Monk Idealist MTG Card

Urza's Saga (USG)
1998-10-12 - Number 20

Commander 2015 (C15)
2015-11-13 - Number 76

Eternal Masters (EMA)
2016-06-10 - Number 21

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Monk Cleric
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Monk Idealist ensures card advantage by reviving enchantments, offering strategic plays in future turns.
Specific conditions for casting and using its abilities can limit deck compatibility and versatility.
Its role in enchantment-focused decks showcases synergy potential, making it a meta-relevant pick.

Text of card

When Monk Idealist comes into play, return target enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.

"Belief is the strongest mortar."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Monk Idealist provides an edge by returning target enchantment from your graveyard to your hand, effectively increasing your hand resources and options for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: This function can act as a form of acceleration, allowing you to reuse powerful enchantments without spending additional resources from your library. It’s like getting a second chance to cast your most impactful spells.

Instant Speed: While Monk Idealist itself does not benefit from instant speed, its ability to recur enchantments can set up powerful plays at faster speeds. For example, retrieving an enchantment that can be cast at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s actions during their turn, keeping them guessing.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Monk Idealist, one of the stipulations for retrieving an enchantment from your graveyard is the need to sacrifice this card. This can sometimes put players in a difficult position, especially when resources are already stretched thin in a tense match.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise combination of mana, including white, to summon Monk Idealist may not be conducive to all deck types. This condition can restrict the card’s versatility and limit its placement to mainly white-aligned or enchantment-focused decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the realm of enchantment retrieval, the mana required to put Monk Idealist into play is on the higher end for such effects. Players must weigh the cost against the potential benefits, as there are alternate cards that might provide similar outcomes without the hefty mana investment.

Reasons to Include Monk Idealist in Your Collection

Versatility: Monk Idealist serves as a fantastic piece in decks focused on enchantment strategies. Its ability to retrieve an enchantment from the graveyard to your hand means it can be slotted into various archetypes, from Aura-based to control setups.

Combo Potential: This card has inherent synergies with strategies that capitalize on recurrent enchantment plays. Its potential to loop powerful enchantments can lead to game-winning combos, particularly in the Commander format, where it can endlessly recycle key pieces disrupted by opponents.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting trends in competitive play, the utility of Monk Idealist cannot be overstated. Its presence is crucial in metas that heavily use graveyard strategies or where enchantments take center stage. It can recover essential toolbox cards, making it a staple for adaptive gameplay.

How to Beat Monk Idealist

The Monk Idealist serves as a critical piece in many MTG decks, notably for its ability to return enchantments from the graveyard to your hand. This can be a thorn in one’s side, especially when enchantments with powerful effects re-enter the battlefield. One way to disrupt this strategy is by implementing graveyard hate cards. Cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void hinder the Monk Idealist’s ability by exiling enchantments instead of allowing them to hit the graveyard.

Control tactics can also be effective against the Monk Idealist. Counterspells can prevent it from ever hitting the board and thus never utilizing its ability. Additionally, spot removal after the Idealist’s ability has been used ensures that the retrieved enchantment is the only gain your opponent gets. Considering the Idealist’s relatively low toughness, it is also susceptible to board wipes, which can help clear a path towards victory.

Beyond reactive strategies, playing aggressively can stop the Monk Idealist from ever becoming a significant problem. By putting pressure on your opponent early, you can force them to deal with your threats instead of setting up their graveyard-based synergies. Time is essential; the faster you can close the game, the less relevant the Monk Idealist’s ability becomes.

Cards like Monk Idealist

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Monk Idealist echoes the utility found in cards such as Auramancer. Both cards serve a key role in retrieving enchantments from the graveyard, allowing players to recycle valuable resources and potentially turn the tide of the match. Auramancer facilitates a straightforward retrieval of enchantments without additional effects, providing a stable but not as dynamic option.

Emerging from the collection of similar effects, we also have Tragic Poet. This card offers enchantment return capabilities at the expense of a sacrfice, ensuring immediacy in its strategy. Whereas Monk Idealist provides this recapture ability upon entering the battlefield, Tragic Poet requires a setup with its activated ability. It’s a matter of timing and whether the player prefers the immediacy of Monk Idealist or the flexibility of Tragic Poet. Then there’s Iron-Clad Slayer, which operates under a similar premise but is more combat-oriented with its higher attack and defense statistics.

Ultimately, Monk Idealist holds its place as a valuable card among those that grant players a second chance at utilizing their enchantments. Its straightforward mechanics make it an essential piece in decks that rely on enchantment synergies and recurssion strategies, underlining its importance within this niche of Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Cards similar to Monk Idealist by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Monk Idealist MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Commander 2015, 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 Monk Idealist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Monk Idealist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by Daren Bader.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-10-12	Urza's Saga	USG	20	1997	Normal	Black	Daren Bader
2	2015-11-13	Commander 2015	C15	76	2015	Normal	Black	Daren Bader
3	2016-06-10	Eternal Masters	EMA	21	2015	Normal	Black	Daren Bader