Benevolent Unicorn MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Unicorn
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	4
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	David A. Cherry

Key Takeaways

Offers damage reduction, fostering protection for creatures and enchancements, enhancing board control.
Instant speed ability allows for versatile and strategic plays during both players’ turns.
Can be limited in deck-building due to specific mana requirements and deck synergy.

Text of card

Whenever a spell assigns damage to a creature or player, that damage is reduced by 1.

The best use for a unicorn's horn is to adorn a unicorn. —Femeref adage

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Benevolent Unicorn does not directly enable you to draw more cards, it serves as a protective aid for your other value-generating creatures and enchantments, ensuring your card investments on the board stay safe from harm. This in turn maintains your card advantage through board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of mana, the Unicorn’s mana cost reduction effect for spells that prevent damage can be indirectly advantageous. This could mean casting protection spells more efficiently, thus allocating resources more effectively during complex turns.

Instant Speed: The Unicorn’s ability works at instant speed, meaning any spells you have involving prevention of damage can be bolstered anytime, even during your opponent’s turn. This kind of flexibility is a strategic asset as it allows you to outmaneuver opponents with timely plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Benevolent Unicorn itself does not demand discarding, its synergy with certain abilities may lead players to discard other valuable cards in order to utilize its effect to the fullest.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one white mana, which means it is exclusively viable in white or multi-colored decks, possibly restricting its inclusion in a player’s deck-building strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an overall cost of two mana for a minor ability to reduce damage from spells, there are other creatures or spells that might provide a more substantial impact on the game at a similar or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Benevolent Unicorn in Your Collection

Versatility: Benevolent Unicorn offers a unique ability to reduce damage from instant and sorcery spells, which can be instrumental in decks that are geared towards controlling the pace of the game. It can seamlessly integrate into life-gain or spell-heavy strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with effects that prevent or redirect damage, enhancing your capacity to maintain a healthy life total while dealing with opponents’ spells. It’s an excellent piece to combine with protective spells and abilities for a formidable defense.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where direct damage spells and board wipes are prevalent, Benevolent Unicorn can serve as a counterbalance, tipping the scales in your favor by extending the durability of your creatures and your life points, making it a valuable asset in specific metagames.

How to beat

Benevolent Unicorn is a classic card that has its place in Magic: The Gathering history. This enchanting creature boasts a modest stat line, but its real value lies in its ability to reduce the damage that enchantment and instant spells do to creatures and players. In an environment where spells like Lightning Bolt or Wrath of God are prevalent, the unicorn serves as a protective talisman for its controller.

Overcoming the Unicorn’s defensive magic demands strategic precision. Rather than relying on direct damage, consider using effects that bypass its ability such as those that lower toughness or impose conditions like “destroy” or “exile.” Cards with the deathtouch ability can also prove effective, as they can eliminate the unicorn regardless of its damage reduction. When constructing your deck, think about including a mix of removal spells that aren’t hindered by damage reduction, ensuring you carry the tools needed to handle resilient creatures like the Benevolent Unicorn. This way, you’re prepared not only to face enchantments and instants but also to dismantle ploys which seek to nullify your offensive spells.

Ultimately, like any good strategist in Magic: The Gathering, recognizing and disrupting your opponent’s plans is crucial to victory, with the removal of key pieces like Benevolent Unicorn often paving the way to that end.

Cards like Benevolent Unicorn

Benevolent Unicorn is a unique piece in the realm of damage prevention within Magic: The Gathering. It stands alongside cards such as Samite Ministration, which serves a similar purpose of warding off damage. Benevolent Unicorn’s passive ability to reduce damage from instant and sorcery spells by one has a significant edge in games heavy with non-combat damage. Samite Ministration, in contrast, is an instant that prevents damage just once but can prevent a larger amount.

Another comparable card is the Hallow, known for its single-use burst of life gain while preventing damage from a spell. Hallow, unlike Benevolent Unicorn, is a one-time event that can affect the tide of a single turn. The unicorn’s continuous effect proves valuable over longer matches where numerous instances of damage need to be mitigated. Then we have the Circle of Protection series, which gives players the ability to choose the color of spells they hope to shield themselves from. These are more targeted compared to Benevolent Unicorn’s general approach to damage reduction.

Considering longevity and the potential cumulative advantage, Benevolent Unicorn may be preferred in decks looking to consistently diminish the impact of damaging instants and sorceries throughout a match.

Cards similar to Benevolent Unicorn by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Benevolent Unicorn MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Benevolent Unicorn and other MTG cards: