Keldon Warlord MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 14 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Barbarian
Power *
Toughness *

Key Takeaways

  1. Keldon Warlord grows stronger with more non-wall creatures, enhancing battlefield presence and value.
  2. Flexibly boosts its own power in creature-centric decks without additional mana costs.
  3. Adaptive size works with instant-speed plays, keeping opponents on their toes.

Text of card

The Xs below are the number of non-wall creatures on your side, including Warlord. Thus if you have 2 other non-wall creatures, Warlord is 3/3. If one of those creatures is killed during the turn, Warlord immediately becomes 2/2.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Keldon Warlord’s power and toughness are directly tied to the number of non-wall creatures you control, offering the potential to become more formidable with each creature you play. This can continuously pressure your opponent as your board presence grows, representing increasing value out of a single card.

Resource Acceleration: Though Keldon Warlord itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can be a key card in decks that thrive on creature synergies. By leveraging token generators or low-cost creatures, you can swiftly escalate the power level of Keldon Warlord, making it a much larger threat without requiring additional mana investment in the card itself.

Instant Speed: While Keldon Warlord is not an instant-speed spell, its constantly fluctuating size can be leveraged with other instant-speed cards. For instance, casting creatures on your opponent’s turn to unexpectedly boost its size can intimidate and disrupt your opponent’s strategy. This adaptive combat ability keeps your adversaries always guessing how you’ll manipulate the battlefield next.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Keldon Warlord’s cost demands both red and colorless mana which can restrict its incorporation in multi-colored decks. This could be a stumbling block when designing a deck that requires a flexible mana base to cast a variety of spells seamlessly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The summoning cost Keldon Warlord carries is on the higher side, especially when benchmarked against other creatures that bring impactful effects to the battlefield for a similar or lower mana investment. This can be a deterrent when optimizing a deck’s curve.

Discard Requirement: Unlike other cards that offer an upside for discarding, Keldon Warlord doesn’t provide such benefits, making any discard mechanic in your deck potentially detrimental to its full power potential. A card that doesn’t synergize well with discard strategies can be less preferable when crafting a finely-tuned deck lineup.


Reasons to Include Keldon Warlord in Your Collection

Versatility: As a card able to scale its power and toughness with the number of creatures you control, Keldon Warlord can be a formidable force in decks that are creature-heavy. This adaptability makes it a useful card in many red-based deck strategies, from aggro to token swarms.

Combo Potential: This card works well in combination with effects that increase creature count, such as token generation spells. Its power boosts can also synergize with mechanics that care about high-power creatures, amplifying the utility and damage potential of your board.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where board presence is critical, Keldon Warlord can become a valuable asset. Its strength adjusts to the dynamic state of play, allowing it to consistently match or overtake opposing threats, making it particularly useful against a variety of popular deck builds.


How to beat

Keldon Warlord, a classic from the heart of MTG’s history, reflects the raw power level of earlier Magic sets. This particular creature’s power and toughness are determined by the number of non-wall creatures you control, which can scale intimidatingly in the right deck. Overcoming this force requires a strategic approach. Spot removal spells are effective, especially those that don’t care about the creature’s power, like Path to Exile or Doom Blade. Managing your opponent’s creature count can also ensure the Warlord never becomes a significant threat. Wrath effects that clear the board, like Supreme Verdict or Day of Judgment, can deal with the Warlord regardless of its size.

Alternatively, a control player might employ counterspells to prevent the Warlord from hitting the battlefield in the first place. In MTG, timing is everything, and in the case of Keldon Warlord, it’s about acting before this creature can rally the troops and become an uncontrollable force. The key is to always be prepared and not let the battlefield state get out of hand, where the Warlord could tip the balance irreversibly in your opponent’s favor.


Cards like Keldon Warlord

Keldon Warlord is a classic creature card that holds its ground in Magic: The Gathering’s array of creature spells. Its power and toughness are determined by the number of non-Wall creatures you control, which can make it a formidable force in the right deck. In comparison, we have Coat of Arms, an artifact that enhances each creature’s strength based on the number of other creatures that share its type, providing a similar but more expansive benefit.

Looking into the realm of creatures with adaptable strength, Serra Avatar stands out. Its power and toughness are each equal to your life total, scaling significantly as the game progresses. Unlike Keldon Warlord, Serra Avatar solely relies on the player’s life rather than the creature count. Another card with a similar concept is Heroes’ Podium. This legendary artifact boosts each legendary creature’s strength and toughness you control, which is akin to how Keldon Warlord benefits from your creature presence.

Each of these cards offers a unique take on scaling power, yet Keldon Warlord brings a straightforward and tactical advantage to creature-heavy decks. Its potential for growth makes it a competitive option for players who favor building sizable armies to overwhelm their opponents.

Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Serra Avatar - MTG Card versions
Heroes' Podium - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - Exodus (EXO)
Serra Avatar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Heroes' Podium - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Cards similar to Keldon Warlord by color, type and mana cost

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Dragon Whelp - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
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Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
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Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
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Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ogre Taskmaster - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ogre Gatecrasher - Dissension (DIS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Keldon Warlord 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 Keldon Warlord and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Keldon Warlord Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Kev Brockschmidt.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1601993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1611993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1611993normalwhiteKev Brockschmidt
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1611993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1611993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1601993normalwhiteKev Brockschmidt
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1601993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1601993normalwhiteKev Brockschmidt
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 2071993normalblackKev Brockschmidt
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 2071993normalwhiteKev Brockschmidt
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2471997normalwhiteKev Brockschmidt
122007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1011997normalblackKev Brockschmidt
132022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4531997normalblackKev Brockschmidt
142022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1562015normalblackKev Brockschmidt

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Keldon Warlord has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-08-01 This is a Characteristic-Defining Ability. It checks the number of non-Wall creatures you control continuously, and applies in all zones. It is never “locked in”.

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