Phalanx Formation MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Abilities	Strive
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Number	21
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Key Takeaways

Phalanx Formation provides multifaceted defense, offering indestructibility at instant speed for tactical advantage.
Strive mechanic increases versatility but also forces higher mana spends for multiple targets.
Crucial for decks using heroic triggers, Phalanx Formation brings a unique blend of protection and aggression.

Text of card

Strive — Phalanx Formation costs more to cast for each target beyond the first. Any number of target creatures each gain double strike until end of turn. (They deal both first-strike and regular combat damage.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Phalanx Formation, players have the potential to protect multiple creatures at once, countering board wipes or targeted removal and essentially saving cards that would otherwise be lost.

Resource Acceleration: Although Phalanx Formation itself does not directly accelerate resources, it efficiently utilizes white mana for a powerful defensive play, preserving the state of your resources on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: The strength of Phalanx Formation is amplified by its instant speed, letting players surprise opponents during combat or in response to their actions, adding a tactical layer to both offense and defense.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Phalanx Formation doesn’t actually require you to discard a card, it does have a specific requirement that can be as limiting. To activate its effect, you need to use the strive mechanic, which increases the spell’s cost for each target beyond the first. This can be a tall order in games where you’re trying to maximize each card’s impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Phalanx Formation comes with a white mana cost that includes two generic and one white mana. This specific requirement can be restrictive for decks that aren’t heavily invested in white mana or are running a multicolored strategy. Ensuring the right mana balance is essential for utilizing this card’s full potential.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s initial cost is manageable, but striving for multiple creatures can escalate quickly. This scaling cost means that in clutch situations where a widespread buff is needed, you might find the mana investment for a full board application of Phalanx Formation’s effect prohibitive, especially when compared to other combat tricks or protective spells in MTG.

Reasons to Include Phalanx Formation in Your Collection

Versatility: Phalanx Formation offers a flexible option for protecting your creatures. It not only enables you to give them indestructible until end of turn but also works splendidly with decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or “heroic” abilities.

Combo Potential: This card is a prime pick for creating synergies with cards that benefit from heroic triggers or instant-speed interactions. With the ability to use it during combat, it can unexpectedly turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that’s heavy on board wipes and removal, Phalanx Formation can be a crucial addition, safeguarding your key creatures and maintaining your board presence when your opponents least expect it.

How to Beat Phalanx Formation

Phalanx Formation is a unique instant in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, allowing creatures to be an impenetrable force for a turn with its potent “strive” mechanic. Similar to spells like Make a Stand, it provides indestructibility but Phalanx Formation also grants an added bonus of potentially empowering multiple creatures with +1/+1 counters for a larger strike.

Countering this card is about timing and choosing the right spells. Instant speed removal such as Disallow or Negate can be essential for disrupting the Formation’s impact. Yet, another approach might be waiting it out and settling the battlefield post-formation, applying board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation once their protection fades. Alternatively, stripping the card from a player’s grip through hand disruption like Thoughtseize or Duress before it can be played is an effective strategy.

Ultimately, the key is anticipation and preparedness. Recognizing when to hold back spells for the pivotal moment or taking a proactive stance against a player’s hand is critical. With strategic gameplay and an understanding of optimal timing, defeating Phalanx Formation becomes an achievable task.

Cards like Phalanx Formation

Phalanx Formation brings a unique strategy to the table for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts who favor combat tricks and protective measures. It draws parallels to other cards like Make a Stand, which also offers an instant-speed boost and indestructibility to your creatures. Yet, Phalanx Formation allows individual target selection and can be a game-changer in battles decided by precise tactics. While Make a Stand blankets all creatures you control, Phalanx Formation gives you the flexibility to protect and empower key creatures during combat.

Another card worth comparing is Brave the Elements, which provides protection for a single color of creatures from the colors of your choice. Though less costly in terms of mana, it doesn’t offer the +1/+1 boost Phalanx Formation provides. This makes the latter potentially more impactful in turning the tide of battle. Heroic Intervention is another counterpart that shields all permanents you control from harm’s way. However, its broader range comes with a higher mana cost and doesn’t offer the offensive edge of Phalanx Formation.

Thus, when evaluating the utility and strategic advantages of various protective spells, Phalanx Formation secures a prominent position within MTG due to its versatility and the potential for both defensive and offensive play enhancements.

Cards similar to Phalanx Formation by color, type and mana cost

Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phalanx Formation MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Phalanx Formation and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phalanx Formation has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Phalanx Formation card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2014-04-26	If a spell or ability allows you to cast a strive spell without paying its mana cost, you must pay the additional costs for any targets beyond the first.
2014-04-26	If all of the spell's targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. If one or more of its targets are legal when it tries to resolve, the spell will resolve and affect only those legal targets. It will have no effect on any illegal targets.
2014-04-26	If such a spell is copied, and the effect that copies the spell allows a player to choose new targets for the copy, the number of targets can't be changed. The player may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, the player can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
2014-04-26	The mana cost and mana value of strive spells don't change no matter how many targets they have. Strive abilities affect only what you pay.
2014-04-26	You choose how many targets each spell with a strive ability has and what those targets are as you cast it. It's legal to cast such a spell with no targets, although this is rarely a good idea. You can't choose the same target more than once for a single strive spell.