Old GuardHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Old Guard has a specialized activated ability that costs one white mana and requires you to tap it. It targets a creature, but with a specific restriction: that creature must not have any reminder text. Reminder text is defined as any italicized text in parentheses, such as (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach). If a creature has even one word of reminder text, Old Guard cannot target it.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you pay {W} and tap Old Guard to activate the ability. Next, you must choose a legal target creature that currently has no reminder text in its text box. Once the ability resolves, the targeted creature becomes tapped. If the creature gains reminder text while the ability is on the stack (though rare), the ability will fizzle due to an illegal target.

Common Mistakes

The most frequent error is confusing flavor text with reminder text. Flavor text is also italicized but does not appear in parentheses; Old Guard can still tap a creature that has flavor text as long as it lacks reminder text. Additionally, remember that Old Guard checks the physical text printed on the card or the official Oracle text. Even if you personally know how a keyword works, if the card includes the parenthetical explanation, it is protected from Old Guard.

When to Play It

Old Guard is most effective in environments featuring many 'vanilla' creatures (creatures with no text at all) or powerful cards with short, keyword-only text. It acts as a repeatable piece of crowd control, provided your opponent's threats are simple enough to lack explanations. It is an excellent defensive tool in Limited formats where reminder text is often omitted on rare or mythic cards.

Interaction examples

Shutting Down the Sentinel

Esper Sentinel

You look at Esper Sentinel and see its ability triggers when an opponent casts a spell. Because Esper Sentinel does not have any text in parentheses (reminder text) explaining its ability, it is a valid target for Old Guard. You pay {W}, tap Old Guard, and tap the Sentinel.

The Thopter's Protection

Ornithopter of Paradise

Ornithopter of Paradise has the keyword 'Flying'. On many printings of this card, there is no reminder text. However, if you are using a version that includes '(This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach)', Old Guard cannot target it. If the version has no parentheses, Old Guard can successfully tap it to prevent it from producing mana.