Talion, the Kindly Lord MTG Card


Provides card and resource acceleration, bolstering board presence and enabling bigger plays earlier. Demands card discard for activation, potentially weakening late-game hand advantage. Enhances collection versatility with adaptive abilities, combo potential, and meta relevance.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Faerie Noble
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 4

Text of card

Flying As Talion, the Kindly Lord enters the battlefield, choose a number between 1 and 10. Whenever an opponent casts a spell with mana value, power, or toughness equal to the chosen number, that player loses 2 life and you draw a card.


Cards like Talion, the Kindly Lord

Talion, the Kindly Lord adds a unique twist to the collective of legendary creatures in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). It draws close parallels with cards like Sigarda, Host of Herons, due to its ability to offer protection to the player. Yet, Talion shines with its specific benevolent nature, as it can prevent all damage that would be dealt to players on their turn, fostering a sense of sanctuary not common among other legends.

Examining a comparable card, Karlov of the Ghost Council emanates a similar protective aura, granting life gain bonuses that can stabilize a player’s standing in the game. However, Karlov’s strength lies in the accumulation and leverage of +1/+1 counters, unlike Talion’s unwavering shield against damage. Rhys the Redeemed also resonates with Talion in the aspect of generating tokens, but Rhys focuses more on an offensive swarm strategy, standing apart from Talion’s defensive orientation.

To summarize, Talion, the Kindly Lord secures a robust position within the pantheon of MTG’s defensive legends, carving out a niche with its extraordinary safeguarding capabilities, which not only filters through a player’s strategy but also shapes the dynamics of the game.

Sigarda, Host of Herons - MTG Card versions
Karlov of the Ghost Council - MTG Card versions
Rhys the Redeemed - MTG Card versions
Sigarda, Host of Herons - MTG Card versions
Karlov of the Ghost Council - MTG Card versions
Rhys the Redeemed - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Talion, the Kindly Lord. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
4c Control4c Control Standard4c ControlTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 15, 2024
UBUB StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: February 19, 2024
Esper MidrangeEsper Midrange StandardEsper MidrangeThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Dimir MidrangeDimir Midrange StandardDimir MidrangeCommunity Turnier 4/2023
Dimir FaeriesDimir Faeries StandardDimir Faeries2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open
Five-color MidrangeFive-color Midrange ExplorerMTGA

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Talion, the Kindly Lord offers players an opportunity to gain significant card advantage. By possessing an ability that potentially allows for recurring creature cards from the graveyard to your hand, this can ensure a steady flow of resources and maintain pressure on your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration is a key factor with Talion. The Lord’s built-in mechanics can empower your mana base by turning the creatures you control into additional lands. This accelerates your game, allowing for more significant plays earlier on and enabling a faster route to victory.

Instant Speed: Although Talion himself does not directly harness instant speed, his abilities complement a strategy that is reactive at instant speed. Given his role in a deck, he ensures that you always have creatures at the ready to utilize those instant speed spells efficiently, maximizing your mana and turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Talion asks players to discard another card in order to harness its abilities. This can lead to a depletion of valuable hand resources, which may put players at a disadvantage, especially in the late game where card advantage becomes crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Talion requires a precise combination of mana types that may not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks. This restrictiveness can be a hindrance when trying to maintain a flexible and adaptable mana base during gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Talion’s mana value might be seen as steep for its offerings. When considering the curve of a deck, there are alternatives that could provide similar benefits without the high cost, leading to potentially more optimized plays at lower mana thresholds.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Talion, the Kindly Lord is a dynamic addition to a wide array of MTG decks, bringing unique options for deck builders. Its ability to offer both offensive and defensive benefits with its transformative nature ensures it can adapt to numerous situations.

Combo Potential: Talion’s capacity to change forms opens up a plethora of synergistic interactions with other cards. Players can engineer intricate combinations leveraging both sides of this powerful card, manipulating graveyard resources or taking advantage of sacrificing mechanics for strategic gains.

Meta-Relevance: With a metagame that constantly evolves, incorporating a card like Talion can be a savvy move. Its utility in dealing with a variety of threats and enhancing board state makes it well-suited to compete against prevalent deck types, securing its place in a well-rounded collection.


How to beat Talion, the Kindly Lord

Talion, the Kindly Lord emerges as a distinctive card with its dual nature in the Magic: The Gathering universe. By offering an efficient life gain and providing creature buffs, Talion presents a strategic resource. The challenge lies in its potential transformation into the menacing Talir, Who Escapes Death, bolstering your opponent’s graveyard synergies.

To outmaneuver this formidable card, targeted removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can be key. They not only bypass Talion’s ability to return from the graveyard but also prevent the transformation altogether. Furthermore, graveyard hate cards like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void restrict Talion’s resurrection capability. Board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the playing field, should Talion already preside over a strengthened board.

Strategically, leveraging instant-speed interaction ensures control over Talion before it can alter the game’s course. It’s crucial to disrupt your opponent’s plan and seize the right moment to neutralize Talion, the Kindly Lord or its other half, Talir, Who Escapes Death, before the balance tips in your opponent’s favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Talion, the Kindly Lord MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine Promos and Wilds of Eldraine Promos, 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 Talion, the Kindly Lord and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Talion, the Kindly Lord Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2023-09-08 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine PromosPWOE 215s2015NormalBlackJustyna Dura
22023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine PromosPWOE 215p2015NormalBlackJustyna Dura
32023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 2152015NormalBlackJustyna Dura
42023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine Art SeriesAWOE 602015Art seriesBorderless
52023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 3012015NormalBorderlessOlena Richards

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Talion, the Kindly Lord has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Talion, the Kindly Lord card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-09-01 Effects that increase or reduce the cost to cast a spell don't affect that spell's mana value.
2023-09-01 For spells with in their mana costs, use the value chosen for X to determine if the spell's mana value is the chosen number. For example, if the chosen number is 4, a spell with mana cost cast with X equal to 2 would cause Talion's last ability to trigger.
2023-09-01 The numbers you may choose include 1 and 10.