Icatian Priest MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage by enhancing creatures without expending additional cards.
  2. Optimizes mana in the late game, converting resources directly into power.
  3. Provides instant speed flexibility, forcing opponents to anticipate unexpected power shifts.

Text of card

o1o Wo W: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

"May you be strong and valiant, to defeat the enemies of the pure." —"Leitbur's Prayer"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Icatian Priest itself doesn’t directly provide extra cards, its ability to repeatedly bolster other creatures makes each of your creature plays more valuable. Essentially, you stretch the utility of your cards further, obtaining a tactical benefit each time you use the Priest’s ability efficiently.

Resource Acceleration: Icatian Priest doesn’t create additional mana or tokens. However, its ability can be a form of resource acceleration in the sense that it allows the optimization of your mana usage. By investing mana into the Priest’s ability, you enhance your board state without the need for playing additional cards, thus accelerating your effective use of in-game resources.

Instant Speed: The Priest’s power lies in its ability to use its skill at instant speed. This means you have the flexibility to wait until the most strategic moment to strengthen your creatures, such as in the midst of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn. The element of surprise and adaptability this affords cannot be overstated, making the Icatian Priest a versatile tool in many situations.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Icatian Priest’s activation cost demands a single white mana, restricting its utility to decks that can reliably produce white mana.

Discard Requirement: Despite not having a discard requirement itself, Icatian Priest might be a less advantageous choice in a hand where every card counts, particularly against decks that force discard.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its abilities, Icatian Priest has a susceptible initial casting cost and a subsequent investment to bolster other creatures, which may be steep compared to other creatures or buffs in a player’s arsenal.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Icatian Priest card is a classic that can adapt to a variety of deck builds. Its ability to incrementally boost a creature’s power makes it a useful support card, whether you’re fortifying defense or enhancing your attackers for a powerful strike.

Combo Potential: Icatian Priest’s ability synergizes well with strategies that benefit from tap and untap mechanics. By combining it with cards that allow for multiple uses of abilities in a single turn, you can maximize its potential.

Meta-Relevance: As the game environment fluctuates, a card like Icatian Priest maintains relevance through its enduring utility in creature-focused decks, making it a thoughtful addition to any collection aiming for longevity despite changing metas.


How to beat

Icatian Priest is a unique creature card in the vast world of MTG, offering a persistent threat with its ability to boost other creatures. However, like any card, it has its vulnerabilities. To outmaneuver Icatian Priest, target the tempo. Deploying removal spells that can deal with the Priest before it becomes a multiplying force on the battlefield is key. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can efficiently remove it from play before your opponent has the chance to leverage its power.

Alternatively, pre-emptively controlling the board with cards that can shut down activated abilities, such as Pithing Needle or Phyrexian Revoker, can nullify the Priest’s effect, rendering it an ordinary creature. This strategic play disrupts your opponent’s plans and keeps the Priest’s boosts at bay. Lastly, remember that Icatian Priest’s strength lies in the late game where mana is plentiful. Maintaining pressure and keeping the match at a swift pace can prevent your opponent from ever fully utilising their Priest to its fullest potential.


Cards like Icatian Priest

Icatian Priest is an intriguing creature in Magic: The Gathering that offers versatile support on the battlefield. Its ability to bolster other creatures’ power sets it alongside other notable cards such as Elite Scaleguard, which also provides a way to strengthen your army. Where Icatian Priest requires mana to individually empower a creature, Elite Scaleguard leverages the bolster mechanic, potentially distributing counters across multiple creatures when they enter the battle.

Another card worth comparing is Veteran Swordsmith, which passively grants additional attack power to fellow soldiers—a boon for creature-centric decks. Unlike Icatian Priest, this bonus is constant without further mana investment. The card Serra’s Blessing should also be mentioned, as it gives your creatures vigilance, allowing them to attack without tapping, though it doesn’t increase power like the Priest.

Each card offers distinct advantages: Icatian Priest with its on-demand ability to boost a single creature, Elite Scaleguard and its bolster effect impacting the board, Veteran Swordsmith’s passive army enhancement, and Serra’s Blessing providing an entirely different form of support. In evaluating their contributions, Icatian Priest remains a valuable card for players looking to maintain tactical flexibility and control over combat dynamics.

Elite Scaleguard - MTG Card versions
Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Serra's Blessing - MTG Card versions
Elite Scaleguard - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Veteran Swordsmith - Magic 2010 (M10)
Serra's Blessing - Weatherlight (WTH)

Cards similar to Icatian Priest by color, type and mana cost

Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Warrior - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Vigilant Martyr - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Honorable Scout - MTG Card versions
Devoted Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions
Savannah Lions - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Benalish Hero - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Icatian Infantry - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Icatian Scout - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Icatian Javelineers - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Kjeldoran Warrior - Ice Age (ICE)
Trade Caravan - Homelands (HML)
Vigilant Martyr - Mirage (MIR)
Honor Guard - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Volunteer Militia - Portal Second Age (P02)
Nomads en-Kor - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Soul Warden - Historic Anthology 1 (HA1)
Resistance Fighter - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Honorable Scout - Planeshift (PLS)
Devoted Caretaker - Odyssey (ODY)
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Kor Duelist - Wizards Play Network 2009 (PWP09)
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mother of Runes - The List (PLST)
Daru Mender - Legions (LGN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Icatian Priest MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Tenth Edition, 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 Icatian Priest and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Icatian Priest Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 121993normalblackDrew Tucker
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 242003normalblackStephen Tappin
32009-04-10Duel Decks: Divine vs. DemonicDDC 22003normalblackStephen Tappin
42014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. DemonicDVD 22015normalblackStephen Tappin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Icatian Priest has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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