Dauntless Escort MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Rhino Soldier
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Doubles as a protector against board wipes and a keeper of mana-generating creatures on the field.
  2. Instant-speed ability offers flexible defense, countering removal spells and preserving board presence.
  3. Requires strategic mana management and can be restrictive for multicolor deck casting requirements.

Text of card

Sacrifice Dauntless Escort: Creatures you control are indestructible this turn.

Elspeth's squires do not seek advancement. For them, no knightly glory could surpass the glory of serving their champion.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Dauntless Escort doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to prevent your creatures from being destroyed can be seen as a form of indirect card advantage. It keeps your board presence secure against sweepers, meaning you maintain your existing hand and battlefield advantage without needing to repopulate the board.

Resource Acceleration: Dauntless Escort itself may not generate additional mana, but by safeguarding your other creatures, it ensures that any of your creatures with mana abilities remain on the field. This defensive measure maintains your resource acceleration by protecting key creatures integral to your mana strategy.

Instant Speed: The primary strength of Dauntless Escort lies in its activated ability, which can be used at instant speed. This gives players the flexibility to respond to threats on the battlefield instantaneously. Activating its ability during an opponent’s turn in response to a board wipe or removal can swiftly negate the opposition’s attempt to set you back.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Dauntless Escort doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, it often requires strategic hand management to ensure you have creatures to benefit from its ability. Holding onto creatures rather than playing them, in anticipation of using the Escort’s ability, can sometimes feel like a soft discard requirement, possibly hindering your board development.

Specific Mana Cost: Dauntless Escort requires both green and white mana to cast, which could limit its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both colors. For players running three or more colors, including Dauntless Escort may pose a challenge for their mana base, potentially affecting the deck’s consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one green and one white, Dauntless Escort might be deemed costly when compared to other creatures with similar effects or stats. The mana cost becomes particularly noticeable when planning to utilize its sacrificing ability, as you need to keep three mana open to protect your board, putting constraints on your turn’s plays.


Reasons to Include Dauntless Escort in Your Collection

Versatility: Dauntless Escort serves as a robust addition to creature-centric decks, providing a safeguard against board wipes that threaten your army of creatures. Its ability to protect a wide array of creatures makes it a valuable asset in various strategies, from aggro to mid-range builds.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard or being sacrificed, Dauntless Escort can be a part of devastating combo plays. Plus, it can enable repeatable protection effects when paired with methods to bring it back from the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: As long as the MTG metagame includes strategies that rely heavily on mass destruction spells to clear the board, Dauntless Escort remains a relevant tool to counteract those tactics and maintain a formidable presence on the battlefield.


How to beat

Dauntless Escort is a potent tool for safeguarding creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It’s a creature card that allows a player to sacrifice it to grant their other creatures indestructible until the end of the turn. This means your usual burn spells and board wipes won’t be effective while it is on the battlefield. To surmount this challenge, consider using exile effects or forced sacrifice mechanics which bypass the indestructible trait. Cards like Path to Exile or Diabolic Edict can effectively remove Dauntless Escort or its protected minions from the battlefield.

Another strategy is to preemptively disrupt your opponent’s creatures before Dauntless Escort can be activated. You can apply control elements like counterspells or hand disruption techniques to prevent your opponent from ever deploying the Escort. Alternatively, use instant-speed removal in response to the activation of its ability. This requires precise timing but can effectively nullify the advantage it gives. Consistently assessing and responding to the state of the game with these strategies in mind can turn the tides against Dauntless Escort and maintain your competitive edge.

In summary, though Dauntless Escort can seem daunting, an adept player can counter it with the right removal tools, control tactics, and a sharpened sense of timing. Effective use of these strategies can ensure that this card does not become a roadblock in your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The depth of strategy in MTG is what makes the game truly compelling. Dauntless Escort embodies this complexity, offering protection and resilience to your forces in the face of overwhelming odds. Whether bolstering your deck’s defenses or synergizing with other cards for powerful combos, this card can be a linchpin in your strategy. With careful consideration of the metagame and an understanding of your deck’s needs, including Dauntless Escort could be a decisive move. Deepen your knowledge and refine your gameplay with smart card choices. Discover more insights and become a formidable contender in the MTG arena. Join the community of strategic thinkers and deck builders who are always learning and evolving.


Cards like Dauntless Escort

Dauntless Escort stands out as a pivotal card for creature protection in Magic: The Gathering. This esteemed card mirrors the abilities of similar cards like Selfless Spirit. Both can sacrifice themselves to safeguard your creatures from being destroyed. However, Dauntless Escort has the upper hand as it shields all other creatures you control, not just itself.

Comparably, Heroic Intervention provides an almost parallel service by granting your creatures indestructible until the end of the turn. Although it is an instant, unlike the Escort which requires the creature to be on the battlefield to activate its ability. This provides a different angle of reliability and timing. Then we have Make a Stand, which also renders your creatures indestructible for a turn, and it bolsters them with a modest power boost.

After examining their capabilities, Dauntless Escort is an admirable choice within the suite of defensive spells. Its ability to act as a constant guardian until needed, combined with its substantial body, makes it a formidable card for safeguarding one’s board in Magic: The Gathering. It brings a balanced mix of threat and shield to the game, securing its rank among similar protective strategies.

Selfless Spirit - MTG Card versions
Heroic Intervention - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions
Selfless Spirit - Eldritch Moon (EMN)
Heroic Intervention - Aether Revolt (AER)
Make a Stand - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Cards similar to Dauntless Escort by color, type and mana cost

Beast Walkers - MTG Card versions
Radiant Essence - MTG Card versions
Ranger en-Vec - MTG Card versions
Noble Panther - MTG Card versions
Benalish Emissary - MTG Card versions
Hedge Troll - MTG Card versions
Anurid Brushhopper - MTG Card versions
Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers - MTG Card versions
Oracle of Nectars - MTG Card versions
Kitchen Finks - MTG Card versions
Knight of the Reliquary - MTG Card versions
Centaur Healer - MTG Card versions
Chronicler of Heroes - MTG Card versions
Selvala, Explorer Returned - MTG Card versions
Veteran Warleader - MTG Card versions
Joraga Auxiliary - MTG Card versions
Renegade Rallier - MTG Card versions
Wayfaring Temple - MTG Card versions
Pride Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Atzocan Seer - MTG Card versions
Beast Walkers - Homelands (HML)
Radiant Essence - Mirage (MIR)
Ranger en-Vec - Anthologies (ATH)
Noble Panther - Invasion (INV)
Benalish Emissary - Invasion (INV)
Hedge Troll - Planar Chaos Promos (PPLC)
Anurid Brushhopper - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Oracle of Nectars - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Kitchen Finks - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Knight of the Reliquary - Historic Anthology 2 (HA2)
Centaur Healer - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Chronicler of Heroes - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Selvala, Explorer Returned - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Veteran Warleader - Battle for Zendikar Promos (PBFZ)
Joraga Auxiliary - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Renegade Rallier - Friday Night Magic 2017 (F17)
Wayfaring Temple - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Pride Sovereign - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
Atzocan Seer - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dauntless Escort MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Commander 2016, 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 Dauntless Escort and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dauntless Escort Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 672003normalblackVolkan Baǵa
22016-11-11Commander 2016C16 1922015normalblackVolkan Baǵa
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1992015normalblackVolkan Baǵa
42022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4842015normalblackVolkan Baǵa

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dauntless Escort has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-07-01 If any creature leaves your control, it will retain indestructible.
2013-07-01 Lethal damage and effects that say “destroy” won’t cause a creature with indestructible to be put into the graveyard. However, a creature with indestructible can be put into the graveyard for a number of reasons. The most likely reasons are if it’s sacrificed, if it’s legendary and another legendary creature with the same name is controlled by the same player, or if its toughness is 0 or less.
2013-07-01 Once Dauntless Escort’s ability resolves, the set of creatures it affects is locked in. It won’t affect creatures that enter the battlefield after the ability has finished resolving.

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