Gnoll War Band MTG Card

Generates tokens, enhancing field presence and amplifying your board control capabilities. Has combo potential with cards that utilize creature numbers, offering versatile synergies. Demands strategic mana alignment and can be resource-intensive, requiring careful deck construction.

Gnoll War Band - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Gnoll
Abilities	Menace,Myriad
Released	2022-06-10
Set symbol
Set name	Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Set code	CLB
Power	5
Toughness	5
Number	178
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ben Wootten

Text of card

This spell costs less to cast for each opponent who was dealt damage this turn. Menace Myriad (Whenever this creature attacks, for each opponent other than defending player, you may create a token that's a copy of this creature that's tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker they control. Exile the tokens at end of combat.)

Cards like Gnoll War Band

Gnoll War Band is an intriguing entry into the cohort of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, invoking visions of strategy and might on the battlefield. It bears comparison to other creature cards that rally around the number of creatures you control, similar to the venerable Crusader of Odric. Both cards grow in strength as you amass a larger army, though Gnoll War Band offers the additional benefit of creating Gnoll tokens when it attacks, increasing your ranks with each combat phase.

Looking at cards such as Raid Battalion, we notice that it too gains bonuses from the number of creatures under your command, but Gnoll War Band’s potential to autonomously expand your forces may give it a sharper edge in many deck strategies. Another parallel can be drawn with the card Tolsimir Wolfblood which, apart from boosting your creatures’ stats, also generates a creature token but only once upon entry to the battlefield. In contrast, with Gnoll War Band, you can realize token generation multiple times, dictated by your attack phases.

Strategizing with creature-based decks can drastically change with cards like Gnoll War Band. Its recursive token creation paired with strength dependent on your creature count makes it a dynamic choice for players who prefer to overrun their opponents with numbers.

Cards similar to Gnoll War Band by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gnoll War Band offers a dynamic edge in terms of card productivity. When this creature is summoned, it can potentially swell your ranks with additional creature tokens, giving you a wider field presence and an upper hand in overwhelming your opponent’s defenses.

Resource Acceleration: A key trait of the Gnoll War Band is its synergy with decks focused on creature acceleration. Its ability can ramp up your resource availability by providing you with an increased creature count that may be leveraged for various in-game mechanics or sacrifice effects, driving your game forward faster.

Instant Speed: This formidable card operates at the speed you need. While Gnoll War Band itself isn’t an instant, it interacts well with cards that allow you to deploy creatures at instant speed. This unpredictability can keep your adversaries on their toes, unable to anticipate your next power play until it unfolds right before them.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the initial drawbacks of playing Gnoll War Band is the discard aspect. This card commands you to discard another card as part of the casting process, which might force you to deplete valuable hand resources, potentially impacting your game strategy negatively if your card pool is already running thin.

Specific Mana Cost: Gnoll War Band comes with a specific mana cost that necessitates both green and red mana, possibly restricting its integration into a diverse array of decks. Players who don’t run a Gruul deck (a deck that uses red and green mana) or who lack a flexible mana base may find it challenging to accommodate this card efficiently in their deck structures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a higher mana cost compared to other creatures in its class, Gnoll War Band can be considered mana-intensive for the power and benefits it offers. While bringing this creature onto the battlefield, one needs to take into account alternative creatures or spells that might present a much better cost-to-effect ratio, potentially offering a strategic advantage at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Gnoll War Band in Your Collection

Versatility: Gnoll War Band is a flexible addition to decks that thrive on creature synergy and benefit from aggressive strategies. Its ability to populate the board with creatures makes it a formidable force in various game scenarios.

Combo Potential: With Gnoll War Band, the potential to amplify your assaults by combining it with cards that capitalize on creature count or sacrifice mechanics is substantial. It’s an excellent enabler for decks that look to exploit such interactions for powerful effects.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies often have a place in the meta, Gnoll War Band could prove to be a valuable asset. It aligns well with the current environment, where establishing board presence quickly can often lead to victory.

How to Beat

Gnoll War Band is one of those MTG cards that demands immediate attention on the battlefield. This creature card can easily become overwhelming if left unchecked, much like some of the well-known growth creatures such as Tarmogoyf. The key to countering Gnoll War Band lies in timely removal or control measures. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can efficiently remove it before the bonus abilities have a chance to take effect, ensuring it doesn’t have an opportunity to strengthen.

Another strategy against Gnoll War Band is to utilize board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation, which can clear the way regardless of how many buffs the Gnoll War Band has acquired. If you prefer a strategy that doesn’t impact your own creatures, enchantment-based solutions like Pacifism effectively neutralize the threat without removing it from the board. Utilizing counterspells such as Counterspell itself or Mana Leak can also prevent the Gnoll War Band from ever setting foot on the battlefield. Adaptability is crucial since Gnoll War Band can escalate in power similar to cards like Quirion Dryad, so adjusting your tactics as the game progresses is imperative for maintaining control.

In essence, confronting Gnoll War Band requires a blend of foresight and resource management. Keeping removal spells in hand and preserving control elements for pivotal moments helps ensure that this powerful creature doesn’t overrun your defenses.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gnoll War Band MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, 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 Gnoll War Band and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gnoll War Band has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2022-06-10	Although the tokens enter the battlefield attacking, they were never declared as attackers. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks won’t trigger, including the myriad ability of the tokens. If there are any costs to have a creature attack, those costs won’t apply to the tokens.
2022-06-10	Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the tokens enter the battlefield. Any “as -his permanent] enters the battlefield” or “ -his permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the copied creature will also work.
2022-06-10	Each token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else. It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
2022-06-10	If myriad creates more than one token for any given player (due to an effect such as the one Doubling Season creates), you may choose separately for each token whether it’s attacking the player or a planeswalker they control.
2022-06-10	If the defending player is your only opponent, no tokens are put onto the battlefield.
2022-06-10	Opponents who have left the game will not be counted when determining how many opponents have been dealt damage this turn.
2022-06-10	The term “defending player” in the myriad rules (or any other ability of an attacking creature) refers to the player the creature with myriad was attacking or the controller of the planeswalker it was attacking at the time the ability resolves. If that creature is no longer attacking, it refers to the player it was last attacking or the controller of the planeswalker it was last attacking.
2022-06-10	The tokens all enter the battlefield at the same time.
2022-06-10	You choose whether each token is attacking the player or a planeswalker they control as the token is created. If it’s attacking a planeswalker, you choose which one.