Breathless Knight in Limited: When to Prioritize It

Breathless Knight art from Modern Horizons 2, a Spirit Knight taking flight with a pale glow

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Breathless Knight in Limited: When to Prioritize It

drafts are a delicate dance of curve, removal, and synergy, where a single card can turn a middling pack into a game-winning engine. Breathless Knight—a common two-color flier from Modern Horizons 2—belongs to that class of cards you want to pick with intent, not fluke. It wears white and black like a badge of honor: flying and lifelink on a 2/2 body for three mana, with a twist. Whenever this creature or another creature you control enters the battlefield, if that creature entered from a graveyard or you cast it from a graveyard, Breathless Knight gets a +1/+1 counter. That means the Knight scales as you lean into graveyard opportunities, recursions, and clever combat dance. 🧙‍♂️🔥

Card snapshot: what you’re taking to the game plan

Name: Breathless Knight
Mana cost: {1}{W}{B}
Type: Creature — Spirit Knight
Power/Toughness: 2/2
Rarity: Common
Set: Modern Horizons 2 (MH2)
Keywords: Flying, Lifelink
Oracle text: Flying, lifelink. Whenever this creature or another creature you control enters, if that creature entered from a graveyard or you cast it from a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Flavor: “A deadly charge in eerie silence.”

In limited, Breathless Knight shines when your deck bends toward graveyard interactions or when you can cast creatures from the graveyard with utility. The double-color identity (Black and White) also invites a wide range of support cards—removal, life gain, and recursion—yet the Knight remains resilient in a midrange shell. Its flying frame means it can pressure players who lean into ground-based boards, while lifelink keeps you in the driver’s seat in longer games. The real value surfaces when you set up scenarios where multiple creatures enter the battlefield from the graveyard or via reanimation spells, turning a 2/2 flier into a credible clock that keeps growing. ⚔️

When to prioritize it: early, mid, or late picks?

In a typical draft, Breathless Knight is worth a first-pick consideration if your seat is drifting toward Orzhov or if your pack hints at graveyard synergy. If you’ve already drafted a few black or white cards that reward re-entry to the battlefield or if you anticipate a solid curve with cheap spells that dodge removal, the Knight becomes value over time. Its mana cost is relatively efficient for a three-mana two-power flyer that lifelinks; as a result, it earns its keep in a midrange plan where you’re enabling your other cheap creatures to re-enter or be recast for incremental value. 🧙‍♂️

On the other hand, if your pool is heavy on grindy or aggressive options that don’t interact with the graveyard, Breathless Knight is still playable but should be treated as a solid **second-tier pick**. It’s not a slam-dunk bomb that wins games outright; rather, it’s a durable piece that scales with your deck’s texture. In those slots, you’ll want to pair it with cards that care about enter-the-battlefield triggers or that help you reload the battlefield after a wipe, so Breathless Knight can become a robust late-game threat. 🔥

Build ideas and synergies you can actually pull off

Graveyard-focused subthemes: Pair Breathless Knight with spells or creatures that live in the grave, then bring them back with reanimation or flashback effects. The Knight’s counter-triggers will often add up quickly if you’re recasting from the graveyard.
Recursion packages: Look for creatures or enchantments that grant repeated entry effects or that untap lands to keep you on the front foot. When your board keeps refilling due to graveyard recursions, Breathless Knight becomes a surprisingly sticky threat with a growing clock.
Lifelink value engines: The Knight’s default lifelink makes it a natural bulwark against aggressive starts. If you’re leaning into removal or tempo plays, Breathless Knight can stabilize you while your other threats pick up counters from the enters-the-battlefield triggers. 💎
Graveyard-friendly combat: If you’ve got other creatures entering from the graveyard, your Knight can gain +1/+1 counters multiple times, creating a resilient, evasive blocker that can flip the outcome late. This is where the card becomes a real sleeper, especially in a pack with resilient white removal and black discard splash.

Strategically, you’ll want to pace your plays. Don’t over-commit into a token swarm if you lack any way to leverage the Knight’s enters-the-battlefield clause. Instead, sequence to maximize value: cast Breathless Knight when you have a plan to re-enter or recast other creatures soon after, so each entry event stacks a counter with purpose. The payoff is gradual but gratifying, turning a measured draft into a story of growth and resilience. 🎲

Art, design, and the broader design implications

Yeong-Hao Han’s illustration captures a hush-before-the-storm moment—an eerie charge that aligns perfectly with the flavor text and the mechanic’s intent. The dual nature of Flying and Lifelink in a graveyard-forward mechanic also echoes modern design’s fascination with gravesyard economy—cards that reward you for paying attention to the battlefield’s memory. Breathless Knight is a reminder that common creatures can carry complex lines of play, giving players room to innovate without breaking the bank. 🎨

“A grassy field can conceal a hidden engine,” you might say, “and this Knight proves it.”

For casual players looking to theme a deck around resilience and late-game growth, Breathless Knight offers a reliable spine. It’s not flashy, but it’s dependable—exactly the sort of card that makes a limited format feel both forgiving and deeply strategic. And if you’re scouting the booth for a little prep or a fun comparison piece for your weekend leagues, the Knight’s combination of wings and white-black ethos makes it a standout anecdote about MH2’s draft innovation era. 🧙‍♂️🔥

Collector notes and price reality

Breathless Knight arrives in both foil and non-foil at common rarity. In most markets, you’ll see it valued around a few pennies to a few dimes depending on print run and demand. Its real worth, however, is in the drafting lanes it creates and the micro-synergies it supports in a graveyard-forward deck. If you’re chasing value to complement your paper collection or seeking a budget-friendly building block for a casual MTG night, Breathless Knight earns its keep with steady, reliable performance. 🔥

For fans who want a little real-world MTG flair outside the gameplay, consider keeping a physical keepsake on a desk or a bag—the same spirit Breathless Knight embodies is easy to translate to everyday life. And if you’re browsing accessories for your gear, you can check out a stylish companion product below that blends utility with MTG-inspired design. ⚔️

Product spotlight: For a bit of practical style while you draft, check out this phone case with card holder that’s MagSafe compatible and built with polycarbonate for durability. It’s a neat, on-theme desk companion that won’t slow you down between rounds. Phone Case with Card Holder MagSafe Polycarbonate Glossy Matte

Ready to dive deeper into the scene? Explore these resources as you refine your draft strategy and card-picking instincts. 🧠🎲

Product link: Phone Case with Card Holder MagSafe Polycarbonate Glossy Matte