Cityscape Leveler MTG Card


Cityscape Leveler offers board control by forcing opponents to sacrifice permanents, enhancing your strategic edge. Its high mana value can swing momentum in your favor when played, impacting the game’s dynamics significantly. Despite its power, the Leveler’s specific mana needs and discard cost can limit its deck versatility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityMythic
TypeArtifact Creature — Construct
Abilities Trample,Unearth
Power 8
Toughness 8

Text of card

Trample When you cast this spell and whenever Cityscape Leveler attacks, destroy up to one target nonland permanent. Its controller creates a tapped Powerstone token. Unearth


Cards like Cityscape Leveler

Cityscape Leveler offers a compelling ability within the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, boasting an impactful entrance on the battlefield by exiling up to two target lands. It is deemed a larger parallel to cards like Acidic Slime, which despite its lower mana cost, only destroys one target land, artifact, or enchantment without the exile effect. This makes Cityscape Leveler a more devastating choice against land-heavy strategies.

Another situational counterpart is Terastodon, a creature that can target up to three permanents and replace them with 3/3 green Elephant creature tokens. Terastodon’s versatility can be advantageous, yet Cityscape Leveler’s ability to exile lands specifically offers a more pinpointed approach for disrupting opponent’s mana bases. Divergent in their impacts, both creatures serve a strategic purpose depending on the desired deck outcome.

Considering the broader spectrum of creature-based land disruption, Cityscape Leveler stands out with its targeted exile effect. This sets a new bar for cards within its category, providing players with another powerful tool to challenge opponents who rely on intricate land mechanics and strategies in their game plan.

Acidic Slime - MTG Card versions
Terastodon - MTG Card versions
Acidic Slime - MTG Card versions
Terastodon - MTG Card versions

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Gate Colossus - MTG Card versions
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Sundering Titan - MTG Card versions
Possessed Portal - MTG Card versions
Platinum Emperion - MTG Card versions
Colossus of Akros - MTG Card versions
Everythingamajig - MTG Card versions
Angelic Rocket - MTG Card versions
Puresteel Angel - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Colossus - MTG Card versions
Marut - MTG Card versions
Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut - MTG Card versions
Everythingamajig (f) - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Green TronMono-Green Tron ModernMono-Green TronModern Preliminary 2024-05-05
GG PioneerPioneer Preliminary 2024-04-23 (1)
Nykthos RampNykthos Ramp PioneerNykthos RampPioneer League 2024-04-24
Azorius ArtifactsAzorius Artifacts StandardAzorius ArtifactsStandard Preliminary 2024-04-22
TronTron ModernTronModern Challenge 64 2024-05-12
Mono Green DevotionMono Green Devotion PioneerNykthos RampTitan Games RCQ Season 3 #1
Izzet ControlIzzet Control StandardIzzet ControlStandard Preliminary 2024-04-22
Jeskai ArtifactsJeskai Artifacts StandardJeskai ArtifactsPro Tour Thunder Junction

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When it comes to Cityscape Leveler, this impressive behemoth offers a unique twist on card advantage. Upon entering the battlefield, it compels a player to sacrifice permanents equal to the number rolled on Cityscape Leveler’s die, potentially clearing the way for your other creatures to attack and giving you an upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: Another significant factor players consider is resource acceleration. Cityscape Leveler, with its substantial mana value, acts as a momentous play later in the game, possibly swinging the momentum entirely in your favor. It’s a formidable presence that can change the dynamics of a match as soon as it hits the board.

Instant Speed: While Cityscape Leveler doesn’t operate at instant speed, the impact it has during your turn can be as pivotal as an end-of-turn play. By immediately affecting the board state upon entry, Cityscape Leveler demands an immediate answer, applying pressure just as a powerful instant would.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cityscape Leveler demands that you forfeit a card, which can be particularly taxing when your hand is already dwindling. This can be a significant setback, especially in tight situations where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of this card requires a precise combination of mana types, which can be challenging to muster in a multicolor deck. This necessity may curtail its integration into a wide array of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a considerable amount of mana to play, Cityscape Leveler’s high cost can hinder your tempo, especially when compared to other cards with similar effects but lower mana requirements. This can impact the flow of your game, particularly in the early to mid phases where speed can dictate the outcome.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Cityscape Leveler’s modal double-faced nature allows it to be an adaptable choice in any MTG deck. As a heavy hitter, it can serve as a late-game beater, while its land side can provide essential mana fixing early on.

Combo Potential: With its enter-the-battlefield effect that obliterates an opponent’s nonland permanent, the Cityscape Leveler pairs wonderfully with flicker or bounce effects, enabling repeatable disruption in a combo-centric build.

Meta-Relevance: As meta shifts towards big creatures and strategies, having a card like Cityscape Leveler offers a tangible advantage. It can dismantle key pieces of an opponent’s strategy or provide a formidable threat, aligning well with the current competitive landscape.


How to beat

The Cityscape Leveler has emerged as a notable threat on the battlefield. When this behemoth hits the table, it obliterates a land and presents a formidable presence that demands an immediate answer. To effectively counter this juggernaut, players must consider timing and resource management. Having instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization can swiftly negate the Leveler’s impact before it wreaks havoc.

Alternatively, one can employ strategies to undermine its entry effect. Counter spells like Negate or Mana Leak offer preemptive control, disrupting your opponent’s plans by denying the Leveler’s cast altogether. In the event the Leveler is already in play and its land demolition effect has been used, bounce-type spells like Unsummon or temporary solutions such as Pacifism or Icy Manipulator could provide necessary reprieve, although they are not long-term fixes.

Engaging in this tactical dance necessitates a deck prepared for high-powered threats, incorporating answers that align with your overall strategy. By remaining vigilant and adapting your game plan to include effective responses, the daunting Cityscape Leveler can be vanquished, ensuring your cities remain standing in the epic saga of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG means embracing the art of the powerful play and Cityscape Leveler is a card that can tilt the scales in your favor. With its ability to clear the battlefield of opponent’s permanents, this card is a game-changer worth considering for your collection. It’s essential to adapt to the ebbs and flows of the game, and having Cityscape Leveler could provide that sudden boost required to seize victory. We encourage you to deepen your understanding of the evolving game meta and refine your deck strategies with informative insights. To explore the full potential of Cityscape Leveler and other strategic MTG plays, connect with us for a detailed guide.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cityscape Leveler MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and The Brothers' War, 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 Cityscape Leveler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Cityscape Leveler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-11-18 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by Leon Tukker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1058582015NormalBlackLeon Tukker
22022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 3632015NormalBlackLeon Tukker
32022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 2332015NormalBlackLeon Tukker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cityscape Leveler 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 Cityscape Leveler card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-10-14 Activating a card's unearth ability isn't the same as casting that card. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Defabricate's second mode) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Scatter Ray) will not.
2022-10-14 Although all the cards in The Brothers' War that create Powerstone tokens create a tapped Powerstone token, entering the battlefield tapped isn't part of the token's definition. Notably, if you create a token that is a copy of a Powerstone token, the token copy won't enter the battlefield tapped.
2022-10-14 At the beginning of the next 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 such as Defabricate that counter triggered abilities. If the ability is countered, the permanent will stay on the battlefield and the delayed triggered ability won't trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile the permanent if it eventually leaves the battlefield.
2022-10-14 Cityscape Leveler's triggered ability won't trigger when you activate its unearth ability from your graveyard. It will, however, trigger when you attack with Cityscape Leveler that turn.
2022-10-14 If a permanent returned to the battlefield with unearth would leave the battlefield for any reason, it's exiled instead—unless the spell or ability that's causing the permanent to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it! In that case, it succeeds at exiling it. If that spell or ability later returns the card to the battlefield (as Static Net might, for example), the permanent card will return to the battlefield as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effects will no longer apply to it.
2022-10-14 If you activate a card's unearth ability but that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will do nothing as it resolves.
2022-10-14 Powerstone tokens are a kind of predefined token. Each one has the artifact subtype "Powerstone" and the ability ": Add . This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell."
2022-10-14 Unearth grants haste to the permanent that's returned to the battlefield (even if it's not a creature card). However, neither of the "exile" abilities is granted to that permanent. If that permanent loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the next end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead.
2022-10-14 You can use the added by a Powerstone token on anything that isn't a nonartifact spell. This includes paying costs to activate abilities of both artifact and nonartifact permanents, paying ward costs, and so on.