Monk Gyatso

4cmc 3/3 legendary Monk — whenever another creature you control is targeted by a spell or ability, you may airbend it (exile it; owner may recast for {2} instead of mana cost). Acts as reactive protection that also enables ETB re-use, but is entirely opponent-dependent and gives them advance notice to play around it. Best in flicker/blink shells that already want ETB re-triggers, but competes with more proactive protection options.

• The airbend protection is double-edged: the exiled creature's owner can recast it for {2}, which means opponents can also airbend your creatures at instant speed with their own targeting spells, then you must respond or lose the creature to a recast window — the opponent chooses whether to cast it for {2} or let it sit exiled.

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• Unlike traditional flicker effects (Conjurer's Closet, Ephemerate), airbend does NOT guarantee the creature returns — the owner must actively choose to recast it for {2}, so the ETB re-trigger is not automatic and can be denied if the owner has no mana.

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• Gyatso is primarily reactive (trigger needs an opponent to target your creature), making him much weaker in non-interactive pods or against non-targeting removal like board wipes and sacrifice effects.

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• EDHREC rank: #6,155