Benalish Hero MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 4
1993-10-04 - Number 4
1993-12-01 - Number 4
1993-12-10 - Number 4
1993-12-10 - Number 4
1994-04-01 - Number 4
1994-04-01 - Number 4
1994-06-21 - Number 4
1995-04-01 - Number 7
1995-04-01 - Number 7
1997-03-24 - Number 10
2007-09-10 - Number 5
2022-11-28 - Number 301
2022-11-28 - Number 4
| Card sets | Released in 14 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Abilities | Banding |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Bands
Benalia has a complex caste system that changes with the lunar year. No matter what the season, the only caste that cannot be attained by either heredity or money is that of the hero.
Cards like Benalish Hero
The Benalish Hero is a classic card in Magic: The Gathering, heralding from the earlier sets of the game. It holds a unique spot, especially when compared to its contemporaries. Standing side by side with other low-cost creatures, such as Savannah Lions or Llanowar Elves, the Benalish Hero offers something different – the banding ability. While Savannah Lions might boast a stronger attack force, the tactical advantage of banding on the battlefield provided by Benalish Hero can be invaluable in the right deck, allowing grouped creatures to better control combat outcomes.
Another card worth comparing is the Icatian Javelineers, which comes with a different kind of utility – the ability to deal damage to creatures or players. This provides direct interaction with the game state, which Benalish Hero lacks. Yet, the Hero’s ability to potentially prevent significant amounts of damage through strategic blocking alignments can turn the tides of a game where defensive maneuvers are required.
Ultimately, Benalish Hero’s value may not shine through raw power but through strategic depth and control, offering nuanced gameplay that can be crucial in specific MTG metagames and scenarios.
Cards similar to Benalish Hero by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Resource Acceleration: Although the Benalish Hero itself does not directly offer resource acceleration, its low casting cost makes it a nimble addition to your battlefield, helping you maintain mana efficiency and keeping other spells in play for crucial turns. This allows for smoother gameplay and resource distribution throughout your match.
Card Advantage: While playing a Benalish Hero won’t immediately increase the number of cards in your hand, its banding ability can lead to advantageous combat situations. By teaming up with other creatures, you’re able to dictate how your and possibly your opponent’s damage is assigned, which could save your more valuable creatures and leave you with a stronger board presence.
Instant Speed: Deploying creatures at instant speed might not be within Benalish Hero’s abilities, but the strategic deployment of this card can disrupt your opponent’s combat calculations. Having a Benalish Hero up your sleeve means you can develop your board while keeping mana open for other instant speed interactions, giving you a subtle yet powerful edge as the game progresses.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Benalish Hero demands white mana for both summoning and its banding ability. This restriction means it can be challenging to play in multicolored decks where white mana may not be consistently available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While costing only one white mana might seem low, Benalish Hero’s capability is often overshadowed by more impactful creatures or spells available for the same, or slightly higher, mana investment. Considering its limited offensive and defensive power, many players find this mana could be better spent elsewhere.
Discard Requirement: Although Benalish Hero itself does not have a discard requirement, it can inadvertently contribute to hand depletion. Deploying multiple creatures to make the most of its banding ability can quickly empty a player’s hand, potentially leading to a disadvantageous position if the opponent has removal or board-clearing spells.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Benalish Hero’s banding ability offers a unique way to enhance your defensive tactics, making it adaptable to various deck builds that focus on combat control.
Combo Potential: Benalish Hero can be paired with cards that benefit from multi-creature blocking, generating synergies that can turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies prevail, Benalish Hero’s potential to manipulate combat can be a game-changer, disrupting widely-used aggressive tactics.
How to beat
Benalish Hero is a classic card from the world of Magic: The Gathering, known for its “banding” ability, which was more prevalent during the early sets of the game. Banding allows for strategic combat applications, as it permits a player to combine multiple creatures into a single attacking or blocking unit. This can create intricate combat scenarios and potentially protect valuable creatures by spreading any combat damage among the band.
To efficiently handle Benalish Hero, one should consider removal spells that bypass the banding mechanic entirely. Sweepers like Wrath of God or board-clearing effects can eliminate banded groups without needing to address individual creatures. Additionally, using high-power creatures that can outmatch the combined power of a band can prove effective. Finally, employing direct removal spells that don’t target, such as Council’s Judgment, allows you to sidestep banding and remove Benalish Hero from the field without the complexity of combat maths.
All in all, while Benalish Hero can lay down a strong defensive foundation or create advantageous attacks, several strategic maneuvers and card choices can neutralize its effect on the game, maintaining the flow of your strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Benalish Hero MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Benalish Hero and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Benalish Hero Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 4 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 4 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 4 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 4 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 4 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 4 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 4 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 4 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 7 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 7 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 10 | 1997 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 12 | 2007-09-10 | Masters Edition | ME1 | 5 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 13 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 301 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 14 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 4 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Benalish Hero has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Benalish Hero card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it. |
| 2008-10-01 | Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned. |
| 2009-10-01 | If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment. |