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Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged

Kytheon, Hero of Akros

{W}

Legendary Creature — Human Soldier

At end of combat, if Kytheon and at least two other creatures attacked this combat, exile Kytheon, then return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control.

{2}{W}: Kytheon gains indestructible until end of turn.

2 / 1

Transform
Set
Pioneer Masters (PIO #23)
Rarity
Mythic
Mana value
1
Released
2024-12-10
Artist
Willian Murai
EDHREC rank
#11,405
Colour identity
{W}
Finishes
Nonfoil
Served from
Local database

Commander bracket

1 +
Fits any bracket
No Game Changer, land denial, extra turns or two-card combos.

Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules

EDHREC

Salt Score 0.31
How much players resent seeing this card. The scale tops out around 3.1.
Can be your commander

Combos 3

Loran, Disciple of History+Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged+Isamaru, Hound of Konda+Cloudstone Curio+Lotus Petal
{W}
Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite storm count
Loran, Disciple of History+Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful+Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged+Cloudstone Curio+Lotus Petal
{W}
Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite storm count
Jedit Ojanen, Mercenary+Cloudstone Curio+Earthcraft+Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged
{G}{W}{U}
Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite storm countInfinite tapped creature tokens

Commander recommendations

Top synergy 50

Played far more in this commander's decks than elsewhere.

  1. Gideon of the Trials 81 %+80.4 %
  2. Gideon Blackblade 82 %+80.2 %
  3. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 79 %+78.2 %
  4. Gideon Jura 77 %+75.9 %
  5. Gideon, Champion of Justice 75 %+74.6 %
  6. Gideon, Martial Paragon 71 %+70.5 %
  7. Gideon, the Oathsworn 68 %+67.9 %
  8. Oath of Gideon 63 %+62.9 %
  9. Deification 59 %+58.6 %
  10. Gideon's Triumph 57 %+57.1 %
  11. Gideon's Sacrifice 61 %+56.8 %
  12. Call the Gatewatch 50 %+49.7 %
  13. Gideon's Avenger 49 %+48.3 %
  14. Djeru, With Eyes Open 47 %+46.6 %
  15. Gideon's Resolve 46 %+45.7 %
  16. Gideon's Battle Cry 45 %+44.8 %
  17. Gideon's Company 45 %+44.4 %
  18. Gatewatch Beacon 45 %+44.2 %
  19. Luxior, Giada's Gift 45 %+43.8 %
  20. Elspeth's Talent 44 %+43.0 %
  21. True Conviction 51 %+42.2 %
  22. Baird, Steward of Argive 44 %+39.8 %
  23. Gideon's Lawkeeper 40 %+39.3 %
  24. Keeper of the Accord 53 %+36.8 %
  25. Captain of the Watch 41 %+36.4 %
  26. Blackblade Reforged 41 %+34.7 %
  27. Gideon's Intervention 35 %+34.6 %
  28. Deploy the Gatewatch 34 %+33.6 %
  29. Worship 34 %+32.9 %
  30. Onakke Oathkeeper 33 %+32.7 %
  31. Elspeth, Sun's Champion 42 %+31.4 %
  32. Gideon's Reproach 31 %+30.7 %
  33. Martial Coup 37 %+30.6 %
  34. Myrel, Shield of Argive 36 %+29.8 %
  35. Castle Ardenvale 48 %+29.6 %
  36. Tragic Arrogance 31 %+29.3 %
  37. Valiant Veteran 32 %+28.9 %
  38. Collective Effort 31 %+28.8 %
  39. Odric, Master Tactician 36 %+28.7 %
  40. Gideon's Phalanx 29 %+28.3 %
  41. Ignite the Beacon 29 %+28.2 %
  42. Kytheon's Irregulars 28 %+28.0 %
  43. The Chain Veil 28 %+27.8 %
  44. Karn's Bastion 32 %+27.0 %
  45. Archetype of Courage 29 %+26.4 %
  46. Mentor of the Meek 44 %+26.3 %
  47. Thalia, Heretic Cathar 34 %+25.0 %
  48. Lae'zel, Vlaakith's Champion 28 %+24.2 %
  49. Precinct Captain 24 %+22.0 %
  50. Rescue Retriever 24 %+21.2 %

Most included 50

Highest share of decks running them, distinctive or not.

  1. Plains 93 %-0.4 %
  2. Gideon Blackblade 82 %+80.2 %
  3. Gideon of the Trials 81 %+80.4 %
  4. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 79 %+78.2 %
  5. Gideon Jura 77 %+75.9 %
  6. Gideon, Champion of Justice 75 %+74.6 %
  7. Path to Exile 73 %+6.1 %
  8. Gideon, Martial Paragon 71 %+70.5 %
  9. Sol Ring 70 %-13.1 %
  10. Swords to Plowshares 70 %-5.5 %
  11. Gideon, the Oathsworn 68 %+67.9 %
  12. Oath of Gideon 63 %+62.9 %
  13. Gideon's Sacrifice 61 %+56.8 %
  14. Pearl Medallion 59 %-0.9 %
  15. Deification 59 %+58.6 %
  16. Gideon's Triumph 57 %+57.1 %
  17. Keeper of the Accord 53 %+36.8 %
  18. True Conviction 51 %+42.2 %
  19. Call the Gatewatch 50 %+49.7 %
  20. Gideon's Avenger 49 %+48.3 %
  21. Emeria, the Sky Ruin 49 %+9.0 %
  22. Castle Ardenvale 48 %+29.6 %
  23. Djeru, With Eyes Open 47 %+46.6 %
  24. Gideon's Resolve 46 %+45.7 %
  25. Gideon's Battle Cry 45 %+44.8 %
  26. Gideon's Company 45 %+44.4 %
  27. Luxior, Giada's Gift 45 %+43.8 %
  28. Gatewatch Beacon 45 %+44.2 %
  29. Baird, Steward of Argive 44 %+39.8 %
  30. Mentor of the Meek 44 %+26.3 %
  31. Arcane Signet 44 %-13.7 %
  32. Elspeth's Talent 44 %+43.0 %
  33. Elspeth, Sun's Champion 42 %+31.4 %
  34. Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 42 %+9.4 %
  35. Blackblade Reforged 41 %+34.7 %
  36. Captain of the Watch 41 %+36.4 %
  37. Knight of the White Orchid 41 %+15.2 %
  38. Gideon's Lawkeeper 40 %+39.3 %
  39. War Room 37 %+2.4 %
  40. Martial Coup 37 %+30.6 %
  41. Esper Sentinel 37 %+3.2 %
  42. Minas Tirith 37 %+9.7 %
  43. Odric, Master Tactician 36 %+28.7 %
  44. Myrel, Shield of Argive 36 %+29.8 %
  45. Gideon's Intervention 35 %+34.6 %
  46. Windbrisk Heights 34 %+16.5 %
  47. Thalia, Heretic Cathar 34 %+25.0 %
  48. Generous Gift 34 %-6.9 %
  49. Worship 34 %+32.9 %
  50. Deploy the Gatewatch 34 %+33.6 %

Format legality

Rulings

  • 2015-06-22

    A Magic Origins planeswalker that enters the battlefield because of the ability of its front face will enter with loyalty counters as normal.

  • 2015-06-22

    A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.

  • 2015-06-22

    Each face of a double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, power and toughness, loyalty, abilities, and so on. While a double-faced card is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored. While a double-faced card isn't on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face.

  • 2015-06-22

    Gideon's first ability causes a creature to attack him if able. If, during its controller's declare attackers step, that creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under its controller's control continuously since that player's turn began, then that creature doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having that creature attack, its controller isn't forced to pay that cost. If they don't, the creature doesn't have to attack.

  • 2015-06-22

    Gideon's third ability causes him to become a creature with the creature types Human Soldier. He remains a planeswalker with the planeswalker type Gideon. (He also retains any other card types or subtypes he may have had.) Each subtype is correlated to the proper card type: Gideon is just a planeswalker type (not a creature type), and Human and Soldier are just creature types (not planeswalker types).

  • 2015-06-22

    If Gideon becomes a creature due to his third ability, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. Gideon was already on the battlefield; he only changed his types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger.

  • 2015-06-22

    If Gideon can't be attacked, perhaps because he has left the battlefield before the creature's controller's next combat, the creature targeted by Gideon's first ability can attack you or another planeswalker you control, or its controller can choose to have it not attack at all.

  • 2015-06-22

    If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down (this is also true if it's put onto the battlefield face down some other way). Note that "face down" is not synonymous with "with its back face up." A manifested double-faced card is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. While face down, it can't transform. If the front face of a manifested double-faced card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up. A double-faced card on the battlefield can't be turned face down.

  • 2015-06-22

    If the creature targeted by Gideon's first ability changes controllers before it has the chance to attack Gideon, the ability will apply to it during its new controller's next turn.

  • 2015-06-22

    If you activate Gideon's third ability and then damage is dealt to him that can't be prevented, that damage has all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon (since he's a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he's a planeswalker). If Gideon has no loyalty counters on him, he's put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action. (As long as he still has indestructible, the marked damage won't cause him to be destroyed.)

  • 2015-06-22

    In some rare cases, a spell or ability may cause one of these five cards to transform while it's a creature (front face up) on the battlefield. If this happens, the resulting planeswalker won't have any loyalty counters on it and will subsequently be put into its owner's graveyard.

  • 2015-06-22

    Kytheon's first ability will count creatures that attacked but are no longer on the battlefield (perhaps because they didn't survive combat damage being dealt). It will not count any creatures that were put onto the battlefield attacking, as those creatures were never declared as attackers.

  • 2015-06-22

    Say you activate Gideon's third ability, then an opponent gains control of him before combat. You may have any of your creatures attack Gideon (since he's still a planeswalker). Then Gideon may block (since he's a creature). He may block any eligible attacking creature, including one that's attacking him. During combat, he behaves as an attacked planeswalker and/or a blocking creature, as appropriate. For example, he deals combat damage to any creatures he's blocking, but he doesn't deal combat damage to any unblocked creatures that are attacking him.

  • 2015-06-22

    The back face of a double-faced card (in the case of Magic Origins, the planeswalker face) can't be cast.

  • 2015-06-22

    The mana value of a double-faced card not on the battlefield is the mana value of its front face.

  • 2015-06-22

    You can activate one of the planeswalker's loyalty abilities the turn it enters the battlefield. However, you may do so only during one of your main phases when the stack is empty. For example, if the planeswalker enters the battlefield during combat, there will be an opportunity for your opponent to remove it before you can activate one of its abilities.

  • 2016-04-08

    The back face of a double-faced card doesn't have a mana cost. A double-faced permanent with its back face up has a mana value equal to the mana value of its front face. Each back face has a color indicator that defines its color.

  • 2017-09-29

    You can control two of this permanent, one front-face up and the other back-face up, at the same time.

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