Triarch Praetorian MTG Card


Provides card advantage upon entrance, bolstering your hand for strategic plays. Demands colored mana and card discard, challenging multi-deck versatility. Its adaptability and combo potential make it valuable in themed decks.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Necron
Abilities Dynastic Codes,Flying,Unearth
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying Dynastic Codes — When Triarch Praetorian enters the battlefield from a graveyard, you draw two cards and you lose 2 life. Unearth (: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)


Cards like Triarch Praetorian

Triarch Praetorian holds a unique place among creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. A quick glance might draw comparisons with other three-mana creatures like Veteran Armorsmith. Much like Triarch Praetorian, Veteran Armorsmith is designed to bolster your forces, specifically by giving other soldiers you control +0/+1. However, Triarch Praetorian’s ability to grant all other multicolored creatures you control +1/+1 sets it apart by focusing on a multicolored synergy strategy.

Another card that comes to mind is Steadfast Sentry, which also costs three mana and provides a steadfast bonus to your creatures, granting one of them +1/+1 upon entering the battlefield. But unlike Triarch Praetorian, Steadfast Sentry doesn’t offer a recurring bonus. The Praetorian’s continuous boost could mean a decisive advantage in a multicolored deck over the one-time effect of the Sentry.

Exploring the depth and utility of creature cards like Triarch Praetorian allows for strategic deck building in Magic: The Gathering. Its consistent boost to a specific segment of creatures provides given depth and interaction that can be the cornerstone of a powerful multicolored deck.

Veteran Armorsmith - MTG Card versions
Steadfast Sentry - MTG Card versions
Veteran Armorsmith - MTG Card versions
Steadfast Sentry - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Lurrus DeathriteLurrus Deathrite VintageLurrus DeathriteVintage Challenge 32 2024-04-07

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Triarch Praetorian rewards players with a fresh card when it enters the battlefield, which thickens your hand, allowing you to stay ahead in the card economy.

Resource Acceleration: While Triarch Praetorian itself does not directly ramp, its vigilant nature assures it’s always available for both offense and defense, effectively saving resources and mana you would have used to cast additional spells for board presence.

Instant Speed: While the card itself does not have an instant-speed mechanic, its sheer presence on the field enables more dynamic play, as it supports holding back mana and cards for responsive tactics knowing you have a reliable blocker ready for combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Triarch Praetorian’s gameplay involves an additional cost which could pose a setback when your hand is running low on cards. This demand for card sacrifice can negatively impact your play if you’re not prepared to compensate for the loss.

Specific Mana Cost: This card comes with a stringent color requirement in its mana cost, demanding a dedicated deck build. Players running a multicolor deck might find it challenging to consistently meet the cost, potentially making it a less versatile choice across various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes down to the casting resources, Triarch Praetorian sits at a higher tier, which may put you at a disadvantage in more tempo-oriented or aggressive matches. For its mana value, there are alternative creatures that may provide a more impactful presence on the board or offer additional abilities that can justify the cost more effectively.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Triarch Praetorian can be a flexible addition to decks, aligning well with those that emphasize defense or need a reliable blocker. Its ability to gain flying or first strike makes it adaptable to different in-game situations.

Combo Potential: Utilizing Triarch Praetorian’s creature type can be instrumental in tribal-focused decks, especially those harnessing the powers of human or soldier synergies, where its keywords can be amplified or contribute to triggering powerful effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment where combat tricks and creature-based strategies are prevalent, Triarch Praetorian’s capacity for flying or first strike provides a strategic defense mechanism that can be essential for gaining an upper hand in battles.


How to beat

Triarch Praetorian is an intricate part of defender strategies in Magic: The Gathering, contributing to both robust defense and potential offense leveraging its exalted ability. Defeating this card often requires players to adopt tactics that minimize the impact of the exalted triggers.

An effective method is utilizing removal spells that can bypass the defense provided by exalted boosts, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, which are unbothered by the creature’s power and toughness. Also, board wipes like Day of Judgment can clear the field, negating the accumulative advantage granted by multiple instances of exalted.

Another angle is to deploy spells or abilities that can lock down the Triarch Praetorian or nullify its abilities, such as Pacifism or the tapping ability of Frost Lynx, restricting the card’s effectiveness and its contribution to the battlefield. Keeping the board state in your favor and preemptively managing potential exalted threats will go a long way in securing the upper hand against decks pivoting around Triarch Praetorian.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG is a game of strategy, and every card can turn the tide of battle. Triarch Praetorian brims with potential, making it a worthy contender for those who value subtle board advantages and tactical depth. Embracing its strengths and covering its weaknesses will refine your gameplay and enhance your deck’s performance. Keen on deepening your understanding of how to leverage Triarch Praetorian in your playing style, or are you craving to outmaneuver your opponents with sharp card synergy? Dive with us into the strategic nuances of MTG deck construction. Learn more and let Triarch Praetorian become a keystone in your quest for victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Triarch Praetorian MTG card by a specific set like Warhammer 40,000 Commander and Warhammer 40,000 Commander, 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 Triarch Praetorian and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Triarch Praetorian Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Lucas Terryn.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 662015NormalBlackLucas Terryn
22022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 66★2015NormalBlackLucas Terryn

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Triarch Praetorian has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-10-07 Activating a permanent card's unearth ability isn’t the same as casting it as a spell. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Cancel) will not.
2022-10-07 At the beginning of the end step, a permanent returned to the battlefield with unearth is exiled. This is a delayed triggered ability, and it can be countered by effects that counter triggered abilities. If the ability is countered, the permanent will stay on the battlefield and the delayed trigger won’t trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile it if it eventually leaves the battlefield.
2022-10-07 If a permanent returned to the battlefield by an unearth ability would leave it for any reason, it’s exiled instead—unless the spell or ability that's causing it to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it. In that case, the spell or ability succeeds at exiling the permanent. If the spell or ability later returns the card to the battlefield, it will return as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.
2022-10-07 If you activate a card’s unearth ability but that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing.
2022-10-07 Unearth grants haste to the permanent that’s returned to the battlefield. However, neither of the “exile” abilities is granted to that permanent. If that creature loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead.