Ajani's Welcome MTG Card


Ajani's Welcome - Core Set 2019
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released2018-07-13
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2019
Set codeM19
Number6
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byEric Deschamps

Key Takeaways

  1. Ajani’s Welcome leverages creature summons to provide consistent life boosts, adding strategic depth to gameplay.
  2. Mana-specific and requires creature presence, which can limit versatility in some MTG deck builds.
  3. Enhances creature-heavy decks and those utilizing life gain triggers, proving to be a valuable collection addition.

Text of card

Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life.

"You cannot defend others if your own well-being is neglected."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Ajani’s Welcome doesn’t directly draw you additional cards, it helps maintain a sense of card advantage by effectively increasing the value of each creature you play. With every new creature entering the battlefield, the enchantment’s ability triggers, bolstering your life total and putting you in a stronger position against your opponent without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: Ajani’s Welcome may not accelerate your mana resources directly, but improved life total can sometimes be just as critical. This enchantment sets you a step ahead, providing a buffer that could allow you to be more aggressive with your life as a resource for cards that have life payment as part of their cost.

Instant Speed: Though Ajani’s Welcome itself isn’t played at instant speed, it creates a situation where any creature spell you cast effectively comes with an added instant-like benefit. This synergizes well with creatures that can be flashed in, giving you a strategic edge by maximizing the unexpected life gain during your opponent’s turn or at the end of their turn to set up for your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike cards that provide benefits with no strings attached, Ajani’s Welcome requires a significant ongoing condition to be met for it to be effective. You must continuously summon creatures to gain the incremental life benefit, which might not be sustainable in all game phases, especially when facing strategies that limit creature presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Ajani’s Welcome demands a specific white mana for its casting. This cost restricts the card to decks that run white mana, potentially limiting its versatility. Additionally, in a multicolored deck, the mana could be better allocated toward more impactful spells with broader color identities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While only costing a single white mana, in fast-paced games, the opportunity cost of playing Ajani’s Welcome could be considered high. In scenarios where early game tempo is critical, other one-mana spells could provide immediate board presence or disruption. This makes Ajani’s Welcome less appealing in aggressive or tempo-oriented decks that would prefer to establish a board presence or interact with the opponent right away.


Reasons to Include Ajani’s Welcome in Your Collection

Versatility: Ajani’s Welcome offers consistent life gain across various game phases, seamlessly integrating with decks that capitalize on life total as a resource.

Combo Potential: This enchantment synergizes effortlessly with creature-heavy strategies or cards that trigger upon life gain, enhancing both offensive and defensive plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment that rewards enduring longer games or countering aggressive tactics, Ajani’s Welcome’s life-gaining ability can be a crucial addition to sustain and stabilize.


How to beat

At its core, Ajani’s Welcome is a white enchantment known for bolstering life totals each time a creature comes into play on your side. Its mechanism rewards you for flooding the battlefield with creatures, which can quickly tip the scales in a game. Dealing with this card means disrupting the strategy it supports.

Controlling the field with sweepers like Wrath of God can prevent the life gain from becoming overwhelming. Spot removal or counter spells are less effective against Ajani’s Welcome itself but can keep the board clear of creatures, effectively negating the enchantment’s benefits. Winning the game against a deck that features Ajani’s Welcome often includes an aspect of racing; you’ll want to execute your win condition quickly while managing the opposing creature threats and preventing your opponent from capitalizing on their life gain.

Enchantment removal spells like Disenchant are also direct answers to remove Ajani’s Welcome from the battlefield. Planning your moves to deal with it before it generates significant life gain could give you a definitive edge. In summary, your strategy against Ajani’s Welcome should focus on inhibiting creature play and countering strategies reliant on life gain, while advancing your victory objectives.


BurnMana Recommendations

The world of MTG is vast, and understanding the ecosystem of cards like Ajani’s Welcome is crucial to mastering the game. Knowledge of card advantages, resource acceleration, and strategic plays helps tailor your deck to its full potential. To enhance your gameplay and harness the power of cards like Ajani’s Welcome, gaining a deeper insight into MTG mechanics is key. Discover new strategies, improve your deck-building skills, and stay ahead of the meta. We invite you to embark on this journey of continuous learning and growth. Ready for the next level of MTG expertise? Dive in with us to become a more formidable player.


Cards like Ajani's Welcome

Ajani’s Welcome stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a key lifegain enchantment. It shares its life-gaining trait with cards like Soul Warden, which also gives you 1 life whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control. While both cards excel in creature-heavy decks, Ajani’s Welcome has the advantage of not being a creature itself, making it less vulnerable to removal spells that target creatures specifically.

Another card akin to Ajani’s Welcome is Authority of the Consuls. This enchantment not only grants 1 life when an opponent’s creature comes into play but also taps that creature, providing a strategic advantage by delaying your opponent’s offense. Although Authority of the Consuls covers a broader scenario, Ajani’s Welcome’s lower mana cost makes it a more accessible option early in the game.

Examining the lifegain theme further, we encounter Fountain of Renewal. This artifact provides a steady lifegain with 1 life at the beginning of your upkeep. Unlike Ajani’s Welcome, its lifegain isn’t conditional on creature play, but it lacks the immediate impact of multiple creature drops in a single turn. Promoting an array of strategic plays, Ajani’s Welcome secures its place in decks looking to benefit from each creature summoning.

Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Authority of the Consuls - MTG Card versions
Fountain of Renewal - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - Exodus (EXO)
Authority of the Consuls - Kaladesh (KLD)
Fountain of Renewal - Core Set 2019 (M19)

Cards similar to Ajani's Welcome by color, type and mana cost

White Ward - MTG Card versions
Green Ward - MTG Card versions
Holy Strength - MTG Card versions
Lance - MTG Card versions
Consecrate Land - MTG Card versions
Animate Wall - MTG Card versions
Black Ward - MTG Card versions
Holy Armor - MTG Card versions
Blue Ward - MTG Card versions
Land Tax - MTG Card versions
Brainwash - MTG Card versions
Green Scarab - MTG Card versions
Blue Scarab - MTG Card versions
Spirit Link - MTG Card versions
Armor of Faith - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Armor - MTG Card versions
Flickering Ward - MTG Card versions
Limited Resources - MTG Card versions
Mask of Law and Grace - MTG Card versions
Shield of Duty and Reason - MTG Card versions
White Ward - Revised Edition (3ED)
Green Ward - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Holy Strength - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Lance - Revised Edition (3ED)
Consecrate Land - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Animate Wall - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Black Ward - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Holy Armor - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Blue Ward - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Land Tax - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Brainwash - The Dark (DRK)
Green Scarab - Ice Age (ICE)
Blue Scarab - Ice Age (ICE)
Spirit Link - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Armor of Faith - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Kithkin Armor - Weatherlight (WTH)
Flickering Ward - Tempest (TMP)
Limited Resources - Exodus (EXO)
Mask of Law and Grace - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Shield of Duty and Reason - Apocalypse (APC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ajani's Welcome MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019, 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 Ajani's Welcome and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ajani's Welcome has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks