Guardians' PledgeHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Guardians' Pledge is an instant spell that grants all white creatures you currently control a +2/+2 bonus until the end of the turn. It is important to note that this spell specifically targets 'white creatures,' meaning colorless creatures or creatures of other colors without the white color identity will not receive the buff. The effect is locked in at the moment the spell resolves.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you cast Guardians' Pledge and pay its mana cost of two white and one generic mana. As it resolves, the game checks which creatures you control that are white. Every creature meeting that criteria receives the +2/+2 bonus. If a creature gains or loses the white color after this point, the bonus remains unchanged for the duration of the turn. However, any creatures entering the battlefield after the spell has finished resolving will not benefit from the boost.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is assuming that creatures entering the battlefield later in the turn will gain the +2/+2 bonus. Because Guardians' Pledge does not create a continuous effect that modifies the rules of the game, it only affects the set of creatures on the board at the time of resolution. Another mistake is thinking the bonus disappears if a creature loses its white color; official rulings state that once the bonus is applied, it lasts until end of turn regardless of color changes.

When to Play It

The best time to cast Guardians' Pledge is during the declare blockers step of combat. If you are attacking, you can wait for your opponent to commit their blockers and then use the pledge to ensure your creatures survive and theirs do not. Defensively, it can be used as a 'blowout' to preserve your life total and wipe out an attacking army.

Interaction examples

Timing with New Creatures

Generous Gift

If you cast Guardians' Pledge and it resolves, then later in the turn you cast Generous Gift to destroy a permanent and create a 3/3 green Elephant token, that token will not receive the +2/+2 bonus. The token is green, not white, and it entered the battlefield after Guardians' Pledge resolved.

Phasing Interaction

Teferi's Protection

If you cast Teferi's Protection in response to your own Guardians' Pledge, your creatures will phase out before the Pledge resolves. Since phased-out permanents are treated as though they do not exist, Guardians' Pledge will find no white creatures to buff, and your creatures will not have the +2/+2 bonus when they phase back in.

The Solo Push

When playing Guardians' Pledge alone with a board of three 1/1 white Soldier tokens, the spell resolves and immediately turns them into 3/3 threats. This represents a total of 6 additional damage that your opponent might not have accounted for during their blocking decisions.