Archetype of Courage is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Creatures you control have first strike. Creatures your opponents control lose first strike and can't have or gain first strike.
Complete guide
Archetype of Courage is a powerful tactical enchantment creature that dictates the flow of combat by shifting the balance of speed. It ensures your army always strikes first while stripping your enemies of their ability to do the same.
Mastering First Strike
The Archetype of Courage provides a static benefit to your board and a static penalty to your opponents. While it is on the battlefield, all creatures you control gain first strike, allowing them to deal combat damage before creatures without the keyword. More importantly, its second ability creates a restrictive environment where creatures your opponents control lose first strike and are completely barred from gaining it through any means.
A Blanket Prohibition
This card creates a 'can't' effect, which is one of the strongest types of rules in Magic. If an opponent attempts to cast a spell or activate an ability that grants first strike, that part of the effect simply fails to happen. If the Archetype of Courage leaves the battlefield, only static effects (like Auras) will start working again; temporary buffs that were blocked by the Archetype's presence are never created and won't suddenly appear.
When Both Sides Have Courage
A common point of confusion occurs when two players each control an Archetype of Courage. In this scenario, the 'can't gain' rule applies to everyone. Your Archetype tells your opponent's creatures they can't have first strike, and their Archetype tells your creatures the same. The result is a stalemate where no creatures on either side of the board have first strike, regardless of other abilities.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control Archetype of Courage and Solemn Simulacrum, the Golem gains first strike. If it blocks or is blocked by an opponent's creature with 2 or less toughness, Solemn Simulacrum will deal its combat damage first, destroying the other creature before it has a chance to deal damage back.
Roaming ThroneIf you play Roaming Throne and choose 'Human' or 'Soldier', it shares a type with Archetype of Courage. While Roaming Throne's doubling ability doesn't affect the Archetype's static abilities (which aren't triggered), Roaming Throne itself will benefit from having first strike. This creates a massive 4/4 first striker that is very difficult for opponents to engage in combat, especially since they cannot use first strike to trade effectively.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Archetype of Courage
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The Archetype’s second ability applies to each creature controlled by any of your opponents, no matter when it entered the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
While you control an Archetype, continuous effects generated by the resolution of spells and abilities that would give the specified ability to creatures your opponents control aren’t created. For example, if you control Archetype of Courage, a spell cast by an opponent that gives creatures they control first strike wouldn’t cause the creatures to have first strike, even if later in the turn Archetype of Courage left the battlefield. (If the spell has additional effects, such as raising the power of the creatures, those effects will apply as normal.)
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Conversely, continuous effects generated by static abilities (such as an Aura that granted the appropriate ability) would resume applying if the Archetype left the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you and an opponent each control the same Archetype, no creature controlled by any player will have the appropriate ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Archetype of Courage
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.