The instant you see En Garde, you feel the sting of steel meeting dawn’s light.
At its center stands a poised champion—Fiora—her blade raised in challenge, backlit by a burst of golden radiance.
The mood is one of cool confidence and unwavering focus, as though the first move of a duel is already won in spirit.
Illustration Breakdown
Fiora dominates the canvas, framed in three-quarter view with her rapier angled diagonally across the image.
The light behind her fans out in sharp rays, painting her armor’s polished surfaces in molten highlights.
Her white-and-gold uniform blends seamlessly into the glow, suggesting honor and precision. You can almost feel the weight of her blade balanced in her hand and hear the tinkle of metal as it catches the light.
The background is deliberately abstract—no clutter, no distractions—just the radiance of a rising sun or a stadium torch.
This focus underscores the personal nature of the challenge: it’s her world, her fight. The painter uses bold brushstrokes to carve light and shadow, giving every contour of her armor and every strand of her hair dynamic texture.
The color palette—warm golds offset by cooler slate grays—reinforces both the intensity of the moment and the chill of her resolve.
Gameplay Integration
Mechanically, En Garde is a 1-cost Ionia Spell with Reaction:
Reaction (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a friendly unit +1|+1 this turn, then an additional +1|+1 this turn if it is the only unit you control there.
This spell mirrors the art’s duel-centric theme. Just as Fiora’s precision grants her an edge in one-on-one combat, En Garde’s extra buff rewards you for committing a single champion to a specific lane.
The dual buff—first +1|+1, then another +1|+1 if unopposed—captures the crescendo of a solitary strike: hurt and harden, strike and finish.
The sword’s forward angle in the art aligns with the spell’s immediacy, reinforcing that this is a reaction you play in the flash of a blade’s arc.
Collector Details / Value Mention
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Set Code: OGN
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Card Number: 046/298
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Rarity: Common
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Foil Version: Included in Origins booster packs
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Alt Art / Overnumbered: None revealed yet
As a staple in Ionia’s reactive toolkit, En Garde will see play in any deck that values tempo and precision.
Its foil version—where the golden rays catch a glossy sheen—becomes a sought-after piece for collectors highlighting Fiora’s elegance.
While commons rarely fetch high secondary-market prices, this art-driven version promises a steady binder presence.
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