Celestial Gatekeeper MTG Card


Excels at card advantage by reviving two creatures, bolstering board presence significantly. Instant speed ability enhances reactive play and surprises opponents defensively. Demands high strategic play due to specific mana requirements and exile cost.
Celestial Gatekeeper - Legions
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Bird Cleric
Abilities Flying
Released2003-02-03
Set symbol
Set nameLegions
Set codeLGN
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number6
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byChristopher Moeller

Text of card

Flying When Celestial Gatekeeper is put into a graveyard from play, remove it from the game, then return up to two target Bird and/or Cleric cards from your graveyard to play.


Cards like Celestial Gatekeeper

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Celestial Gatekeeper serves as a standout creature card nestled among other notable conjurations. Its closest counterparts include Reveillark and Karmic Guide, each with unique reanimation abilities. Celestial Gatekeeper offers a distinct advantage by allowing players to return two creature cards with the same creature type from their graveyard to play. Reveillark, although it also targets creatures with power 2 or less, does so with a more inclusive approach not restricted by creature type.

Comparatively, Karmic Guide excels with its more targeted resurrection, choosing any single creature card from the graveyard, but lacking the same breadth as Celestial Gatekeeper’s multiple creature return. Yet, Karmic Guide features Echo, enabling a repetitive play that can prove strategic. While both Reveillark and Karmic Guide are solid choices in a reanimator strategy, Celestial Gatekeeper’s tribal synergy grants it a unique position for decks exploiting creature type interactions. This not only fosters powerful gameplay dynamics but also fortifies thematic deck coherence.

When considering value and strategic application within Magic: The Gathering decks, Celestial Gatekeeper stands as a crucial element for tribal strategy. Its duel reanimation capability, when played effectively, can propel a player into a commanding position on the battlefield.

Reveillark - MTG Card versions
Karmic Guide - MTG Card versions
Reveillark - MTG Card versions
Karmic Guide - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Celestial Gatekeeper by color, type and mana cost

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Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Angel of Light - MTG Card versions
Veteran Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
Karmic Guide - MTG Card versions
Master Healer - MTG Card versions
Angel of Mercy - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Border Patrol - MTG Card versions
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Sigardian Savior - MTG Card versions
Glory - MTG Card versions
Collector Protector - MTG Card versions
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions
Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Angel of Light - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Celestial Gatekeeper excels in providing card advantage as it allows you to potentially return two creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. This efficient recycling of resources can turn the tides of the game in your favor, keeping your board presence strong and forcing your opponents to deal with threats they’ve already handled once.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to return key creatures to play, the Celestial Gatekeeper fuels your resource acceleration by bypassing mana costs for casting creatures. This gives you an opportunity to utilize mana resources for other game-impacting spells or even advance your board state further with additional permanents.

Instant Speed: Although the Celestial Gatekeeper itself is a creature, its triggered ability works at instant speed. This means you can execute strategic plays during your opponent’s turn, catching them off-guard by reinstating critical creatures ready to block or activate abilities at crucial moments, thus enhancing your defensive and reactive capabilities.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Celestial Gatekeeper’s ability requires you to exile it from the graveyard. This could be a significant cost if you’re unable to capitalize on the death-triggered ability, potentially losing a substantial creature without gaining the promised benefit.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise, somewhat restrictive mana composition to cast. This can be challenging in multicolored decks that may not always have the right mana available precisely when the Gatekeeper can swing the game’s momentum.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of four and one white, the Celestial Gatekeeper sits at a higher casting threshold. Given that it does not affect the board immediately upon casting, players might find it unfavorable compared to lower-cost creatures that can impact the game sooner.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Celestial Gatekeeper offers a unique mix of utility to any deck it’s in, functioning well in various situations. It’s especially useful in decks that employ creatures and seek to utilize the graveyard for strategic advantage.

Combo Potential: With the ability to resurrect specific creatures upon death, the Celestial Gatekeeper can be a linchpin in combos that revolve around enter-the-battlefield or leave-the-battlefield effects, creating opportunities for intricate play sequences.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to disturb graveyard-based strategies of opponents while bolstering your own board presence, Celestial Gatekeeper holds its ground well in a meta where graveyard interaction is prevalent. Additionally, as a flying creature, it offers a solid answer to various threats in the skies.


How to beat

The Celestial Gatekeeper looms as a powerful force in the sky, leveraging its ability to bring creatures back from the graveyard. Understanding its mechanics is key to developing a strategy to overcome this challenge. One effective method is to limit the number of creatures in your graveyard that can be targeted by its ability when it leaves the field. Graveyard hate cards like Tormod’s Crypt can preemptively clear your graveyard to negate the Gatekeeper’s impact.

Alternatively, instant speed removals like Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy can exile the Gatekeeper before it gets a chance to exercise its powerful revival capability, thereby stripping your opponent of the value they might gain. Lastly, countering the Gatekeeper upon casting can ensure it never takes flight. Cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can be perfect answers to prevent this celestial being from ever becoming a threat on the board. As with any strategy in Magic: The Gathering, foresight and timing can be your greatest allies against formidable cards like the Celestial Gatekeeper.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Celestial Gatekeeper MTG card by a specific set like Legions, 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 Celestial Gatekeeper and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Celestial Gatekeeper has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 You can choose to target this card as one of the two Bird and/or Cleric cards. If you do, it gets exiled and does not get returned to the battlefield.