Honored Hierarch MTG Card


Early mana ramp capabilities transform Honored Hierarch into a game-changer for savvy MTG players. Its renowned state bolsters mana resources, crucial for instant speed spell flexibility. Strategic deployment and renown achievement can make Honored Hierarch a valuable asset.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Druid
Abilities Renown
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Renown 1 (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.) As long as Honored Hierarch is renowned, it has vigilance and ": Add one mana of any color."


Cards like Honored Hierarch

The Honored Hierarch is a one-of-a-kind creature in Magic: The Gathering, pulling its weight both as a mana dork and potential beatstick. Comparable to the renowned Birds of Paradise, both cards provide mana acceleration, yet Honored Hierarch demands combat involvement to unlock its Vigilance and ‘becomes a Planeswalker’s best friend’ with the renowned ability. Unlike Birds of Paradise, it doesn’t offer instant mana of any color nor comes with built-in flying.

Noble Hierarch is another often-mentioned parallel. It boasts Exalted and provides mana in three different colors, enhancing its flexibility without the need for combat. The trade-off is evident, the Honored Hierarch requires time and player engagement to evolve, whereas Noble Hierarch has instant utility despite its higher cost. Llanowar Elves, another staple, illustrates pure efficiency with no conditions attached, though it is limited to adding only green mana.

To summarize, Honored Hierarch has a place in decks that can support its growth and defense. It offers a unique blend of combat enhancement and mana ramping, appealing to players who enjoy nurturing their creatures into powerful assets on the battlefield.

Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Noble Hierarch - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Noble Hierarch - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Honored Hierarch by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
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Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
Hana Kami - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
Willow Geist - MTG Card versions
Nimble Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
Hana Kami - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Honored Hierarch has the potential to evolve into a robust mana-dork, providing savvy players with an edge in the form of mana ramping. Once renowned, it offers consistent mana support without costing any additional resources or cards, contributing to sustained card advantage over opponents.

Resource Acceleration: As a one-mana creature, Honored Hierarch serves as an early game accelerant. Achieving renown converts it into a Vigilant mana source, speeding up your game by allowing the casting of spells ahead of the curve. This facilitates a dynamic gameplay where early threats or key spells can be deployed quicker than usual.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Honored Hierarch can indirectly bolster your ability to use instant speed spells. By offering additional mana through its renowned state, it frees up resources, ensuring you can keep mana open to react dynamically to threats or opportunities, pivoting your strategy at a moment’s notice.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Honored Hierarch requires a strategic approach to utilize its renknown ability. If not managed properly, it may lead to unfavorable exchanges or card disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Honored Hierarch demands a specific green mana for casting. This cost can restrict deck building since it may not fit into multi-colored decks without sufficient mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While only costing one green mana, the true potential of Honored Hierarch is only unlocked once it becomes renowned. Competing with other one-cost mana dorks, such as Llanowar Elves, which provide immediate mana acceleration, the Hierarch can be viewed as a less optimal choice.


Reasons to Include Honored Hierarch in Your Collection

Versatility: Honored Hierarch offers a range of uses, serving as both an early-game mana dork and a potential late-game combat threat. Once renowned, it becomes a formidable tool for any deck that capitalizes on mana acceleration and combat damage.

Combo Potential: With its ability to tap for any color of mana, Honored Hierarch complements strategies that hinge on multi-color combos or require diverse mana sources. Its renowned status unlocks even more synergy with cards that benefit from creatures with power or abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamic nature of the metagame, having a creature that can adapt to various scenarios is invaluable. Honored Hierarch’s ability to both ramp up your mana base and turn into an aggressive attacker makes it a suitable choice in an environment that prizes versatility and efficiency.


How to beat

Honored Hierarch, as a Magic: The Gathering card, presents players with a distinct challenge. This one-mana creature can evolve into a potent mana dork through its renowned ability if it manages to connect with an opponent. Understanding its strengths is the key to disrupting the value it could potentially provide. As it necessitates dealing combat damage to a player to gain the Renown 1 ability, one effective approach entails keeping blockers ready. This can prevent the Hierarch from becoming renowned and limit its usefulness.

Moreover, prompt removal is paramount; don’t underestimate this one-mana creature. Utilizing cheap and efficient removal spells can ensure the Honored Hierarch never gets a chance to showcase its mana acceleration capabilities. Whether it’s a simple Shock or a more complex Terminate, being reactive at the earliest opportunity can sway the game in your favor. Additionally, spells that can bypass creature protection, either through direct -X/-X effects or by imposing conditions where the creature cannot survive, could also be part of a successful strategy.

Overall, mitigating the potential of Honored Hierarch requires strategic use of blockers and removals. This proactivity maximizes your chances to hinder your opponent’s mana development and keeps the Hierarch from tipping the scales.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Honored Hierarch MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Origins Promos, 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 Honored Hierarch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Honored Hierarch Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2015-07-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 575982015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
22015-07-17Magic Origins PromosPORI 182s2015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
32015-07-17Magic Origins Clash PackCP3 12015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
42015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1822015NormalBlackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Honored Hierarch has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-06-22 If a creature with renown deals combat damage to its controller because that damage was redirected, renown will trigger.
2015-06-22 If a renown ability triggers, but the creature leaves the battlefield before that ability resolves, the creature doesn’t become renowned. Any ability that triggers “whenever a creature becomes renowned” won’t trigger.
2015-06-22 Renown won’t trigger when a creature deals combat damage to a planeswalker or another creature. It also won’t trigger when a creature deals noncombat damage to a player.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.