Guardian of Faith 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
Flash Vigilance When this creature enters, any number of other target creatures you control phase out. (Treat them and anything attached to them as though they don't exist until their controller's next turn.)
Complete guide
Guardian of Faith is a powerful Spirit Knight that offers unparalleled protection for your board. With Flash and the ability to phase out your army, it serves as a versatile tool to dodge board wipes or targeted removal while leaving a vigilant blocker behind.
What it Does
When Guardian of Faith enters the battlefield, you choose any number of other target creatures you control to phase out. Phasing is a unique mechanic where permanents are treated as though they do not exist. Unlike flickering or bouncing, the creatures do not leave the battlefield; they simply 'vanish' along with any Auras, Equipment, or counters attached to them until your next untap step.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, you cast Guardian of Faith, typically in response to a spell or during combat. Once it enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack, and you choose your targets. Upon resolution, those creatures and everything attached to them phase out simultaneously. They remain in this state, unable to be targeted or affected by any spells (including 'destroy all' effects), until your next untap step begins. At that moment, they phase back in immediately before you untap your permanents.
Common Mistakes
A frequent misconception is that phasing triggers 'enters' or 'leaves' the battlefield abilities. It does not. Because the creatures never actually change zones, a creature phasing back in will not trigger abilities that check for a permanent entering the battlefield. Additionally, remember that any creature that was attacking or blocking when it phases out is immediately removed from combat.
When to Play It
The best time to deploy Guardian of Faith is in response to a non-targeted board wipe like Supreme Verdict or a damaging spell. Since it has Flash, you can wait until the last possible second to protect your key creatures. Because it has Vigilance, it can also be played during your opponent's end step to provide a surprise blocker that persists through your next turn.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent tries to destroy your Solemn Simulacrum, you can flash in Guardian of Faith. The Golem phases out and is protected. Note that because phasing doesn't count as leaving or entering the battlefield, you do not draw a card when it phases out, nor do you search for a land when it phases back in.
Roaming ThroneWhen Roaming Throne phases out via Guardian of Faith, it 'remembers' the creature type you chose when it first entered the battlefield. When it phases back in during your next untap step, it will still be that chosen type and its ward ability will function normally, all without you having to pay its mana cost again.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Guardian of Faith
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
An attacking or blocking creature that phases out is removed from combat.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Any continuous effects with a "for as long as" duration, such as that of Mind Flayer, ignore phased-out objects. If ignoring those objects causes the effect's conditions to no longer be met, the duration will expire.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If an opponent gains control of one of your creatures, that creature phases out, and the duration of the control-change effect expires before it phases back in, that creature phases in under your control as that opponent's next untap step begins. If they leave the game before their next untap step, it phases in as the next untap step begins after their turn would have begun.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Choices made for permanents as they entered the battlefield are remembered when they phase in.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Phased out permanents are treated as though they don't exist. They can't be the target of spells or abilities, their static abilities have no effect on the game, their triggered abilities can't trigger, they can't attack or block, and so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
As a creature is phased out, Auras and Equipment attached to it also phase out at the same time. Those Auras and Equipment will phase in at the same time that creature does, and they'll phase in still attached to that creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Permanents phase back in during their controller's untap step, immediately before that player untaps their permanents. Creatures that phase in this way are able to attack and pay a cost of
during that turn. If a permanent had counters on it when it phased out, it will have those counters when it phases back in.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Phasing out doesn't cause any "leaves the battlefield" abilities to trigger. Similarly, phasing in won't cause any "enters the battlefield" abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Guardian of Faith
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.