Dragonlord Atarka MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Elder Dragon
Abilities Flying,Trample
Power 8
Toughness 8

Key Takeaways

  1. Dragonlord Atarka is a game-changer, providing significant card advantage and potentially altering the game state.
  2. While powerful, its specific and high mana cost can limit its play to certain deck types.
  3. Strategically including Dragonlord Atarka in your MTG collection can elevate gameplay and meta relevance.

Text of card

Flying, trample When Dragonlord Atarka enters the battlefield, it deals 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers your opponents control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dragonlord Atarka is a powerhouse when it comes to card advantage. Upon entering the battlefield, its ability to potentially eliminate multiple threats in one go can lead to a significant swing in card economy. Whether wiping out smaller creatures or targeting planeswalkers, the sheer impact can often mean a two-for-one trade or better, tipping the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Dragonlord Atarka itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, its presence demands an immediate answer. This can indirectly accelerate your resources by disrupting your opponent’s plays. If they are forced to use their mana to deal with Atarka, they are not developing their own board, giving you a de facto acceleration in terms of board presence and tempo.

Instant Speed: While Dragonlord Atarka is a creature and not cast at instant speed, it’s worth mentioning that playing this card allows you to leverage the mana you’ve built up throughout the game. This utilization of resources at a critical moment to drop a game-changing threat is akin to the tactical advantage provided by instant speed spells in terms of timing and impeding your adversary’s strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of Dragonlord Atarka, one must be ready to encounter a potential drawback not directly linked to a discard mechanic but the need to consistently manage resources. Ensuring you have the right cards in hand to keep from being set back by its hefty casting requirements can feel like an indirect need to discard other strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Dragonlord Atarka is specific and demanding – with a combination of red, green, and generic mana. Decks that don’t run both colors might struggle to accommodate such a mana-intensive creature, limiting its inclusion to specific Red-Green (Gruul) archetypes or multicolored decks that can generate the necessary mana reliably.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of seven mana, Dragonlord Atarka’s presence on the battlefield comes at a steep price. For the same amount of mana, players could potentially cast multiple spells or creatures with lower costs, providing a more diversified threat against opponents. This high mana cost requires careful planning and significant ramping strategies, which could make your game plan more predictable and disruptable.


Reasons to Include Dragonlord Atarka in Your Collection

Versatility: Dragonlord Atarka offers a broad range of abilities that allow her to be a game-changer in both aggressive and control-oriented decks. Her substantial power and toughness make her a formidable threat that can dominate the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card has excellent synergy with numerous strategies that revolve around dragons or high-power creatures. Additionally, her enter-the-battlefield ability to deal damage split among any number of target creatures or planeswalkers can be combined with various effects that amplify damage or utilize direct damage for tactical plays.

Meta-Relevance: Dragonlord Atarka’s impact on the board and her ability to immediately affect the game state make her quite relevant, particularly in metas that favor creature-based strategies. Her presence can swing games and break stalemates, making her an invaluable asset when facing a range of common threats in the competitive scene.


How to beat Dragonlord Atarka

Dragonlord Atarka is a formidable creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering. As a powerful finisher in many decks, this behemoth brings both board control and a strong aerial threat to the game. Once it hits the battlefield, dealing with its 8/8 flying and trample body, along with its ability to deal 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers, requires a strategic approach.

One effective tactic is utilizing instant-speed removal spells that sidestep the casting cost variable, such as Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization. Counter spells also offer a preemptive solution, negating Atarka’s impact before it even begins – consider Disdainful Stroke or Mystical Dispute for their cost-efficiency. In some cases, edict effects like Liliana’s Triumph can push your opponent to sacrifice Atarka if it’s their only creature on the field. Playing around Atarka demands patience; setting up the right board state and maintaining mana for responses when it lands is essential for tipping the scales in your favor.

Ultimately, while Dragonlord Atarka poses a considerable threat, a well-prepared deck with the right answers can navigate this challenge successfully, keeping you in control of the game’s outcome.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the depths of MTG, Dragonlord Atarka emerges as a titan amongst dragons that effortlessly tips the balance of power. Harnessing its devastating entrance to clear the skies and ground, it can reshape the board in your favor. With grandeur similar to MTG’s most colossal creatures, Atarka stands apart, demanding a distinct strategic approach. Ready to wield this might to your advantage? Or perhaps seeking to construct a bulwark against it? We invite you deeper into the strategy and counterplay of this iconic card, ensuring you’re always one step ahead. Embrace the fire of knowledge with us, and transform your deck into an arsenal of victory.


Cards like Dragonlord Atarka

Dragonlord Atarka is a commanding force in MTG, a giant among creatures that leaves an undeniable mark on the battlefield. Similar to the might of the eldritch monstrosity Terror of the Peaks, this creature deals damage upon entry, yet it boasts greater bulk and immediacy, eliminating foes or directly dwindling life totals. While both cards apply pressure, Atarka swings the momentum more heavily in favor of the caster with its sheer size and impact.

Another comparison could be drawn to the enormous and devastating Gisela, Blade of Goldnight. Though Gisela has a different damage amplification effect, Atarka wins in the field of sheer damage potential upon arrival on the board. Gisela may double the damage output, but Atarka can clear the path for a victorious onslaught the moment it crashes onto the field.

Evaluating creatures of grandeur and colossal strength, Dragonlord Atarka not only competes but often outshines its peers. Its ability to alter the game state with its entry and substantial combat presence makes it a uniquely formidable creature card in the diverse landscape of MTG.

Terror of the Peaks - MTG Card versions
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - MTG Card versions
Terror of the Peaks - Core Set 2021 Promos (PM21)
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - Open the Helvault (PHEL)

Cards similar to Dragonlord Atarka by color, type and mana cost

Borborygmos - MTG Card versions
Skarrgan Skybreaker - MTG Card versions
Atarka, World Render - MTG Card versions
Loamdragger Giant - MTG Card versions
Gruul Ragebeast - MTG Card versions
Omnath, Locus of Rage - MTG Card versions
Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient - MTG Card versions
Gut, Bestial Fanatic - MTG Card versions
Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness - MTG Card versions
Riftburst Hellion - MTG Card versions
Borborygmos - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Skarrgan Skybreaker - Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters (DDL)
Atarka, World Render - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Loamdragger Giant - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Gruul Ragebeast - Gatecrash (GTC)
Omnath, Locus of Rage - Explorer Anthology 3 (EA3)
Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Gut, Bestial Fanatic - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)
Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness - March of the Machine (MOM)
Riftburst Hellion - Murders at Karlov Manor (MKM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dragonlord Atarka MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Dragons of Tarkir 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 Dragonlord Atarka and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Dragonlord Atarka Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2015-03-28. Illustrated by Karl Kopinski.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 2162015normalblackKarl Kopinski
22015-03-28Dragons of Tarkir PromosPDTK 216s2015normalblackKarl Kopinski
32020-09-26The ListPLST DTK-2162015normalblackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dragonlord Atarka has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-02-25 If some of the targets are illegal targets as the ability tries to resolve, the original division of damage still applies but no damage is dealt to the illegal targets. If all targets are illegal, the ability doesn’t resolve.
2015-02-25 You choose how many targets the ability has and how the damage is divided as you put the ability on the stack. Each target must receive at least 1 damage.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks