Dwarven Warriors MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Dwarf Warrior
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Dwarven Warriors grants card advantage by facilitating combat damage triggers.
  2. They support resource acceleration via dwarf synergies and treasure tokens.
  3. Casting requirements and mana cost may limit deck inclusion and flexibility.

Text of card

Tap to make a creature of power no greater than 2 unblockable until end of turn. Other cards may be used to increase target creature's power beyond 2 after defense is chosen.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dwarven Warriors doesn’t just serve as an attacker or defender on the battlefield, but it also has the potential to provide card advantage when paired with abilities that trigger upon dealing combat damage to a player.

Resource Acceleration: As Dwarven Warriors call upon the rich lore of dwarves in MTG, they tend to synergize with strategies that generate treasure tokens or benefit from the presence of numerous dwarves, indirectly contributing to resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: Although Dwarven Warriors itself doesn’t have an instant speed ability, its inherent trait of offering unblockable pathways to creatures can open strategic plays at instant speed for other cards that do interact with combat or damage phases.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Dwarven Warriors has an ability to make other Dwarves unblockable, it must first be activated which can be a setback for players who have a limited hand size or are trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Dwarven Warriors requires a specific mix of mana to cast—one colorless and one red mana. This specific mana need could potentially hinder its integration into multi-colored decks where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card has a casting cost that is considered high for its offensive capabilities. With a mana cost of two, including one red, players may find other creatures or spells that provide greater impact or versatility on the battlefield for a similar cost.


Reasons to Include Dwarven Warriors in Your Collection

Versatility: Dwarven Warriors offers flexibility in deck building, capable of sliding into aggressive strategies that need early board presence or into decks that capitalize on tribal synergies.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with cards that benefit from having a high volume of creatures or those that need unblockable attackers to trigger on-hit effects.

Meta-Relevance: With an ever-shifting competitive scene, Dwarven Warriors can find its place, particularly if the format favors creature-based strategies or decks with significant utility creature components.


How to beat

Dwarven Warriors is a classic creature card from Magic: The Gathering, celebrated for its unique ability to make your other creatures unblockable by giving them temporary obscurity. This special skill enables smaller creatures to bypass your opponent’s defenses, which might tip the scales in a tight match. To counter this crafty tactic, control and removal spells are your best allies. These tools allow you to take out the Dwarven Warriors before they can activate their ability, or to eliminate the creatures they aim to protect.

Using board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the playing field, rendering the Dwarven Warriors’ ability moot by clearing the board of all creatures. Targeted removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Doom Blade also work well, removing the problematic card directly from the battlefield. Alternatively, strategies that keep creatures tapped, such as enchantments like Pacifism or Frost Breath, can also prevent the Dwarven Warriors from ever getting the chance to use their ability. By anticipating your opponent’s moves and having the right counters in place, you can ensure the Dwarven Warriors don’t lead your opponent to victory.

It’s crucial to disrupt synergies and prevent your opponent from fully leveraging Dwarven Warriors’ potential. Maintaining control of the board and keeping removal options at the ready are the keys to coming out on top against this MTG card.


Cards like Dwarven Warriors

Dwarven Warriors presents a unique battlefield role in Magic: The Gathering best suited for strategic, creature-based game plans. Analogous to the Warriors, cards like Goblin Tunneler offer a similar functionality, enabling potentially unblockable attacks by granting creatures with power 2 or less the ability to avoid being blocked for a turn. This can be a game-changer in matches where small, overwhelming forces lead the charge to victory.

Summoning a plethora of comparisons, Norritt from older sets stands out with its ability to tap or untap target creature with power 2 or less. While it lacks the tribal synergy of Dwarven Warriors, it offers versatile control options. Then we encounter Break Through the Line, which for two mana, grants target creature with power 2 or less the ability to become unblockable and hasted for the turn, establishing itself as a menacing player in a fast-paced aggressive strategy.

While each card caters to a slightly different aspect of the game, Dwarven Warriors captures a niche for those favoring a dwarven tribal strategy, providing them with a tactical edge and the capacity to land crucial damage through enemy lines. This combination of tribal utility and evasive tactics allows it to stand out within its own right as a tactical inclusion in creature-focused MTG decks.

Goblin Tunneler - MTG Card versions
Norritt - MTG Card versions
Break Through the Line - MTG Card versions
Goblin Tunneler - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Norritt - Ice Age (ICE)
Break Through the Line - Fate Reforged (FRF)

Cards similar to Dwarven Warriors by color, type and mana cost

Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Sabretooth Tiger - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Skirk Commando - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Shinen of Fury's Fire - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - Legends (LEG)
Wall of Stone - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Lava - Ice Age (ICE)
Brassclaw Orcs - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Sabretooth Tiger - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nosy Goblin - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)
Skirk Commando - Archenemy (ARC)
Cosmic Larva - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Goblin Chariot - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Balduvian Barbarians - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Shinen of Fury's Fire - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Basalt Gargoyle - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dwarven Warriors 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 Dwarven Warriors and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dwarven Warriors Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1431993normalblackDouglas Shuler
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1441993normalblackDouglas Shuler
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1441993normalwhiteDouglas Shuler
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1441993normalblackDouglas Shuler
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1441993normalblackDouglas Shuler
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1441993normalblackDouglas Shuler
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1441993normalwhiteDouglas Shuler
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1441993normalwhiteDouglas Shuler
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1871993normalblackDouglas Shuler
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1871993normalwhiteDouglas Shuler
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2221997normalwhiteDouglas Shuler
122022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4371997normalblackDouglas Shuler
132022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1402015normalblackDouglas Shuler

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dwarven Warriors has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 If you increase the power of the targeted creature after the ability resolves, it still can’t be blocked that turn.
2004-10-04 The ability can be activated after a creature is blocked, but it has no effect. Once a creature is blocked, it can’t be unblocked.

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