Riot Ringleader MTG Card


Riot Ringleader grants significant card advantage, bolstering your army without depleting your hand resources. Its potential to hasten victory through increased combat damage makes it a valuable addition to aggressive decks. The requirement to discard a card is a strategic trade-off for leveraging Riot Ringleader’s battlefield impact.
Riot Ringleader - Avacyn Restored
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Warrior
Released2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set nameAvacyn Restored
Set codeAVR
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number152
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byGabor Szikszai

Text of card

Whenever Riot Ringleader attacks, Human creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.

"So the vampires like hot blood, do they? Let's see how they handle ours."


Cards like Riot Ringleader

Riot Ringleader is an exciting addition to the aggressive creature lineup in Magic: The Gathering. Standing in parallel with cards like Goblin Motivator, Riot Ringleader has the unique ability to boost other attacking creatures’ power, bolstering your offense during your combat phase. Unlike the Motivator, it doesn’t grant haste but offers a steady buff to your team, which can be pivotal during a standoff.

Another creature worth mentioning is the Metallic Mimic. While it operates differently by choosing a creature type upon entering the battlefield and giving counters, the Mimic similarly strengthens your army over time. While not as straightforwardly as the Riot Ringleader’s immediate impact, the Mimic can lead to a more significant cumulative advantage.

Zada, Hedron Grinder is another remarkable creature, which can replicate a single-target spell among all your creatures, potentially amplifying your battlefield presence. The Riot Ringleader may not possess this ability; however, its consistent power boost across all attacking creatures can be considered more reliable and less situational.

Assessing these options, Riot Ringleader’s ability to empower attacking creatures en masse makes it a solid contender in MTG decks focusing on swarming strategies and overwhelming opponents through sheer numbers.

Goblin Motivator - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions
Zada, Hedron Grinder - MTG Card versions
Goblin Motivator - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions
Zada, Hedron Grinder - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Riot Ringleader by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
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Orcish Artillery - MTG Card versions
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - 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
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Orcish Artillery - MTG Card versions
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Riot Ringleader is a card that can enhance your battlefield presence by empowering other creatures you control. This boon to your allies on the field can effectively negate the need for playing additional buff spells, thus conserving your hand and maintaining card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: With abilities that can potentially allow for multiple attackers, Riot Ringleader can contribute to resource acceleration by increasing your combat damage output. This leads to a faster victory, lessening the need for expansive mana resources in prolonged matches.

Instant Speed: While Riot Ringleader itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with instant-speed cards. For example, playing combat tricks during the declare blockers step can lead to unexpected swings in board advantage, leveraging the buffs provided by Riot Ringleader to your creatures’ benefit.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Riot Ringleader’s ability necessitates discarding a card, potentially depleting your hand and compromising your strategic options later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost is strictly red, which means it fits primarily into mono-red or red-heavy decks, and might be challenging to cast on curve in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that is somewhat elevated for the stats and effect provided, players might find it less efficient compared to other cards that provide similar or greater board presence or advantages for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Riot Ringleader in Your Collection

Versatility: Riot Ringleader is a flexible card that adds strength to any creature-focused deck. Its ability to boost other creatures makes it a handy card in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can work wonders in synergy with cards that create multiple tokens or creatures, amplifying the damage potential with every attack step for massive, game-swinging turns.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Riot Ringleader shines as it enhances your board presence and ups the ante for your opponents to deal with your increasingly threatening army.


How to beat

Riot Ringleader is an aggressive creature that buffs attack power of other attacking creatures, creating significant pressure on opponents in Magic: The Gathering. Tackling this card can be a challenge due to its impact on the battlefield, but strategic plays can help you overcome its advantage. Ensuring you have control spells or creatures who can block and survive the attack, such as reliable defenders with high toughness, is key.

Consider removal spells that deal with creatures directly like Murder or those that can handle multiple creatures at once like Ritual of Soot. If removal isn’t an option, look towards cards with lifelink to offset the damage done or cards that can reduce the power of the opponent’s creatures, mitigating the boost provided by Riot Ringleader. Don’t forget about the option of counter spells, which are effective in preventing your opponent from casting the Riot Ringleader in the first place.

It’s also important to keep a versatile deck that can adapt to aggressive strategies. With the right strategy and card combination, the impact of Riot Ringleader can be minimized, allowing you to turn the tides of the game to your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Riot Ringleader MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored, 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 Riot Ringleader and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Riot Ringleader has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal