Dragon's Herald MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Goblin Shaman |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 98 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Daarken |
Text of card
, , Sacrifice a black creature, a red creature, and a green creature: Search your library for a card named Hellkite Overlord and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.
The penultimate step of the ritual involves bathing in a delicious glaze.
Cards like Dragon's Herald
Dragon’s Herald is an intriguing creature card that finds its niche in summoning powerful Dragons in Magic: The Gathering. A card of resemblance is Goblin Matron, which also boasts the ability to search your library for a specific creature, in this case, a Goblin. While Goblin Matron is limited to Goblin types, Dragon’s Herald focuses on the majestic Dragon subtype, emphasizing a different aspect of deck strategies.
Besides, we have the iconic Elvish Piper, which serves a similar purpose. It permits you to put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield, which includes Dragons. Although both facilitate the summoning of large creatures, Dragon’s Herald uniquely requires a sacrifice of specific creatures to fulfill its conditions. This adds a layer of complexity and planning that Elvish Piper lacks.
Overall, Dragon’s Herald occupies a specialized role within MTG, combining elements of creature search and strategic sacrifice to unleash high-impact Dragons. While there are other cards that offer creature tutoring and fielding advantages, the specificity and potential payoff of Dragon’s Herald are what mark its place in the MTG multiverse.
Cards similar to Dragon's Herald by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dragon’s Herald offers a unique form of card advantage by enabling you to tutor for a specific Dragon card and put it directly onto the battlefield. This bypasses the need to draw and play the creature normally and can shift the game in your favor with a powerful Dragon presence.
Resource Acceleration: When you activate the ability of Dragon’s Herald, you skip the mana cost of the Dragon you’re putting onto the battlefield. This can be a significant form of resource acceleration, especially if the specific Dragon has a high mana cost, giving you a substantial lead in the game.
Instant Speed: While Dragon’s Herald itself is a creature card, its ability can be activated at instant speed. This means you can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to summon a Dragon, leaving your mana untapped during their turn to respond to threats or bluff having counter-magic.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the notable drawbacks of Dragon’s Herald is the necessity to discard another card in order to harness its ability. This can pose a significant challenge when you’re struggling with card advantage or trying to maintain hand presence against control opponents.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost for Dragon’s Herald is particularly color-restrictive, requiring black, red, and green mana. This specificity demands a commitment to a multicolor mana base, limiting its incorporation to only certain types of decks, primarily those that can support all three colors efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the total cost to play Dragon’s Herald and ultimately activate its ability, the investment can be quite steep. Considering other creatures and spells in the same mana range, you may find that you’re paying a premium for an effect that does not immediately impact the board state or could be easily disrupted by an opponent.
Reasons to Include Dragon’s Herald in Your Collection
Versatility: Dragon’s Herald is a flexible addition to any collection since it can seamlessly plug into decks that aim to cheat out high-cost creatures. It’s particularly adept in ramp and reanimator decks that thrive on getting powerful Dragons onto the battlefield quickly and efficiently.
Combo Potential: With Dragon’s Herald, deck builders can explore exciting combo possibilities, such as pairing it with cards like Dragonstorm or other dragon-specific synergies to summon multiple creatures for a formidable aerial assault. Its ability to search for a specific Dragon card adds layers of tactical depth to your gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies reign supreme, having a low-cost creature that can tutor and potentially bring a game-changing Dragon into play can be a game-changer, tilting matches in your favor as you bypass traditional mana costs to dominate the skies.
How to beat
Dragon’s Herald is a unique card in the realm of MTG, offering the potential to summon a powerful dragon onto the battlefield. Overcoming this challenge requires a strategic approach. Countering Dragon’s Herald before it activates its ability is crucial. Players might consider using instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push to dispatch the Herald before it can fulfill its destiny. Another effective strategy is to employ counter magic. Spells such as Counterspell or Negate can prevent Dragon’s Herald’s ability from ever resolving, stalling your opponent’s plan.
It’s also wise to keep an eye on the board state. If your opponent is amassing the three distinct colors of creatures required to activate Dragon’s Herald, it’s time to apply pressure. Board control becomes key; using sweepers like Wrath of God or Damnation will reset the board and hinder their overall strategy. Additionally, attacking your opponent’s resources with land destruction or hand disruption can leave them unable to muster the necessary mana or creatures to pose a threat with their Dragon’s Herald.
In summary, maintain awareness and prioritize removing or countering Dragon’s Herald quickly. Controlling the board and disrupting your opponent’s resources are central to preventing the summoning of a fearsome dragon and securing your victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dragon's Herald MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Dragon's Herald 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dragon's Herald has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dragon's Herald 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 | To activate the ability, you must sacrifice three different creatures. You can’t sacrifice just one three-colored creature, for example. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice multicolored creatures as part of the cost of the search ability. If you sacrifice a multicolored creature this way, specify which part of the cost that creature is satisfying. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice the Herald itself to help pay for the cost of its ability. |