Jade Guardian
Creature — Merfolk Shaman
Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on target Merfolk you control.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Ixalan
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #24482
Jade Guardian enters as a 3/3 hexproof for four mana and immediately puts a +1/+1 counter on itself, making it a self-contained, removal-resistant threat. The stat line is pedestrian and the mana cost unremarkable, but hexproof on entry means it demands a board wipe rather than a spot removal spell.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Jade Guardian is a Pauper-playable common, and that's the format where it sees the most legitimate use — green auras and +1/+1 counter synergies can turn a hexproof body into a real threat without worrying about two-for-ones. In Commander, a vanilla 3/3 hexproof for four is below the power threshold of nearly every table; the self-counter does little when opponents are deploying seven-drops and combo pieces by turn four. Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer have faster, more efficient hexproof creatures at lower costs, so Jade Guardian won't find a home there outside of budget casual play.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Jade Guardian is deep bulk — it won't appreciably rise in value and is primarily useful as a placeholder in early Commander or Pauper builds. Pick it up freely from a bulk bin, but don't prioritize acquiring it when better hexproof creatures exist at similarly low price points.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.