Honor's Reward MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Bolster |
| Released | 2015-01-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Fate Reforged |
| Set code | FRF |
| Number | 14 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Izzy |
Key Takeaways
- Provides instant card advantage through life gain and supports life-based deck triggers and dynamics.
- Enables quick adaptation during matches with its instant-speed flexibility, crucial for strategic MTG play.
- Presents a boon for decks by offering both life gain and +1/+1 counters, enhancing creatures during play.
Text of card
You gain 4 life. Bolster 2. (Choose a creature with the least toughness among creatures you control and put two +1/+1 counters on it.)
It seldom rains in Abzan lands. When it does, the khan marks the occasion by honoring the families of the fallen.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Honor’s Reward, players gain notable card advantage by gaining life which, in certain deck archetypes, can translate into additional draw or other beneficial triggers, enhancing in-game tactics and card economy.
Resource Acceleration: This spell potentially offers a significant uptick in your resource acceleration strategy. By providing life gain, it supports archetypes that thrive on life changes, potentially unlocking new plays or synergies far earlier than usual, contributing to a swifter and more dynamic board presence.
Instant Speed: The versatility that Honor’s Reward provides at instant speed is critical in any MTG match. It allows players to operate reactively, adapting to threats or opportunities as they come. Using this spell during an opponent’s end step can improve your board state without sacrificing your own tempo, making it a strategic tool in any player’s arsenal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Honor’s Reward necessitates adequate card advantage to be beneficial, as lacking sufficient hand size might nullify its potential rewards.
Specific Mana Cost: This card calls for a precise combination of colored mana, which could be a hurdle in multicolored or color-constrained decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost needed to harness Honor’s Reward may not align with the pace of some strategies, diminishing its overall effectiveness in faster game formats.
Reasons to Include Honor’s Reward in Your Collection
Versatility: Honor’s Reward boasts a flexible place in various deck archetypes. Whether you’re piloting a lifegain deck or one focused on +1/+1 counters, its ability to provide both instantly makes it a utility player in matches.
Combo Potential: This card pairs exceptionally well with abilities that trigger on life gain or when +1/+1 counters are placed. In decks that capitalize on these mechanics, Honor’s Reward can serve as a catalyst for powerful combo plays.
Meta-Relevance: Within a meta that rewards quick shifts in life totals or bolstering creatures out of harm’s way, Honor’s Reward offers subtle yet pivotal advantages. It is particularly potent in metas where its two-for-one benefit can outpace opponents gearing for aggressive or attrition-based strategies.
How to beat
Honor’s Reward is an intriguing card that can be a game-changer for players in MTG, providing a way to gain life while strengthening creatures. To effectively counter this card, players need to focus on timing and denial strategies. A well-timed Counterspell can prevent Honor’s Reward from ever taking effect. Removal cards played in response to Honor’s Reward can efficiently neutralize the creature targeted by the spell, rendering the life gain aspect less impactful.
Strategies involving graveyard manipulation can also be effective. Cards that exile from graveyards can remove Honor’s Reward before it has the chance to be reused from the graveyard by effects that recur instants. Players should ensure they are equipped with versatile disruption in their decks to anticipate and counter the diverse possibilities that Honor’s Reward presents. Understanding the pivotal moments to intervene and the key targets to eliminate helps ensure that Honor’s Reward does not tip the scales too far in the opponent’s favor.
Remember, it is essential to monitor both life totals and creature states, but disrupting the gratification from a card like Honor’s Reward can effectively maintain control of the game’s progression. Tactics like these are crucial in turning the potential advantage of Honor’s Reward into a non-issue.
Cards like Honor's Reward
Honor’s Reward is an engaging card within the life gain strategy niche of Magic: The Gathering. The card offers a burst of life combined with bolster, a mechanic that strengthens the weakest creatures on the battlefield. Looking at the broader MTG card pool, there are cards like Heroes’ Reunion that deliver a substantial life gain effect. Heroes’ Reunion provides immediate seven life points at instant speed, but lacks any buff to creatures.
Another card that resonates with Honor’s Reward is Feat of Resistance. This spell not only increases a creature’s power and toughness but also grants protection from a color of your choice. While it doesn’t provide the direct life gain that Honor’s Reward does, the protection effect can be pivotal during combat.
When exploring the synergy and potential impact on gameplay, Honor’s Reward holds up admirably thanks to its dual utility, offering life gain and permanently empowering creatures—a multifaceted approach that can swing games in your favor.
Cards similar to Honor's Reward by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Honor's Reward MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Honor's Reward 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Honor's Reward has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Honor's Reward card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-11-24 | Bolster itself doesn’t target any creature, though some spells and abilities that bolster may have other effects that target creatures. For example, you could put counters on a creature with protection from white with Abzan Skycaptain’s bolster ability. |
| 2014-11-24 | You determine which creature to put counters on as the spell or ability that instructs you to bolster resolves. |
