Gideon of the Trials MTG Card


His emblem ability offers longevity in play, making him a sustainable force against opponent’s tactics. Ability to protect other resources amplifies your board state, bolstering defensive and offensive strategies. Demands careful gameplay adaptation, with his presence alone altering opponent strategies significantly.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Gideon
Loyalty 3

Text of card

+1: Until your next turn, prevent all damage target permanent would deal. 0: Until end of turn, Gideon of the Trials becomes a 4/4 Human Soldier creature with indestructible that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn. 0: You get an emblem with "As long as you control a Gideon planeswalker, you can't lose the game and your opponents can't win the game."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gideon of the Trials offers a strategic edge with his emblem ability. Securing one can dramatically shift the balance, effectively rendering you invulnerable to losing via damage as long as you control a Gideon planeswalker. This can disrupt an opponent’s tactics and retains card quality in your arsenal throughout the match.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, Gideon of the Trials accelerates your resources by protecting other valuable permanents, including mana-generating creatures or artifacts. His +1 ability can prevent damage from a permanent for a turn, meaning you can maintain your board state without expending extra cards or mana for protection spells.

Instant Speed: While Gideon himself doesn’t operate at instant speed, his presence on the battlefield forces opponents to play as if you had an instant-speed interaction available. This is because any attack or removal they consider has to account for his abilities, making Gideon an imposing figure that can deter and disrupt enemy strategies even when tapped out.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One aspect of Gideon of the Trials that can be seen as a downside is the need to maintain a diversified gameplay strategy to protect its emblem ability. Should you fail to defend Gideon effectively, it could result in a wasted turn and resources invested in the planeswalker.

Specific Mana Cost: Gideon of the Trials requires a precise mana alignment to cast, demanding one white and two colorless mana. This specificity obliges players to have a strong mana base in white, potentially making it less flexible for multi-colored decks that don’t prioritize white mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost of three mana to cast, Gideon of the Trials can be considered expensive for its immediate impact compared to other three-mana planeswalkers or creatures that might provide more board presence or immediate value.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gideon of the Trials shines with its ability to slide into various deck archetypes. As a planeswalker, it can serve as a formidable defensive option while also providing an aggressive edge with its emblem ability in game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card’s emblem offers a unique combination with other cards that can prevent you from losing the game. This allows for creative deck-building strategies that exploit this safeguard to achieve victory against all odds.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame teeming with aggressive strategies, Gideon of the Trials offers a quick board presence that forces opponents to deal with it, thus relieving pressure from your life total and enabling stable board control.


How to beat

Gideon of the Trials is a formidable planeswalker card in Magic: The Gathering. Its strength lies in its versatility, providing both offensive and defensive capabilities. His +1 ability can neutralize a threatening creature, his 0 ability can transform him into a powerful indestructible ally, and his emblem can lock an opponent out of winning the game under the right circumstances.

To effectively combat Gideon of the Trials, it’s critical to apply pressure early in the game before he can create his emblem. Targeted removal spells that can bypass his indestructibility, such as effects that cause him to be sacrificed or reduce his loyalty to zero, are particularly valuable. Moreover, having a diverse range of threats can help overwhelm Gideon’s single-target focus, and direct damage spells can be useful to remove him regardless of his creature status.

Ultimately, overcoming Gideon of the Trials requires careful planning and a well-timed execution. Providing a blend of swift aggression and strategic removal will disrupt your opponent’s plans and eliminate Gideon as a barrier to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

To make the most out of your MTG experience, understanding the dynamics of cards like Gideon of the Trials is crucial. This card places a powerful tool in your hands, extending beyond mere card advantage to actual game-winning potential. It’s important to not only consider its immediate effects on the board but also its long-term strategic applications. Whether countering aggressive strategies or crafting your unique combo, Gideon can be an asset to any collection. Looking to add a layer of invincibility to your gameplay or eager to explore new deck horizons? Dive into our comprehensive guides and elevate your MTG knowledge to effectively utilize Gideon of the Trials in your next battle.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gideon of the Trials MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Amonkhet, 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 Gideon of the Trials and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gideon of the Trials Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 709402015NormalBlackTerese Nielsen
22017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 142015NormalBlackIzzy
32017-04-29Amonkhet PromosPAKH 14s2015NormalBlackIzzy
42017-07-20San Diego Comic-Con 2017PS17 142015NormalBlackVincent Proce
52018-07-19San Diego Comic-Con 2018PS18 142015NormalBlackTerese Nielsen
62020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 192015NormalBlackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gideon of the Trials has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-04-18 Gideon’s first ability will continue to prevent damage dealt by the target permanent even if Gideon leaves the battlefield before your next turn.
2017-04-18 Gideon’s second ability causes him to become a creature with the creature types Human and Soldier. He remains a planeswalker with the planeswalker type Gideon. (He also retains any other card types or subtypes he may have had.) Each subtype is correlated to the proper card type: planeswalker is only a type (not a creature type), and Human and Soldier are just creature types (not planeswalker types).
2017-04-18 Gideon’s second ability doesn’t count as a creature entering the battlefield. Gideon was already on the battlefield; he only changed his types.
2017-04-18 If Gideon becomes a creature the same turn he enters the battlefield, you can’t attack with him or use any of his abilities (if he gains any).
2017-04-18 If Gideon leaves the battlefield after giving you his emblem, you’ll keep the emblem. Its effect will apply again later if another Gideon comes under your control.
2017-04-18 If damage that can’t be prevented is dealt to Gideon after his second ability has resolved, that damage will have all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon (since he’s a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he’s a planeswalker). Even though he has indestructible, if Gideon has no loyalty counters on him, he’s put into his owner’s graveyard.
2017-04-18 If you have Gideon’s emblem in a Two-Headed Giant game and control a Gideon planeswalker, your team can’t lose the game and the opposing team can’t win the game. If your teammate controls a Gideon planeswalker but you do not, your emblem’s effect doesn’t apply.
2017-04-18 No game effect can cause you to lose the game or cause any opponent to win the game while Gideon’s emblem is in effect. It doesn’t matter whether you have 0 or less life, you’re forced to draw a card while your library is empty, you have ten or more poison counters, you’re at your Glorious End, your opponent casts a second Approach of the Second Sun, or so on. You keep playing.
2017-04-18 Other circumstances can still cause you to lose the game. You will lose a game if you concede, if you’re penalized with a Game Loss or a Match Loss during a sanctioned tournament due to a DCI rules infraction, or if your Magic Online® game clock runs out of time.