Checkpoint Officer MTG Card

Checkpoint Officer - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2020-04-24
Set symbol
Set name	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Set code	IKO
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	5
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Manuel Castañón

Key Takeaways

Checkpoint Officer’s tap ability can neutralize opponents’ creatures, contributing to a card advantage.
It enables efficient mana use early on, aiding in resource acceleration for your gameplay.
Instant resembling ability offers flexibility, allowing strategic plays to disrupt opponents.

Text of card

, : Tap target creature.

After what he viewed as Lukka's shocking betrayal, General Kudro enacted stringent security measures at every entry point into Drannith.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Checkpoint Officer may not draw cards directly, but its ability to repeatedly detain a target creature ensures you are effectively neutralizing your opponent’s resources each turn. This can lead to a card advantage as your opponent’s creature, potential attackers or blockers, become non-factors in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Checkpoint Officer doesn’t accelerate your mana resources, it contributes to resource acceleration by allowing you to use your mana more efficiently. Its low cost and tap ability mean you can be active in the game from early on, reserving mana for other spells and strategies without losing board presence.

Instant Speed: Checkpoint Officer operates at the speed of sorceries with its tap ability, but its impact on the battlefield resembles instant speed interaction. By keeping opponents on their toes and having a creature at the ready to tap, Checkpoint Officer allows for strategic plays that can disrupt enemy tactics mid-combat or prevent key abilities from being activated at crucial moments.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Checkpoint Officer could put you at a disadvantage should it necessitate card disposal to activate its abilities. Losing a card from your hand reduces your options and resources, which can be particularly detrimental in the midst of a carefully planned strategy or when you’re struggling to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a very specific mana alignment with its white mana cost. This requirement might restrict deck-building options and makes it a less versatile choice in a multicolored deck where mana diversity is crucial. Players running decks with heavy mana requirements in other colors might find it challenging to reliably cast Checkpoint Officer when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the current pool of cards available, the mana investment needed to bring Checkpoint Officer into play and utilize its tap ability could be seen as costly. There are alternative cards that offer similar or better effects for a lower or comparable mana cost, which might make the Officer a less appealing option for players looking to optimize their deck’s efficiency.

Reasons to Include Checkpoint Officer in Your Collection

Versatility: Checkpoint Officer lends itself well to decks that desire consistent board control. Its ability to tap any creature can help keep potential blockers or combat threats at bay, making it a solid choice in a variety of white-based strategies.

Combo Potential: In decks that utilize tap and untap mechanics, Checkpoint Officer can become an integral piece to control the game tempo. It pairs well with cards that can untap your creatures, allowing you to make multiple uses of its ability within a single turn cycle.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape changes, cards that afford players the ability to prevent enemy creatures from attacking or blocking can be extremely useful. If the meta favors aggressive creature strategies, the tap ability of Checkpoint Officer may prove invaluable in keeping the opposing onslaught in check.

How to beat

Checkpoint Officer, while not a high-profile threat in Magic: The Gathering, can disrupt gameplay with its ability to tap an opponent’s creature. This white card from the Ikoria set functions as both an early blocker and a means to control combat. To overcome this, consider utilizing removal spells that can efficiently dispose of creatures without targeting restrictions. Cards such as Doom Blade for black decks or Lightning Bolt for red decks can remove the Officer from the board before it becomes a nuisance.

Another strategy is to deploy creatures with hexproof or protection from white to negate the Officer’s tap ability. By using creatures that are out of reach from the Officer’s influence, you maintain a strong board presence. Additionally, mass removal spells easily bypass the need to target the Checkpoint Officer directly. Board wipes like Wrath of God clear the board and remove this piece from the game entirely. Remember, timing is crucial when playing against control elements, so choose the moment when your opponent has committed mana elsewhere to play your answers.

Understanding how to mitigate the effects of utility creatures like Checkpoint Officer is essential in crafting a winning strategy in Magic: The Gathering. A well-rounded deck with flexible removal options or creatures that can circumvent targeting mechanics will stand strong against such control cards.

Cards like Checkpoint Officer

Checkpoint Officer serves as a tactical piece in MTG, providing both creature management and board control. It finds parallels with Law-Rune Enforcer, another card that offers the ability to tap an opponent’s creature. However, Checkpoint Officer demands a higher resource commitment, costing one additional white mana to activate its ability whereas Law-Rune Enforcer does so without any mana costs.

When looking at Gideon’s Lawkeeper, another card with a near-identical effect, the mana cost for both summoning and ability activation of Checkpoint Officer is higher. Hence, while Checkpoint Officer’s resource demands may appear steep compared to Gideon’s Lawkeeper, this potential drawback is mitigated by its larger toughness stat, providing better survivability on the battlefield.

Amid the assortment of creature control options, Checkpoint Officer’s higher activation cost might seem like a disadvantage, but the balance it strikes between control and durability makes it a solid contender, contributing to varied strategic decisions during gameplay in MTG.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Checkpoint Officer MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Checkpoint Officer and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Checkpoint Officer has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal