Combat Medic MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric Soldier
Power 0
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Combat Medic provides life stabilization, enabling longer play and strategy implementation.
  2. Its instant-speed ability offers vital reactive options during crucial game moments.
  3. Presence of discard and mana requirements constrains its use to specific deck builds.

Text of card

o1oo W Prevent 1 damage to any player or creature.

"Although Icatia's Combat Medics borrowed much of their knowledge from other societies, their skills were their own." —*Sarpadian Empires, vol. VI*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Combat Medic offers consistent health recovery, which can effectively prolong your presence in the game. This subtle yet steady advantage allows you to maintain your life total while deploying other strategies, making it an invaluable asset over the course of a match.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly related to mana, the Combat Medic’s ability to preserve your creatures can be seen as a form of resource acceleration. By preventing damage to your other cards, it essentially saves the resources you would otherwise spend on casting new creatures, thereby keeping your board presence strong without additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: One of the key benefits of the Combat Medic is its capability to operate at instant speed. This feature gives players the flexibility to react to threats during the heat of combat or at the end of an opponent’s turn, thus optimizing the timing of life gain and maximizing its strategic effectiveness in the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Combat Medic card necessitates the removal of another card from your hand, which can be detrimental during critical phases when maintaining a full grip is essential.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost demands white mana, narrowing its compatibility to decks capable of producing or adapting to such color constraints.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that may be seen as steep for its effects, players often find themselves weighing the Combat Medic against other cards offering similar benefits for less investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Combat Medic offers a dual role as both a creature and a source of life gain, making it a flexible addition to a variety of deck archetypes, particularly those looking to bolster their defenses while maintaining board presence.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on life gain triggers. Using Combat Medic in conjunction with cards that thrive off increased life totals can create powerful interactions and swing games in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive strategies are prevalent, having a card like Combat Medic that can consistently offset damage and prolong your survival can be a crucial tactical advantage.


How to beat

The Combat Medic card presents an intriguing twist to creature dynamics in MTG. It stands out with its unique ability to prevent a certain amount of damage to creatures or players, making it a versatile defensive tool in any match. To effectively counter it, players should prioritize eliminating this medic from the field. Tactics such as using spot removal spells prove highly effective, quickly disposing of the medic before its healing capabilities turn the tide of battle.

Similarly, players can also outrun its healing by ramping up the amount of damage dealt in a single turn. Overwhelm your opponent’s defenses with a horde of creatures or a combination of direct damage spells that exceed the amount of damage Combat Medic can negate. Be sure to consider the mana efficiency of your actions, as the card’s healing ability requires a proper mana payment, which might leave your opponent short on resources for other defenses.

Therefore, understanding the limits of the Combat Medic’s abilities allows players to craft a strategy that either removes it quickly from play or overpowers its defensive support, maintaining pressure and gaining the upper advantage in the duel.


Cards like Combat Medic

The Combat Medic card presents an interesting dynamic in player health management in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to prevent damage falls in line with other cards like Samite Healer, which also offers a similar functional approach. The Combat Medic has a slight edge with its ability to prevent damage multiple times in a single turn if enough mana is available, differentiating itself from the one-use per turn limitation of the Samite Healer.

Looking towards more advanced options, there’s the Alabaster Mage. This card can also prevent damage but brings the added benefit of lifelink, potentially turning the tables in a game by not only defending but also bolstering your own health pool. However, Combat Medic’s flexible mana cost can be easier on a player’s resources, requiring no particular mana color which may suit a broader range of decks and strategies.

The utility of Combat Medic in the scope of MTG is notable for its defensive prowess. While it may not provide the potential growth that lifelink abilities offer, its mana efficiency and repeatable use make it a viable option for players seeking to uphold their life total while setting up their strategic plays.

Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Mage - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Alabaster Mage - Magic 2012 (M12)

Cards similar to Combat Medic by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Zhalfirin Commander - MTG Card versions
Silverblade Paladin - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)
Zhalfirin Commander - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Silverblade Paladin - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Combat Medic MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Fallen Empires, 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 Combat Medic and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Combat Medic Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 1a1993normalblackEdward P. Beard, Jr.
21994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 1d1993normalblackLiz Danforth
31994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 1b1993normalblackSusan Van Camp
41994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 1c1993normalblackAnson Maddocks
52008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 91997normalblackAnson Maddocks

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Combat Medic has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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