loving this reprint. i felt cheated when he was in 'drazi. didnt have enough time to abuse him. =)
WateryMind
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(12 votes)
I remember reading a webcomic (FiveColorControl, I think) in which Gideon was doing a training montage, rocky style, with Ajani.
I find that very amusing.
Lyoncet
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(6 votes)
I remember when Gideon was first spoilered back in Eldrazi. Some people foresaw the impact he was going to have, but most thought that the 5 CMC was just too much for him to overcome. And despite being one higher than the magic number, he did indeed turn out to be a powerhouse.
Now, we have the same card, reprinted in a set where only one 'walker has a lower mana cost, as well as a decent cycle (Gideon's Lawkeeper and Gideon's Avenger). Something tells me we're going to be seeing a lot more of this guy!
PeabodyET
★★☆☆☆ (2.1/5.0)(6 votes)
Why aren't you a new version of yourself!?
tcollins
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(21 votes)
Passing a sealed prerelease pool with Gideon Jura, a Day of Judgement and 3 Gideon's Lawkeeper stung...it stung even more when the guy who got the pool (seated across from me) looked at Gideon in bewilderment, then looked at me, and proceeded to ask me what a planeswalker was, and how they worked.
The_Trendkill
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(22 votes)
When I opened the first pack of my sealed pool at the M12 prerelease, a foil copy of this guy fell out of the back of the pack. And so, my first card from M12 was a foil Gideon.
It was the greatest day.
tazman321
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(6 votes)
How the hell isn't this at least a 4.5? Come on, people!
pzfreez7
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(5 votes)
How is it even possible that this card is lower than a 4.... why is Turn to Frog rated higher???
He becomes a creature after he uses his last ability, and since 'prevent all damage to that creature' is one of his abilities, he loses it as soon as Turn To Frog resolves, and can be killed by anything that would normally kill a blue 1/1 frog.
Problem, Gideon?
BrightOrangePants
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(66 votes)
I think this card should be reprinted as:
+2 COME AT ME BRO. -2 U MAD? 0 CHILL OUT I GOT THIS.
Scarecrow7227
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled him today... Oh yes. I am a happy man.
Khavrion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Grand Abolisher means Gideon's 0 ability is no risk.
n0odleex
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Gideon Jura eats Phyrexians and poops metal
Raszero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled 2 of these in my 3 draft prize packs... Love it :D
Redo19
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MasterOfBearLore
No, that's not how it works. Gideon's planeswalker abilities are activated abilities. If their effects are activated before being lost, their effects apply even if gideon no longer has the ability to grant them - since they've already been granted. "Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Gideon Jura this turn" is an effect granted by an ability, not an ability granted by an effect.
Compare using turn to frog on, say, a creature that's been granted flying until end of turn via Jump or a similar effect. The creature would lose flying because flying is an ability that the creature has at that time.
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@WateryMind: Those comics are funny. The only thing i missed in this one was Ajani wearing Mickey Goldmill's hat :D For those of you who want the direct link to the comic, here it is: http://www.5colorcontrol.com/comic.php?comic=132
gantz036
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
how do you use his third ability if you can only activate his ablitities when you can activate a sorcery????
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
ajani was good and all for my lifegain deck but now I want a planeswalker that actually gets into the fight!
ZioKai
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why do I get the feeling that he is wearing Magebane Armor?
Excellent card. Insta Lure and the ability to destroy tapped creatures which is what numerous weenie vanilla soldier do is tap a creature ex.. Benalish Trapper, Whipcorder, and Master Decoy just to name a few. Finally he leaders from the front and can gain any of the abilities that other soldiers are giving to each other. Perfect tribal card and excellent removal. 4/5
SgtSwaggr
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(5 votes)
If you look really closely, you will see Gideon's mentor in the top right corner of the picture.
AppleButter
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
I think that this is easily the 3rd strongest planswalker easily beter than Bolas!!!
CasualPinger
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
@BrightOrangePants: NerdFighter Gideon: +2 Come at me, Bro. -2 Cool Story, Bro. 0 DFTBA. (My personal motto would be Darling, Fetch The Battle Axe) "Leading the fight against worldsuck through out the Multiverse"
thekaraban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
ok so i got a rules question how does gideons first ability work with norn's annex in play
shadmed
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@thekaraban If there's a condition or a cost to attacking Gideon, your opponent can choose not to pay.
zgapd
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Ladies and gentlemen, Just came back from a draft and pulled the following...... Gideon,3 x Reverberate, and fling......I flung Gideon......Reverberated 3 times......Went 2-0 every time.......Soooo many people rage with this combo XD
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Suck on this emrakul!!!
Nayban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Bought 3 M12 Gideons for 15 dollars(total) from a kid at FNM. Truth is It was a race for our money between my friends and I and I won.
DarthParallax
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(24 votes)
Rating Planeswalkers compared to other cards is easy. They are free spells every turn, and the syngergies they line up mean they are really all undercosted. Compare them to enchantments, artifacts, or creatures. They are way better than anything else in the Modern frame. Every one of them. Or nearly every one of them. They are card advantage on crack.
Comparing Walkers to each other is much more difficult. Many pages could be written about which one is better, and why, and you could get a lot of different answers. Jace is amazing yes. If you forget about Bolt though, and Brainstorm first instead of Fateseal, he's easily killed. That's a surprisingly easy greedy mistake to make. Bolas has more sheer power tacked onto him than anybody except maybe Emrakul. Cheats have been found for Emmy. When the equivalents are found for Bolas, and he starts coming down on crazy ridiculous turns (like say, 4. or even 3.) then people will be more than willing to run him as much as they did Jace. His powers are just that good. And every single 'midrange' Walker that doesn't look like a game ender on their own is sheer pwnage if it's in Super Freinds.dec. 2+ Walkers resolved is practically an auto win, unless some devastating Walker-sweeper becomes playable.
If you only think in one particular context, then you are missing half of what you can do with Walkers. Think big picture stuff, and Chandra 2 really is incredible. (Hint- Mono Red has more ramp than Mono Green if you're willing to play recklessly. That really does work sometimes.)
So Gideon is incredible. He's great. He's seen major constructed tournament play. He dies to freakin Turn to Frog. Every card in Magic is like a Spartan Warrior in a phalanx. As good as they are on their own, what really matters is deck synergy, and ultimately that means that each part is much less important, making the 4 specific cards in your deck that are Gideon Jura less significant than the 56 you put around him. The Planeswalker type takes this known maxim to it's extreme, so that a sick enough deck can have all its Jaces killed and still not sweat because they've got Ajanis and Elspeths still on the board, un dealt with.
deadeye1387
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For those of you who wanted the Royal Assassin in a different mana color... Ta-da. This card definetley deserves it's own phobia when fighting alongside a couple of Veteran Swordsmiths. Congradulations to the guys at The Coast... we needed a new white planeswalker.
And to DarthParallax, I just honestly think Jace is too good. The only Jace I have any respect for would be the M11 edition. I'm sorry, but when I comes to Planeswalkers, it's the good, the bad, and the nooby.
marwinshieldscale
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(7 votes)
am I the only one to see the storm crow in the top right corner?
In my opinion, Gideon is like a Baneslayer Angel, except it cannot be killed by dismember or sorcery creature kill. He makes racing and overcoming him very difficult. He is also stupid good with Day of Judgement, either before or after he hits play. What other "creature" can swing for 6 at a player on the same turn as a Day of Judgement?
He can also "duel" other big creatures well since he can kill tapped creatures. As long as the bomb doesn't hit him when it swings or Gideon's Loyaly is higher than it, or you can tap it with another card, Gideon can trump the bomb. The only creatures I can think of that can do well versus Gideon on their own are listed below and they all cost 6. Are there any good ones that cost less than 6 that straight up own Gideon?
The only bombs he doesn't trump are most titans and wurmcoil (sort of) and Concerated Sphinx. Sun Titan has vigilance and Grave Titan and Inferno Titan make dudes/damage to help kill gideon and Primeval titan can get wolf run for a huge trample and or inkmoth for another threat. No one plays Frost Titan atm, he would not have as much game against Gideon as the other Titans. Wurmcoil makes dudes when he dies, so he does pretty good. To kill Conserated Sphinx you would have to "Taunt" him and then destroy him the next turn. In the meantime, you've drawn 2 cards so they've gotten 4 extra cards so you don't really win there.
Regarding other planeswalkers, which ones can handle gideon? It seems that Garruk, Primal Hunter would have no problem with all the beasts it makes. Garruk can even pop his ultimate and straight up rock the gideon player if all goes well.
Also, regarding Turn to Frog, even if you make gideon a 1/1 with no abilities the "Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn" is not a creature ability, it is just a statement that holds true until the end of the turn.
Block a Gideon that has become a frog will not kill it because the damage is still prevented.
Zielheim
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think it'd be a lot more interesting of Gideon's last ability was he became an X/X with X equal to the number of loyalty counters on him instead of just a 6/6. Makes you play around with his abilities more and makes him more useful the more times you use his first ability.
argonignus45
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If Gidoen's third ability says prevent all damage that wouls be delt to him this turn, why is it in the rulings that he still takes damage?
Remember when Gideon first came out, and people scoffed that he was basically Sleep for , and we all had to patiently explain, over and over again, how amazing a Sleep for White Weenie would be?
...and then suddenly he was all the rage, topping out for awhile at $100 for a playset? Yeah. People woke up.
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you somehow make damage unpreventable and then deal 6 damage to him when he uses his 0 (while also having 6 or less loyalty), this card becomes the only one that dies to 2 state-based actions simultaneously (damage equal to his toughness and no loyalty counters).
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The_Trendkill: I have a similar story! My friend and I went to the shop to kill some time and get boosters. This was back when we first started playing. From one of the RotE packs I open, I find my first foil from the set, my first mythic from the set, and my first planeswalker, all in one: this guy. I still have him in a protective case somewhere.
Averyck
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(9 votes)
Oddly enough, dies to doomblade
RebelVetMTGO
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Wishlist To Wizards, Please make UW Gideon and bring back Nicol Bolas.... Oh almost forgot... Jace too. Thanks
ZaLiTHkA
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@Averyck: Doom Blade targets Creatures, a Planeswalker isn't a Creature. :)
As far as I know, the only way currently to straight-up destroy a Planeswalker is with "Destroy Target Permanent", and the only four ways I know of in Standard won't be Standard for much longer. Argentum Armor, Beast Within, Lux Cannon and Spine of Ish Sah will move to Extended when Avacyn Restored is released.
I still love this card though.. His first ability in a W/G with something like Fog is good fun. Or use Clinging Mists, it pretty much guarantees Gideon can destroy 2 creatures.
And while it's more fun to put it on a Predator Ooze, giving him Lure after activating his third ability is also cool, it guarantees none of your other creatures will be blocked. :)
adrian.malacoda
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@argonignus45
His third ability does prevent damage, but some damage can't be prevented (i.e. if you kick Urza's Rage, the damage it deals becomes unpreventable). The ruling clarifies what happens to Gideon when such damage is dealt to him; i.e. if he's hit with Urza's Rage, the 10 damage affects him as both a planeswalker and as a creature.
@ZaLiTHkA
I believe Averyck was referring to his ability to become a creature. When he's a creature he can be doom bladed, which is why Averyck said "oddly enough..."
Areps
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
LIGHTMINE FIELD
VirusVescichetta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One thing I am curious about. Say you play his 0 ability and turn him into a creature. Does that mean you'd then be able to put some kind of equipment on him?
swords_to_exile
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Gideon and Tamiyo sitting in a tree...
Paleopaladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why isn't he seeing play in constructed like he did during shards/zendikar standard?
KokoshoForPresident
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Great planeswalker. I like the synergy between the first and second abilities. He can also really be a game-winner. I threw him in my soldier deck because I could, and my token army attacks for the win the turn after he uses his +2. He really exceeded my expectations.
"and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end."
When you stop your turn with the Sundial, he will cease to be a creature. Additionally, you can't activate the sundial when the "ability gos on the stack" because that doesn't happen. The effect simply ends when your turn does.
infernox10
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"My name is Gideon and I'mabout tew dai."
TheWrathofShane
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Hold on... so If I use his 0 Sundial of the Infinite (at end of turn when the ability gos on the stack), he would be a permanent 6/6 plansewalker creature that could never be damaged? That I could block with?? Good deal! I have not seen this combo yet, maybe because all of the removal in STD. Still would be boss though.
Edit: Okay, I understand now. This is one of the more complicated cards forgive me if I made a mistake, your majesty.
arise_shine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Strange, but powerful card. It took me the entire time he was originally in Standard for me to appreciate how powerful he is. It was amazing how much this guy changes the dynamics of a board state. True to character, he bailed me out of so many jams. Sometimes he'd bite it in the process, but not before making his mark on the game--stalling for a turn or three, or killing a critical opposing creature or three. Of course, he worked great with Tamiyo, but the number of times that game state actually occurred was negligible. Usually I'd stall until I could wipe the board, and then he'd pretty much take over the game. Then again, other times, he was pretty much just a 5-mana Fog. 4.5/5.
Knightaru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@swords_to_exile: T-A-P-P-I-N-G.
JL2736
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of my favorite planeswalkers. But I always wondered, why is the 0 ability above the -2 ability?
KnightofLight
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
When I first started playing, my friend was white all the way and was wanting this card so badly. That night, I got my very first pack, and this guy was in it. It was the most awesome thing to ever happen. The next day, I told my friend about it and within the next week, he was complainig about it and switched over to black. It was hilarious!
Burningsickle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I tend to like other planeswalkers better, but Gideon is still awesome. A planeswalker becoming a creature is just so damn awesome, and wonderfully flavorful, but have trouble finding fitting applications for his +2 ability. Yes, you can have him take damage for you, but unless you use it more than once, your only looking at 8 or less damage blocked. Obviously, you can also draw your opponents out of their defensive positioning, but unless you are prepared, that can end horribly.
Ultimately, DarthParallax said it perfectly. This guy is great, provided you put the right cards around him.
Lifegainwithbite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What is with the weird smudges on his artwork? Like the patches of red and blue?
SAUS3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So manly. I love this card. He's so good in any kind of deck you use.
Control Use as a repeatable fog, and as removal. When you are winning, use him as a finisher.
Aggro Use his +2 to force your opponents to attack (leaving little or no creatures for blocking). Use him as removal to kill their lifelink creatures that make aggro sad. If they have no creatures, use him as a 6/6 that only costs 5 mana.
He also dodges board wipes like a champ (EVEN YOU OWN!!!). Wrath of god, +0, swing for 6. That works in aggro AND control decks.
Does the Kraj get Gideon's planeswalker abilities? I've heard them be called activated abilities before but I find the concept of all of your opponent's creatures being forced to attack another creature confusing.
Comments (62)
I find that very amusing.
Now, we have the same card, reprinted in a set where only one 'walker has a lower mana cost, as well as a decent cycle (Gideon's Lawkeeper and Gideon's Avenger). Something tells me we're going to be seeing a lot more of this guy!
It was the greatest day.
That's because Gideon dies to Turn To Frog.
He becomes a creature after he uses his last ability, and since 'prevent all damage to that creature' is one of his abilities, he loses it as soon as Turn To Frog resolves, and can be killed by anything that would normally kill a blue 1/1 frog.
Problem, Gideon?
+2 COME AT ME BRO.
-2 U MAD?
0 CHILL OUT I GOT THIS.
No, that's not how it works. Gideon's planeswalker abilities are activated abilities. If their effects are activated before being lost, their effects apply even if gideon no longer has the ability to grant them - since they've already been granted. "Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Gideon Jura this turn" is an effect granted by an ability, not an ability granted by an effect.
Compare using turn to frog on, say, a creature that's been granted flying until end of turn via Jump or a similar effect. The creature would lose flying because flying is an ability that the creature has at that time.
For those of you who want the direct link to the comic, here it is:
http://www.5colorcontrol.com/comic.php?comic=132
Excellent card. Insta Lure and the ability to destroy tapped creatures which is what numerous weenie vanilla soldier do is tap a creature ex.. Benalish Trapper, Whipcorder, and Master Decoy just to name a few. Finally he leaders from the front and can gain any of the abilities that other soldiers are giving to each other. Perfect tribal card and excellent removal. 4/5
NerdFighter Gideon:
+2 Come at me, Bro.
-2 Cool Story, Bro.
0 DFTBA. (My personal motto would be Darling, Fetch The Battle Axe)
"Leading the fight against worldsuck through out the Multiverse"
Truth is It was a race for our money between my friends and I and I won.
Comparing Walkers to each other is much more difficult. Many pages could be written about which one is better, and why, and you could get a lot of different answers. Jace is amazing yes. If you forget about Bolt though, and Brainstorm first instead of Fateseal, he's easily killed. That's a surprisingly easy greedy mistake to make. Bolas has more sheer power tacked onto him than anybody except maybe Emrakul. Cheats have been found for Emmy. When the equivalents are found for Bolas, and he starts coming down on crazy ridiculous turns (like say, 4. or even 3.) then people will be more than willing to run him as much as they did Jace. His powers are just that good. And every single 'midrange' Walker that doesn't look like a game ender on their own is sheer pwnage if it's in Super Freinds.dec. 2+ Walkers resolved is practically an auto win, unless some devastating Walker-sweeper becomes playable.
If you only think in one particular context, then you are missing half of what you can do with Walkers. Think big picture stuff, and Chandra 2 really is incredible. (Hint- Mono Red has more ramp than Mono Green if you're willing to play recklessly. That really does work sometimes.)
So Gideon is incredible. He's great. He's seen major constructed tournament play. He dies to freakin Turn to Frog. Every card in Magic is like a Spartan Warrior in a phalanx. As good as they are on their own, what really matters is deck synergy, and ultimately that means that each part is much less important, making the 4 specific cards in your deck that are Gideon Jura less significant than the 56 you put around him. The Planeswalker type takes this known maxim to it's extreme, so that a sick enough deck can have all its Jaces killed and still not sweat because they've got Ajanis and Elspeths still on the board, un dealt with.
And to DarthParallax, I just honestly think Jace is too good. The only Jace I have any respect for would be the M11 edition. I'm sorry, but when I comes to Planeswalkers, it's the good, the bad, and the nooby.
He can also "duel" other big creatures well since he can kill tapped creatures. As long as the bomb doesn't hit him when it swings or Gideon's Loyaly is higher than it, or you can tap it with another card, Gideon can trump the bomb. The only creatures I can think of that can do well versus Gideon on their own are listed below and they all cost 6. Are there any good ones that cost less than 6 that straight up own Gideon?
The only bombs he doesn't trump are most titans and wurmcoil (sort of) and Concerated Sphinx. Sun Titan has vigilance and Grave Titan and Inferno Titan make dudes/damage to help kill gideon and Primeval titan can get wolf run for a huge trample and or inkmoth for another threat. No one plays Frost Titan atm, he would not have as much game against Gideon as the other Titans. Wurmcoil makes dudes when he dies, so he does pretty good. To kill Conserated Sphinx you would have to "Taunt" him and then destroy him the next turn. In the meantime, you've drawn 2 cards so they've gotten 4 extra cards so you don't really win there.
Regarding other planeswalkers, which ones can handle gideon? It seems that Garruk, Primal Hunter would have no problem with all the beasts it makes. Garruk can even pop his ultimate and straight up rock the gideon player if all goes well.
Also, regarding Turn to Frog, even if you make gideon a 1/1 with no abilities the "Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn" is not a creature ability, it is just a statement that holds true until the end of the turn.
Block a Gideon that has become a frog will not kill it because the damage is still prevented.
...and then suddenly he was all the rage, topping out for awhile at $100 for a playset? Yeah. People woke up.
To Wizards,
Please make UW Gideon and bring back Nicol Bolas....
Oh almost forgot... Jace too.
Thanks
As far as I know, the only way currently to straight-up destroy a Planeswalker is with "Destroy Target Permanent", and the only four ways I know of in Standard won't be Standard for much longer. Argentum Armor, Beast Within, Lux Cannon and Spine of Ish Sah will move to Extended when Avacyn Restored is released.
I still love this card though.. His first ability in a W/G with something like Fog is good fun. Or use Clinging Mists, it pretty much guarantees Gideon can destroy 2 creatures.
And while it's more fun to put it on a Predator Ooze, giving him Lure after activating his third ability is also cool, it guarantees none of your other creatures will be blocked. :)
His third ability does prevent damage, but some damage can't be prevented (i.e. if you kick Urza's Rage, the damage it deals becomes unpreventable). The ruling clarifies what happens to Gideon when such damage is dealt to him; i.e. if he's hit with Urza's Rage, the 10 damage affects him as both a planeswalker and as a creature.
@ZaLiTHkA
I believe Averyck was referring to his ability to become a creature. When he's a creature he can be doom bladed, which is why Averyck said "oddly enough..."
Also, he has wonderful synergy with Tamiyo, the Moon Sage.
Me: Vapor Snag :)
"and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end."
When you stop your turn with the Sundial, he will cease to be a creature. Additionally, you can't activate the sundial when the "ability gos on the stack" because that doesn't happen. The effect simply ends when your turn does.
Edit: Okay, I understand now. This is one of the more complicated cards forgive me if I made a mistake, your majesty.
Ultimately, DarthParallax said it perfectly. This guy is great, provided you put the right cards around him.
Control
Use as a repeatable fog, and as removal. When you are winning, use him as a finisher.
Aggro
Use his +2 to force your opponents to attack (leaving little or no creatures for blocking). Use him as removal to kill their lifelink creatures that make aggro sad. If they have no creatures, use him as a 6/6 that only costs 5 mana.
He also dodges board wipes like a champ (EVEN YOU OWN!!!). Wrath of god, +0, swing for 6. That works in aggro AND control decks.
Does the Kraj get Gideon's planeswalker abilities? I've heard them be called activated abilities before but I find the concept of all of your opponent's creatures being forced to attack another creature confusing.
My mind asploded with joy.