Veteran Warleader MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Soldier Ally
Power *
Toughness *

Key Takeaways

  1. Warleader grows with ally count, intensifying its threat level and card advantage substantially.
  2. Enables resource allocation flexibility by quickly scaling in power without added mana investment.
  3. Offers combat adaptability with instant speed abilities, confounding opponents’ defense strategies.

Text of card

Veteran Warleader's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control. Tap another untapped Ally you control: Veteran Warleader gains your choice of first strike, vigilance, or trample until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Veteran Warleader’s dynamic power and toughness attributes are directly linked to the number of allies you control. As you expand your board presence with more allies, not only does the Warleader grow stronger, it effectively becomes a more daunting threat. This synergy creates a substantial card advantage as each ally you play contributes to a cumulative effect, potentially turning the Warleader into a game-ending force.

Resource Acceleration: As a key figure in ally-based decks, Veteran Warleader can provide significant resource acceleration by enabling aggressive strategies. Its inherent growth potential can transform it into a large creature quickly without the need to invest additional mana. This allows you to allocate resources elsewhere, further developing your board and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Instant Speed: Perhaps one of the most strategic elements of the Veteran Warleader is its ability to tap other untapped Allies you control at instant speed to gain various keywords like first strike, vigilance, or trample until end of turn. This not only provides valuable combat flexibility but also keeps your opponents guessing, making it difficult for them to anticipate your moves and plan their defense accordingly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some other cards, Veteran Warleader does not require any discard as an additional cost to play, potentially offering better card economy in battle.

Specific Mana Cost: Veteran Warleader has a demanding mana cost requiring specific colors that may not seamlessly fit into every deck. To harness its full potential, you’ll need a commitment to both green and white mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at three mana, one green and one white, it’s critical to assess Veteran Warleader’s impact against other cards available in the mana curve. Some players might find the cost a bit steep for its abilities, particularly in fast-paced games where speed is crucial.


Reasons to Include Veteran Warleader in Your Collection

Versatility: Veteran Warleader’s strength and toughness adapt to the changing battlefield, with stats scaling according to the number of other allies under your control. This allows the card to seamlessly become a formidable presence in ally-focused decks or any deck that can proliferate creatures quickly.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in synergy-driven decks, combining especially well with cards that can pump out ally tokens, such as “Gideon, Ally of Zendikar,” to quickly escalate its power and toughness. It also has the unique ability to gain multiple keywords, making it a shifting threat that can adapt to various situations.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Veteran Warleader can be a cornerstone in your line-up, leveraging the widespread occurrence of ally-type creatures. Its dynamic battle traits mean it can often outclass other creatures on the board, making it a consistently reliable asset to your deck’s performance.


How to beat

The Veteran Warleader, a formidable force in Magic: The Gathering, presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As it thrives on the synergy of an allied army, its power and toughness are equal to the number of allies you control. This card can quickly become a juggernaut as you amass more allies alongside it. To tilt the odds in your favor, controlling the number of allies on the board is crucial. Removal spells that can target multiple creatures at once, like Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act, can be effective in reducing the Warleader’s strength.

Additionally, single target removals like Path to Exile or Murder can dispatch the Warleader before it becomes too powerful. Timing is essential; it’s wise to wait for your opponent to tap out, committing more allies to the board, before wiping them out in one fell swoop. Ensuring that you have the necessary removal spells in hand is key to outlasting an opponent’s Veteran Warleader.

In essence, the strategy against Veteran Warleader hinges on preventing the buildup of allies or having an efficient way to reset the board. This will keep the Warleader’s power in check and maintain the balance of the game in your favor.


Cards like Veteran Warleader

Veteran Warleader represents a unique blend of power in Magic: The Gathering, equally dynamic in its ability to tap allies and grow in strength with each ally in your ranks. Standing tall among cards like Champion of the Parish and Kazandu Blademaster, Veteran Warleader’s scalability makes it a formidable force on the battlefield. Unlike these peers, it benefits from every type of ally, not just those entering the battlefield, and offers flexible utility in combat scenarios.

Champion of the Parish, for example, grows stronger with each human entering the fray, but lacks the versatility of assuming different combat roles. Kazandu Blademaster also shares the human synergy and arrives with vigilance and first strike, yet its power is capped unlike the ever-scalable Veteran Warleader. Another ally in this comparison is Hada Freeblade, starting small but with the potential to become quite a threat. However, its power increment is predictable, unlike the swingy nature of the Warleader’s might.

To conclude, in the realm of creature strength and utility, Veteran Warleader carves out its place with variable size and the added adaptability, making it an adaptable choice in many MTG ally-focused decks. It weaves a blend of aggression and strategic foresight that is cherished in battle.

Champion of the Parish - MTG Card versions
Kazandu Blademaster - MTG Card versions
Hada Freeblade - MTG Card versions
Champion of the Parish - Innistrad (ISD)
Kazandu Blademaster - Zendikar (ZEN)
Hada Freeblade - Worldwake (WWK)

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Centaur Healer - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Loxodon Smiter - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Chronicler of Heroes - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Selvala, Explorer Returned - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Citadel Castellan - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Joraga Auxiliary - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Veteran Warleader MTG card by a specific set like Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi and Battle for Zendikar 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 Veteran Warleader and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Veteran Warleader Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-08-28 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by Josu Hernaiz.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 272015normalblackJosu Hernaiz
22015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 221s2015normalblackJosu Hernaiz
32015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 2212015normalblackJosu Hernaiz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Veteran Warleader has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-08-25 The ability that defines Veteran Warleader’s power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. If Veteran Warleader is on the battlefield, it will count itself.
2015-08-25 To activate the last ability, you can tap any other untapped Ally you control, including one that hasn’t been under your control since the beginning of your most recent turn. (Note that ability doesn’t use the tap symbol.)
2015-08-25 Vigilance matters only as attackers are declared. Giving a creature vigilance after that point won’t untap it, even if it’s attacking.
2015-08-25 You choose which ability Veteran Warleader gains as the last ability resolves, not as you activate it.

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