Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker MTG Card


Breakneck Rider’s transformation can create card advantage by forcing opponents to react, often at a high cost. Transformed as Neck Breaker, it grants an attack power bonus to creatures without extra mana. Instant speed manipulations of the transformation mechanic can catch opponents off guard.
Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker - Shadows over Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Scout Werewolf
Abilities Transform
Released2016-04-08
Set symbol
Set nameShadows over Innistrad
Set codeSOI
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number147
Frame2015
LayoutTransform
BorderBlack
Illustred byVictor Adame Minguez

Text of card

At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Breakneck Rider.

Only the most skillful riders brave the Breakneck Ride through Kessig.


Cards like Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker

Breakneck Rider is a transformative card that brings dynamic play to Magic: The Gathering decks. This card can be compared to Village Messenger, another creature card that, like Breakneck Rider, has the werewolf duality and haste, allowing for swift attacks from the moment it comes into play. However, Village Messenger starts as a smaller creature, offering a different level of initial aggression.

Analogous in flip mechanics to Breakneck Rider is the Conduit of Storms. Although the Conduit of Storms transforms into a werewolf that generates an additional red mana when it attacks, it lacks the immediate board impact that Breakneck Rider commands once transformed. Conversely, Breakneck Rider becomes Neck Breaker, which bolsters your attacking creatures with an attack power boost, a clear advantage during combat phases.

Ultimately, while all these cards share the thrilling double-faced feature that werewolves in Magic: The Gathering are celebrated for, Breakneck Rider distinguishes itself with a potent blend of power and team synergy that can swiftly tilt the game’s momentum in your favor upon its transformation.

Cards similar to Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker by color, type and mana cost

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Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Sabretooth Tiger - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Skirk Commando - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Shinen of Fury's Fire - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Breakneck Rider enhances your strategic position by providing a formidable threat that demands an answer. This can potentially lead to card advantage as your opponent is forced to deal with the rider, possibly using more than one card to do so.

Resource Acceleration: When transformed into Neck Breaker, the card bolsters your attacking creatures with an additional power bonus, effectively accelerating the damage resources you can inflict each turn without requiring additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the werewolf’s transformation mechanic can be manipulated at instant speed. By not casting any spells during your own turn, you ensure that Breakneck Rider will transform at the beginning of the next end step. This allows for a sudden increase in power on your board, catching opponents off guard during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Breakneck Rider doesn’t directly demand discarding a card, werewolf cards often involve hand management to trigger transformations. This could potentially force players to discard strategically to maintain or achieve the transformed state.

Specific Mana Cost: Breakneck Rider requires a precise mana arrangement, with one red mana as part of its casting cost. This predisposes the card towards red-inclined or werewolf-themed decks, presenting a restriction in deck-building flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one that is color-specific, Breakneck Rider might be considered costly, especially since the card needs to transform to unleash its full potential. Players might opt for other creatures that provide immediate impact on the board for the same or lower investment.


Reasons to Include Breakneck Rider in Your Collection

Versatility: Breakneck Rider brings a dynamic element to the table, effortlessly fitting into aggressive red-green decks or Werewolf tribal builds, where its flipping ability can become a game-changer during a match.

Combo Potential: This card, with its transform capability into Neck Breaker, plays well with mechanics that encourage flipping or werewolf synergies, amplifying the power of your creatures, and potentially leading to devastating turns.

Meta-Relevance: As metas shift towards creature-based strategies, Breakneck Rider can become increasingly relevant, especially in a format where flipping it can disrupt opponent strategies and cause unexpected swings in board presence.


How to beat

Breakneck Rider is a transformative card in MTG that poses interesting challenges on the battlefield. As an adaptable creature, it becomes a potent threat when flipped into Neck Breaker, boosting attacking creatures. To counter this, removal spells that don’t rely on the combat phase are your best allies. Direct damage spells like Lightning Bolt or enchantments like Pacifism can neutralize it before it transforms. Having instant speed removal like Fatal Push is crucial, as it allows you to respond effectively to the werewolf’s transformation at the end of your opponent’s turn.

Board wipes such as Wrath of God remain efficient remedies, clearing the field regardless of Breakneck Rider’s state. Another strategy involves limiting the number of spells cast during your own turn to prevent it from flipping. This playstyle adjustment can keep the Rider’s more menacing side at bay. Additionally, cards that force creature tapping, like Blinding Beam, can leave it vulnerable and unable to flip, as werewolves require to be untapped to transform. Employ these tactics wisely to maintain control over this dual-natured adversary.

Ultimately, when dealing with creatures like Breakneck Rider, understanding the mechanics of transformation and appropriately timing your spells are key factors for turning the tides in your favor during a match.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re serious about sharpening your MTG strategies, Breakneck Rider is a card that deserves attention. Ideal for aggressive decks, especially those with a werewolf theme, its transformative ability can be a turning point in your games. Understand its potential for card advantage and instant speed manipulation to catch opponents off guard. Balance its mana cost and plan for its transformation to maximize its impact on the battlefield. Harness the power of Breakneck Rider by delving deeper into the mechanics and strategies around it with us, and enrich your collection with a card that promises to shape the dynamics of your gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Breakneck Rider // Neck Breaker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2016-04-08 The abilities that transform a Werewolf back and forth look at the entire previous turn, even if the Werewolf with that ability wasn’t on the battlefield for some or all of that turn.
2016-04-08 To trigger the Werewolf’s back face’s transform ability, a single player must have cast two or more spells during the previous turn. If multiple players each cast just one spell during the previous turn, the ability won’t trigger.
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).