Mentor

Mentor
[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Mentor.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Triggered
Introduced	Guilds of Ravnica
Last used	Modern Horizons 3
Reminder Text	Mentor (Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power.)
Storm Scale	6
Statistics	16 cards 25% 6.3% 25% 6.3% 6.3% 31.3%
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keyword:"Mentor"

Mentor is a keyword ability introduced in Guilds of Ravnica for the Boros Legion of Ravnica.

Description

Mentor can only be found on creatures. When a creature with Mentor attacks, you may place a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power. If the lesser creature grows to equivalent size to the mentor, the counter is not placed. It has a Storm Scale value of 6, marking it as marginally unsuccessful: functional, but rarely made for interesting gameplay patterns. If the mentor is not attacking due to bad blocks, the smaller creature is unlikely to be attacking either, and the mentor is usually already the pivotal creature on board. Aegis of the Legion has two unique applications of Mentor: it grants it to the equipped creature, and when mentoring occurs, an additional shield counter is placed on the mentee.

History

Mentor was considered for the human mechanic in Innistrad: Crimson Vow, but was later "fixed" into the mirrored Training mechanic. Putting it on the lower power creature gives the defender the strategic choice as to block the trainer or the larger creature, and the attacker can weigh the benefit of sacrificing a fragile high-power creature to grow a trainer.

Mentor was one of the non-evergreen, non-deciduous keywords included in the Unfinity sticker sheets. It also appeared on the Universes Beyond Doctor Who card Danny Pink. Other one-offs appeared in Ravnica: Clue Edition and Modern Horizons 3.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Mentor

A keyword ability that lets your bigger creatures power up your smaller creatures when they attack together. See rule 702.134, “Mentor.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.134. Mentor
  • 702.134a Mentor is a triggered ability. “Mentor” means “Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with power less than this creature’s power.”
  • 702.134b If a creature has multiple instances of mentor, each triggers separately.
  • 702.134c An ability that triggers whenever a creature mentors another creature triggers whenever a mentor ability whose source is the first creature and whose target is the second creature resolves.

Rulings

• Mentor compares the power of the creature with mentor with that of the target creature at two different times: once as the triggered ability is put onto the stack, and once as the triggered ability resolves. If you wish to raise a creature's power so its mentor ability can target a bigger creature, the last chance you have to do so is during the beginning of combat step.
• If the target creature's power is no longer less than the attacking creature's power as the ability resolves, mentor doesn't add a +1/+1 counter. For example, if two 3/3 creatures with mentor attack and both mentor triggers target the same 2/2 creature, the first to resolve puts a +1/+1 counter on it and the second does nothing.
• If the creature with mentor leaves the battlefield with mentor on the stack, use its power as that creature last existed on the battlefield to determine whether the target creature has less power.

Examples

Example

Blade Instructor
Creature — Human Soldier
3/1
Mentor (Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power.)