Ajani's ComradeHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Ajani's Comrade is a 2/2 creature with Trample. Its core mechanic is a triggered ability that checks for the presence of an Ajani planeswalker at the beginning of your combat phase. If you control at least one planeswalker with the 'Ajani' subtype, you place a +1/+1 counter on Ajani's Comrade, permanently increasing its power and toughness.

How it Resolves Step by Step

First, the ability triggers at the start of your 'Beginning of Combat' step, before attackers are declared. Second, the game checks if you control an Ajani planeswalker; if you do not, the ability does not even go on the stack. Third, if the condition is met, the ability is placed on the stack and players may respond. Finally, when the ability resolves, you place the +1/+1 counter on Ajani's Comrade, making it larger before you declare it as an attacker.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is forgetting that the check happens twice. You must control an Ajani planeswalker both at the moment the 'Beginning of Combat' step starts and at the moment the ability resolves. If your opponent destroys your only Ajani planeswalker in response to the trigger, Ajani's Comrade will not receive a counter. Additionally, remember that Trample allows excess damage to be dealt to the player or planeswalker it is attacking, which becomes more effective as the Comrade grows.

When to Play It

Ajani's Comrade is best played early in the game to establish board presence. Because it requires a specific planeswalker type to grow, it is most effective in decks heavily featuring Ajani cards. It serves as an excellent recipient for mana acceleration, allowing you to get it and its planeswalker companion onto the battlefield as quickly as possible.

Interaction examples

Fast Deployment

Llanowar Elves

On turn one, you play Llanowar Elves. On turn two, you use the mana from Llanowar Elves and a land to cast Ajani's Comrade. This sets you up to cast a high-impact Ajani planeswalker as early as turn three, ensuring Ajani's Comrade starts gaining counters immediately.

Fixing Your Mana

Birds of Paradise

If your Ajani planeswalker requires White mana and your deck is primarily Green, Birds of Paradise can provide the necessary color. Once the planeswalker is on the field, Ajani's Comrade will trigger every turn, using its Trample ability to push through the damage that Birds of Paradise cannot.

Standard Combat Flow

With Ajani's Comrade on the field alone, it remains a 2/2 with Trample. During your Beginning of Combat step, the game checks for an Ajani planeswalker. Since you control none, the ability does not trigger, and you proceed directly to declaring attackers with a 2/2 creature.