude - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	64
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Stephen Tappin

Key Takeaways

Enhances strategic play by allowing card filtering at instant speed for tactical advantage.
Enables faster resource gain, potentially speeding up gameplay and strategies.
Requires careful hand management due to its discard mechanic and specific mana cost.

Text of card

Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, target creature gains flying until end of turn.

"It seemed an easy thing, to step into the nothingness, to fall, to die. But then, for an instant, I saw it, eyes filled with endless sorrow, and I turned back to face my pain." —Snow-Fur, kitsune poet

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Guardian of Solitude enhances your strategic depth by allowing seamless card filtering. It contributes to card advantage by letting you trade one card for another, ensuring you find the pieces you need during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: This card supports a swift escalation in resources, giving you the ability to expedite your game plan. Its effect can align with ramping strategies, making it easier to deploy high-impact cards ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The instant speed flexibility of Guardian of Solitude means you can react swiftly to your opponent’s moves. This adaptability makes it a versatile tool, capable of responding to threats or optimizing your position at crucial moments.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Guardian of Solitude requires players to part with a card from their hand to utilize its full potential, which could place them at a disadvantage if their hand is already depleted or if they’re unable to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise blend of mana, which includes both generic and color-specific requirements. This might restrict the types of decks that can comfortably accommodate the Guardian without straining their mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its effects, players may find that the Guardian of Solitude competes with other cards in its mana range that might contribute more effectively to the board state or provide more immediate value.

Reasons to Include Guardian of Solitude in Your Collection

Versatility: Guardian of Solitude can seamlessly integrate into multiple deck archetypes within MTG. As a creature with a potentially impactful ability, it can serve as both a defensive and offensive tool depending on the situation.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to modify the stats of creatures not only works well in isolation but can also be combined with strategies that revolve around counter placement and creature enhancement, unlocking new synergies and interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Given that MTG is an ever-evolving game where deck trends wax and wane, the Guardian of Solitude holds its ground by offering a counterbalance to aggressive strategies, making it a potential inclusion in decks aimed at maintaining board state control.

How to beat

Guardian of Solitude can have a significant impact in Magic: The Gathering games, providing subtlety and control to slow down opponents. This card lets its controller manipulate the battlefield by temporarily removing creatures during a spell cast. To circumvent this, it’s essential to limit spell casting when Guardian of Solitude is in play, or to use instant-speed removals when it’s tapped out or when the timing is least beneficial for your opponent. Having spells that can’t be countered, like Supreme Verdict or Abrupt Decay, also provides an avenue to outmaneuver the Guardian’s ability.

Another strategy is to focus on non-creature spells or to employ abilities that don’t cast spells, as these won’t trigger the Guardian’s effect. Alternatively, attacking your opponent’s mana base can restrict their ability to cast spells and therefore use the Guardian’s ability to full effect. Lastly, considering the Guardian has to be tapped to use its ability, creatures with vigilance or those that can remove summoning sickness quickly can also be advantageous in outpacing the Guardian’s influence on the game.

Understanding the nuances of timing and the types of spells and abilities in your deck will ultimately be the key to conquering the challenge posed by Guardian of Solitude and maintaining control of the game state.

Cards like Guardian of Solitude

Guardian of Solitude joins the roster of Magic: The Gathering creatures that excel at maneuvering the battlefield. This card is a close kin to creatures like Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive, granting unblockability but with a focus on bolstering spell-slinger strategies. While Tetsuko has a static ability affecting creatures with power or toughness 1, Guardian of Solitude requires spell casting to trigger its evasion, catering to decks that cast numerous spells per turn.

Featuring the spirit of self-enabling rogue strategies, Looter il-Kor is another creature providing a comparable benefit. The key difference lies in the Looter’s established value through its built-in card filtering ability, demanding a more proactive engagement in combat. On the other hand, Guardian of Solitude offers a repeated benefit for those who can consistently cast spells, making it potentially more versatile in the right setup. Lastly, Mist-Cloaked Herald’s simplicity as an unblockable creature provides a direct comparison, showcasing an evergreen approach to evasion without the need for additional spells.

Guardian of Solitude may not be as straightforward as some of its counterparts, but it shines in environments where spells are cast frequently, providing repeated value throughout the game.

Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Guardian of Solitude by color, type and mana cost

Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Guardian of Solitude MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Guardian of Solitude and other MTG cards: