The Ur-Dragon MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost9
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Dragon Avatar
Abilities Eminence,Flying
Power 10
Toughness 10

Key Takeaways

  1. The Ur-Dragon offers sustained card advantage and accelerates the deployment of dragons.
  2. Mana pool diversity can be a challenge, yet its sheer board presence is dominating.
  3. A key component in Commander, its multi-faceted abilities bolster dragon-centric strategies.

Text of card

Eminence — As long as The Ur-Dragon is in the command zone or on the battlefield, other Dragon spells you cast cost less to cast. Flying Whenever one or more Dragons you control attack, draw that many cards, then you may put a permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Ur-Dragon’s eminence ability lets you draw a card whenever you cast a Dragon creature spell, providing sustained card advantage to keep your hand full of options.

Resource Acceleration: This legendary creature also enables significant resource acceleration by reducing the cost of your Dragon spells by one colorless mana, allowing you to play high-impact dragons sooner and efficiently use your mana pool.

Instant Speed: While The Ur-Dragon itself might not have instant speed, its ability to exert influence from the command zone ensures that you benefit from its power without needing to spend mana casting it, keeping resources ready for instant-speed interaction and protection of your board state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Ur-Dragon demands a hefty range of resources, often requiring you to commit strong cards to the field or hand that you might otherwise wish to hold back for late-game strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: This legendary creature’s casting cost spans all five colors of mana, potentially complicating its incorporation into multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its casting cost places it at the higher end of the mana curve, making it a late-game play. This can leave you vulnerable in the early to mid-game against faster, aggressive decks.


Reasons to Include The Ur-Dragon in Your Collection

Versatility: The Ur-Dragon is a powerhouse in Commander format, where its eminence ability reduces the cost of dragon spells. This trait allows for a more varied and faster playstyle, capable of adjusting to numerous deck strategies focused on tribal themes or high-impact creatures.

Combo Potential: As the progenitor of all dragonkind in MTG, The Ur-Dragon offers immense synergy with other dragon cards. Its ability to draw cards and place permanents onto the battlefield upon attacking enables multiple combo opportunities, making it a lynchpin in dragon-themed decks.

Meta-Relevance: In multiplayer games such as Commander, The Ur-Dragon remains a formidable presence, exerting pressure on opponents with potential for high damage output and board presence. Its relevance in the meta is sustained by its adaptability and the consistent popularity of dragon tribes among MTG players.


How to beat The Ur-Dragon

Commanding a game becomes a steep hill to climb when The Ur-Dragon is in play. This legendary creature embodies the pinnacle of dragon tribal decks, providing formidable flying force while making your other dragons more affordable to cast. Each attack phases into an opportunity to draw cards and put another dragon onto the battlefield, potentially turning the tides in your favor.

To counter this draconic dominance, prioritize removal spells that can handle high-cost creatures, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares. These can exile The Ur-Dragon before its effects reshape the game. Board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God are also effective, clearing out The Ur-Dragon and its scaly kin in one fell swoop. Additionally, cards that restrict your opponent from casting such costly creatures, like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, can slow down their momentum significantly. Ensnaring the dragon with enchantments that neutralize its abilities or prevent it from attacking, such as Pacifism or Frogify, can also be key to your success.

Ultimately, addressing The Ur-Dragon swiftly and decisively is essential. By leveraging removals, board wipes, and cost-increasing spells, you can keep this mythic dragon from soaring to victory.


Cards like The Ur-Dragon

The Ur-Dragon is a formidable presence in the realm of commander cards for MTG enthusiasts. Its comparison with other dragon-themed heavyweights is inevitable. Scion of the Ur-Dragon stands out, allowing players to seek any Dragon card and put it into the graveyard, thereby emulating its abilities. While Scion of the Ur-Dragon is versatile and lower in cost, The Ur-Dragon takes the lead in raw power and board impact by reducing the casting cost of dragon spells and drawing cards.

Another similar giant is Lathliss, Dragon Queen who not only buffs other Dragons but also creates Dragon tokens. Despite Lathliss’s token-generating capability, The Ur-Dragon’s sweeping eminence ability and card draw potential are unparalleled. Dragonspeaker Shaman is also a card that reduces the cost of Dragons but lacks The Ur-Dragon’s commanding battlefield presence and card advantage.

Ultimately, The Ur-Dragon excels in dragon-centric decks through cost reduction, mass advantage, and its sheer scale as a 10/10 flyer, cementing its unique position among MTG’s elder dragon legends.

Scion of the Ur-Dragon - MTG Card versions
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - MTG Card versions
Dragonspeaker Shaman - MTG Card versions
Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Time Spiral (TSP)
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - Resale Promos (PRES)
Dragonspeaker Shaman - Scourge (SCG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Ur-Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 The Ur-Dragon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The Ur-Dragon Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 656752015normalblackJaime Jones
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 482015normalblackJaime Jones
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 112015normalblackJustine Jones
42023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6892015normalborderlessTyler Walpole
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 5942015normalblackJaime Jones
62023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 612015art_seriesborderless
72023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 3612015normalblackJaime Jones
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 10652015normalborderlessTyler Walpole

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The Ur-Dragon has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-08-25 If a Dragon you control enters the battlefield attacking, it won’t cause The Ur-Dragon’s last ability to trigger.
2017-08-25 The Ur-Dragon’s triggered ability resolves after all attackers have been chosen. You can’t attack with some Dragons, put a creature card with haste onto the battlefield, and then attack with that creature. Similarly, any “whenever a creature attacks” abilities of the permanent card you put onto the battlefield won’t trigger.
2017-08-25 You draw one card for each Dragon you controlled that attacked, even if some of them left the battlefield before The Ur-Dragon’s triggered ability resolves.
2017-08-25 You may only put one permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield, no matter how many Dragons you attacked with or how many players they attacked.

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