Riot Ringleader MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	152
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Gabor Szikszai

Key Takeaways

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.

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."

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.

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.

Zada, Hedron Grinder - MTG Card versions

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

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions

Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

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: