Gideon Jura, may he Rest in Peace, is one of the pound-for-pound most powerful Planeswalkers in The Multiverse. Unfortunately Gideon, Champion of Justice is the black sheep of the family.
This so-called champ is...bad. And not only is it bad, it's really weird! It gets bigger, but only if your opponent has a lot of guys (which presumably can all attack it), and then maybe it can wipe them out if he lives long enough...but all your other stuff is gone, too. This is tough to build around. It's not all that easy for White to give your opponent a lot of guys, and sacrificing all your stuff for one big thing is much more Red or maybe Black than White. Like I said, really weird.
Suffice to say, building a deck mechanically relevant to Gideon was not something I found particularly interesting or feasible. The next question became: is there anything relevant or noteworthy about this Gideon flavorfully that can be built around?
...You know what? I'll take it:
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Gideon, Champion of Justice by Andy Hurst
'Gideon, Champion of Justice' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Andy Hurst
Event:
Rank:
Freeform (Casual)
Market Price: $33.73
Hand of Honor
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12449_200w.jpg
Protection from black Bushido 1 (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
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Spurnmage Advocate
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/47448_200w.jpg
{T}: Return two target cards from an opponent's graveyard to their hand. Destroy target attacking creature.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander/spurnmage-advocate
Gaze of Justice
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/14242_200w.jpg
As an additional cost to cast this spell, tap three untapped white creatures you control.
Exile target creature.
Flashback {5}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost and any additional costs. Then exile it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral/gaze-of-justice
Silverflame Squire // On Alert
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199211_200w.jpg
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Alley Evasion
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/126454_200w.jpg
Choose one — • Target creature you control gets +1/+2 until end of turn. • Return target creature you control to its owner's hand.
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Devout Chaplain
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212365_200w.jpg
{T}, Tap two untapped Humans you control: Exile target artifact or enchantment.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2020/devout-chaplain
Plains
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.99
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230464_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {W}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/plains
Bonds of Faith
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/113223_200w.jpg
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 as long as it's a Human. Otherwise, it can't attack or block.
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Thalia, Heretic Cathar
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $3.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/119689_200w.jpg
First strike Creatures and nonbasic lands your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
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Butcher's Cleaver
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/113364_200w.jpg
Equipped creature gets +3/+0.
As long as equipped creature is a Human, it has lifelink.
Equip {3}Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-blessed-vs-cursed/butchers-cleaver
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $2.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/14702_200w.jpg
Other white creatures get +1/+1. Nonwhite creatures get -1/-1. Pay 2 life: Return Crovax, Ascendant Hero to its owner's hand.
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Trueheart Duelist
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/129573_200w.jpg
Trueheart Duelist can block an additional creature each combat.
Embalm {2}{W} ({2}{W}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie Human Warrior with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/amonkhet/trueheart-duelist
Gideon, Champion of Justice
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $1.94
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/67354_200w.jpg
+1: Put a loyalty counter on Gideon, Champion of Justice for each creature target opponent controls. 0: Until end of turn, Gideon, Champion of Justice becomes a Human Soldier creature with power and toughness each equal to the number of loyalty counters on him and gains indestructible. He's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn. −15: Exile all other permanents.
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Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/198997_200w.jpg
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Altar's Light
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11325_200w.jpg
Exile target artifact or enchantment.
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Elder Cathar
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/113246_200w.jpg
When Elder Cathar dies, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. If that creature is a Human, put two +1/+1 counters on it instead.
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Hixus, Prison Warden
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/100042_200w.jpg
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, if Hixus, Prison Warden entered the battlefield this turn, exile that creature until Hixus leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner's control.)
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Suspension Field
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/92985_200w.jpg
When Suspension Field enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature with toughness 3 or greater until Suspension Field leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner's control.)
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Village Bell-Ringer
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.23
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/113367_200w.jpg
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) When Village Bell-Ringer enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control.
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Eiganjo Free-Riders
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12426_200w.jpg
Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, return a white creature you control to its owner's hand.
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Unwavering Initiate
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/130294_200w.jpg
Vigilance
Embalm {4}{W} ({4}{W}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie Human Warrior with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/amonkhet/unwavering-initiate
Courageous Outrider
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/120431_200w.jpg
When Courageous Outrider enters the battlefield, look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a Human card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
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Rally for the Throne
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199210_200w.jpg
Create two 1/1 white Human creature tokens. Adamant — If at least three white mana was spent to cast this spell, you gain 1 life for each creature you control.
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Sanctuary Lockdown
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212278_200w.jpg
Humans you control get +1/+1.
{2}, Tap two untapped Humans you control: Tap target creature an opponent controls.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ikoria-lair-of-behemoths/sanctuary-lockdown
Repel the Abominable
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/120521_200w.jpg
Prevent all damage that would be dealt this turn by non-Human sources.
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Thraben Inspector
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218615_200w.jpg
When Thraben Inspector enters the battlefield, investigate. (Create a colorless Clue artifact token with "{2}, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.")Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/thraben-inspector
Longbow Archer
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/2977_200w.jpg
First strike; reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
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Second Thoughts
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/118637_200w.jpg
Exile target attacking creature. Draw a card.
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Secluded Steppe
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227318_200w.jpg
Secluded Steppe enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {W}.
Cycling {W} ({W}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-legends/secluded-steppe
Azorius Justiciar
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/66453_200w.jpg
When Azorius Justiciar enters the battlefield, detain up to two target creatures your opponents control. (Until your next turn, those creatures can't attack or block and their activated abilities can't be activated.)
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Ixalan's Binding
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.23
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/144817_200w.jpg
When Ixalan's Binding enters the battlefield, exile target nonland permanent an opponent controls until Ixalan's Binding leaves the battlefield. Your opponents can't cast spells with the same name as the exiled card.
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Syr Alin, the Lion's Claw
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199276_200w.jpg
First strike Whenever Syr Alin, the Lion's Claw attacks, other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
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Thalia's Lieutenant
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212428_200w.jpg
When Thalia's Lieutenant enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on each other Human you control. Whenever another Human enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Thalia's Lieutenant.
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Icatian Javelineers
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/96179_200w.jpg
Icatian Javelineers enters the battlefield with a javelin counter on it.
{T}, Remove a javelin counter from Icatian Javelineers: It deals 1 damage to any target.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-elspeth-vs-kiora/icatian-javelineers
Avacyn's Collar
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/57801_200w.jpg
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has vigilance.
Whenever equipped creature dies, if it was a Human, create a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.
Equip {2}Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/dark-ascension/avacyns-collar
Daysquad Marshal
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212790_200w.jpg
When Daysquad Marshal enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.
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Sigardian Priest
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/120529_200w.jpg
{1}, {T}: Tap target non-Human creature.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/eldritch-moon/sigardian-priest
Ruins of Trokair
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/2719_200w.jpg
Ruins of Trokair enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {W}.
{T}, Sacrifice Ruins of Trokair: Add {W}{W}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/classic-sixth-edition/ruins-of-trokair
Our plan is pretty simple: play Humans, attack with them, and keep doing so until the opponent is not alive anymore. Gideon's an honest fella. There are a couple of sweet synergies to exploit, and our equipment grants some strong extra bonuses.
The removal isn't great, but Bonds of Faith has some neat versatility and Ixalan's Binding is solid, if slow. Suspension Field and Second Thoughts are both situationally powerful, and [[Gaze of Justice—which might not have been playable in its Limited environment—is useful with a bunch of human doofuses sitting around waiting for something to do. Look to dominate a combat step with Repel the Abominable or Village Bell-Ringers, or suddenly change the math on a race with Rally for the Throne.
This is a card many of you are familiar with if you've played any Modern. You know it's good. I know it's good. But it was laying around my rare pile from the box of Shadows Over Innistrad I bought, and turns out it is not only fairly inexpensive, but also the best thing this deck wants to be doing.
Thalia is a big beating. A 3-Power First Striker is difficult to trump in combat, and her passive ability can keep your folks aggressive and your damage race favorable.
In the lore, Hixus is the guy who teaches a young Gideon (aka Kytheon) how to use his Law Magic and master his powers. In the games, Hixus is a very beefy flash creature who will ruin either a combat or your opponent's board right after it. It's a little clunky—after all, you need to let the other guys hit you before you whisk them away into the aether—but Hixus can be game-changing in the right spot.
My goodness this guy is dope. A super neat flavor win, this Crovax depicts an alternate version of the character where he became a good guy instead of the Ascendant Evincar. And his abilities mirror both the Evincar and that of his angel Selenia, whose death precipitated Crovax's descent into madness in the main timeline. Anyway, Crovax is nigh-unkillable and will absolutely take over a board. An older school Elesh Norn, if you will. Keep in mind though, if you're ever playing against another white deck, that Crovax just doesn't really do much because its effect is symmetrical.
Did you know that there really aren't that many white human flyers? Obviously if you're a Modern player you're familiar with Mantis Rider, but that's 3 colors. With just white? Not that many! And several of them stink, and none of them are big. As a result, the Free-Riders (FR for short) are something of a useful outlier.
The size isn't just the only benefit; FR has a ton of synergy with our deck. We get more clues from Thraben Inspector, more pings with Javelineers, more detention from Justicar, reinforcements from Courageous Outrider, more untaps with Bell-Ringer. FR also resets our adventure creatures to essentially buyback the spells. I can't even do the math on how insane it is to get Thalia's Lieutenant every turn. FR is a strange Human. But that's okay! Gideon, Champion of Justice is all too familiar with making strange Humans useful.