Light of Promise MTG Card


Light of Promise - Core Set 2021
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2021
Set codeM21
Number25
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCristi Balanescu

Key Takeaways

  1. Boosts creatures with +1/+1 counters, becoming a significant threat through lifegain synergy.
  2. Enables snowball effect without extra mana, significantly outpacing opponents.
  3. Instant speed life gains allow surprise boosts in combat or at turn’s end.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature has "Whenever you gain life, put that many +1/+1 counters on this creature."

The light washed over him, and in the wind he heard the roars of all the pridemates who had come before.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Light of Promise presents a unique form of card advantage by potentially amassing a significant number of +1/+1 counters on a single creature. This advantage proliferates as the enchanted creature grows, turning it into a more formidable threat each time you gain life.

Resource Acceleration: While the Light of Promise itself doesn’t directly provide mana acceleration, the powerful synergies it offers can lead to a snowball effect. As the counters accumulate, it can help a player outpace their opponent by putting an effectively larger creature on board without additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: Although Light of Promise is an enchantment and doesn’t operate at instant speed, it pairs wonderfully with instant-speed life gain spells. These interactions allow you to beef up your creatures unexpectedly during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, catching them off guard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Light of Promise demands a particular setup to work efficiently, especially a creature to place the counters on. Without a suitable target on board, possessing this card in hand could lead to suboptimal plays or waiting turns for proper setup.

Specific Mana Cost: Carrying a white mana cost, Light of Promise fits primarily into white or white-inclusive decks, which might not always align with a player’s strategy, especially if they’re running a deck that doesn’t support life gain synergies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The three mana investment needed to cast Light of Promise could be seen as a hurdle when considering its impact. In a fast-paced game, dedicating three mana to an aura that does not provide immediate board presence or advantage could set a player behind, particularly if the opponent has a strategy that disrupts auras or creature permanents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Light of Promise offers a unique flexibility by turning any creature into a scaling threat. Its ability to accumulate +1/+1 counters can seamlessly integrate into decks that are focused on lifegain or +1/+1 counter synergies.

Combo Potential: Coupled with cards that provide consistent lifegain, Light of Promise can quickly transform even the most unassuming creatures into formidable threats, making it a linchpin in explosive combo setups.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where games may extend into the late rounds, decks harnessing lifegain strategies can find Light of Promise a valuable asset, as it capitalizes on sustained lifegain to create overwhelming board presences.


How to beat

The Light of Promise is a unique enchant creature aura in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering an escalating potential for a lifelink creature to become an immense threat. Its strategy rests on accruing +1/+1 counters in alignment with life gained, which can quickly turn the tide of battle in favor of the enchanted creature’s controller.

In the face of this mounting threat, removing the aura or its host creature is paramount. Instant speed removal such as Disenchant or Murderous Rider can efficiently disrupt this synergy before the counters grow out of control. Counterspells like Negate also hold power for preemptively halting the Light of Promise from hitting the board. Furthermore, since the enchantment’s strength is directly tied to the creature it adorns, cards that prevent life gain like Tibalt, Rakish Instigator, nullify the aura’s advantages altogether.

Ultimately, staying ahead of the curve with swift removal and life gain disruption tactics can keep Light of Promise from illuminating a path to victory for your opponent, ensuring control remains on your side of the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the world of MTG requires both strategic deck building and an awareness of card potential. Light of Promise exemplifies these principles by enabling life gain synergies to pivot the battlefield to your advantage. As you consider integrating this card into your collection, embrace the journey of refining your deck for pivotal lifegain interactions. For those prepared to craft a deck around Light of Promise, the payoff is a dramatically strengthened creature that escalates your offensive capabilities. To further explore this card’s dynamics and perfect your gameplay, we encourage you to learn more about optimizing lifegain strategies with us.


Cards like Light of Promise

In the realm of Magic the Gathering, Light of Promise carves out a niche for itself as a unique enchantment. It shares similarities with cards such as Sunbond, which grants an analogous benefit of placing +1/+1 counters on a creature as you gain life. While Sunbond works on a one-for-one basis with life gain, Light of Promise accelerates this with three counters for every one life you gain, potentially magnifying a creature’s power exponentially in a single turn.

Alternatively, Cradle of Vitality also embarks on a similar journey, offering the option to pay mana to place +1/+1 counters on a creature whenever you gain life. The flexibility of choosing when to pay with Cradle of Vitality contrasts with Light of Promise’s mandatory nature but lacks its aggressive growth potential.

In essence, when aligning the traits and appraising the effectiveness among life-linking enchantments in Magic the Gathering, Light of Promise stands out for its aggressive and substantial bolstering of creatures, making it a prime choice for players looking to amplify their battlefield presence swiftly.

Sunbond - MTG Card versions
Cradle of Vitality - MTG Card versions
Sunbond - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Cradle of Vitality - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Cards similar to Light of Promise by color, type and mana cost

Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Fortified Area - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
Aura of Silence - MTG Card versions
Empyrial Armor - MTG Card versions
Pariah - MTG Card versions
Cessation - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
Samite Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Tattoo Ward - MTG Card versions
Sparring Regimen - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Damping Field - Antiquities (ATQ)
Farmstead - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Fortified Area - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Cooperation - Ice Age (ICE)
Noble Steeds - Alliances (ALL)
Aura of Silence - The List (PLST)
Empyrial Armor - Weatherlight (WTH)
Pariah - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Cessation - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Arrest - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Glorious Anthem - Core Set 2021 Promos (PM21)
Samite Sanctuary - Prophecy (PCY)
Tattoo Ward - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparring Regimen - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Shielded by Faith - Signature Spellbook: Gideon (SS2)
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Oblivion Ring - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Cage of Hands - Commander Legends (CMR)
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - The List (PLST)
Guardian's Magemark - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Light of Promise MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Light of Promise and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Light of Promise has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-06-23 Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, the ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
2020-06-23 If enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage at the same time that you gain life, it won't receive a counter from its ability in time to save it.
2020-06-23 If you gain an amount of life “for each” of something, that life is gained as one event and the ability triggers only once.
2020-06-23 In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won't cause the ability to trigger, even though it caused your team's life total to increase.

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