Knight of Dawn MTG Card

Tempest (TMP)
1997-10-14 - Number 26

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 146

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number TMP-26

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Knight
Abilities	First strike
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Knight of Dawn’s protection ability adds a layer of strategy, making it a robust defensive asset.
The creature’s instant speed activation provides players with reactive combat options.
Despite its tactical strength, Knight of Dawn requires careful management of resources.

Text of card

First strike o Wo W: Knight of Dawn gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

Flash like daybreak to the fray. —Motto of the Knights of Dawn

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Knight of Dawn provides a tactical upper hand when it comes to card utility. Its ability to protect itself from certain colors with a mere two mana investment can effectively deter opponents from targeting it, which indirectly functions as card advantage by maintaining board presence without needing to commit additional resources.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not directly accelerating resources, Knight of Dawn’s modest casting cost enables players to deploy other impactful cards alongside it within the same turn. Its presence on the board can influence the flow of the game, allowing players to effectively manage their mana while establishing a solid offense or defense.

Instant Speed: One of the highlights of Knight of Dawn is its instant speed flexibility. The ability to gain protection at instant speed allows for strategic responses to threats and creates opportunities for advantageous combat interactions. This versatility enhances play dynamics and gives players the edge in protecting key pieces on the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To unleash the full potential of Knight of Dawn, you must be prepared to let go of other cards in your hand. This trade-off is required to activate its abilities, which can put you at a disadvantage during the game, especially when you’re running low on options.

Specific Mana Cost: Knight of Dawn demands a precise combination of mana to cast, which includes white mana. This specificity can sometimes puzzle players, making it a bit tricky to include in a deck that isn’t heavily skewed towards white mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Casting Knight of Dawn requires a considerable mana investment, and for what it brings to the battlefield, you may find other cards that deliver similar or better performance for the same, or even lower, mana cost. In a game where efficiency can dictate the winner, this can be a crucial factor to consider.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Knight of Dawn’s ability to gain protection from the color of your choice allows it to adapt to various board states, making it a flexible addition to decks that value tactical defenses and offenses.

Combo Potential: Its protection ability doesn’t just shield it from harm; it can also be used in conjunction with cards that target based on color to safely navigate through your opponent’s defenses or escape targeted spells, playing a pivotal role in nuanced game strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are often present in the meta, having a card that can be both aggressive and defensive depending on the situation means Knight of Dawn could play a valuable role in multiple deck archetypes and adjust to the prevailing competitive environment.

How to Beat

Knight of Dawn brings versatility to the battlefield with its handy protection ability, making it a resilient foe in Magic: The Gathering. Piloting a white deck, you might compare its tactical uses to other protective creatures such as Mother of Runes, who can also provide a guard against a color of your choice. However, the Knight of Dawn asks for a mana investment to activate its skill, whereas Mother of Runes offers her services for free.

Deck builders often align the Knight with spells like Brave the Elements, which has a similar protective effect for a wider range of creatures. Yet, Knight of Dawn stands on its own with the ability to fend off removal spells or block threatening attackers tactically. Contrastingly, in the realm of evasion, creatures like Silver Knight remain a steadfast alternative, providing inherent protection without the need for additional mana.

Understanding the balances of these abilities is crucial. To triumph over the Knight of Dawn, one might employ broad-removal spells that bypass its color-protection feature or exert control through board wipes and sacrifice effects. Decisively navigating your way around this powerful knight requires a mix of strategy and the right choice of spells in your arsenal.

Cards like Knight of Dawn

Knight of Dawn holds its own in the realm of white creatures within Magic: The Gathering. A comparable creature is Silver Knight, which also boasts protection from black, a key defensive attribute. However, Silver Knight doesn’t share Knight of Dawn’s flexibility, lacking the latter’s ability to gain first strike when mana is paid. Additionally, White Knight, another related card, shares the first strike inherently but does not offer the adaptable protection from black that Knight of Dawn does with its mana ability.

Leonin Skyhunter presents a different comparison, offering flying as its defining trait, a quality that Knight of Dawn does not have. While Skyhunter excels in aerial combat, Knight of Dawn’s first strike capability and protection can make it a superior choice in matchups against black creatures. Mirror Entity is another creature worth considering – while not a knight, it allows variable power boosts and can grant all creature types, potentially offering greater offensive versatility compared to Knight of Dawn’s more defensive-oriented skills.

Each of these cards offers unique strategic advantages, but Knight of Dawn’s combination of protection and combat trick potential often gives it an edge in a battle dominated by black adversaries or when an unexpected first strike is crucial.

Cards similar to Knight of Dawn by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Knight of Dawn MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Mystery Booster, 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 Knight of Dawn and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Knight of Dawn Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Ron Spencer.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-10-14	Tempest	TMP	26	1997	Normal	Black	Ron Spencer
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	146	1997	Normal	Black	Ron Spencer
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	TMP-26	1997	Normal	Black	Ron Spencer