Headless Rider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Headless Rider turns losses into token advantages, strengthening your board with more zombies.
  2. It works indirectly for resource gains when combined with synergistic zombie-focused cards.
  3. Despite high mana costs and color specificity, it remains an undeniably impactful card.

Text of card

Whenever Headless Rider or another nontoken Zombie you control dies, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Headless Rider ensures that every creature’s demise within your army turns into a potential tactical advantage. Its ability to create a Zombie token upon the death of another nontoken Zombie you control can quickly populate the board, providing fodder for both offense and defense.

Resource Acceleration: While Headless Rider itself does not directly offer resource acceleration, the swarms of Zombie tokens it can potentially generate work well with synergistic cards that do. Cards like “Cryptbreaker” can turn your new Zombie tokens into additional card draw or mana, thus accelerating your in-game resources indirectly.

Instant Speed: Although Headless Rider doesn’t operate at instant speed, it does provide an immediate board presence impact. Each Zombie token created follows suit with MTG’s instant speed mindset by offering immediate board state reactions to your opponent’s moves, making every creature loss a step towards gaining a sizable undead army.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Headless Rider demands a discard to utilize its full potential, presenting a challenge when the player’s hand is depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates an exact blend of mana colors that could hinder players not running a dedicated zombie deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that’s on the higher side for its abilities, players might find other creatures or spells a more cost-effective choice, especially in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Headless Rider thrives in various deck types, from zombie tribal to sacrifice-focused archetypes. Its ability to create tokens upon the death of other nontoken zombies offers persistent board presence, making it a solid choice in numerous strategies.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes superbly with self-mill and graveyard-recursion tactics. Pairing it with cards that benefit from or trigger upon creature death can cascade into potent combinations and overwhelming advantages on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the MTG meta, having a card that can generate multiple threats after removal makes the Headless Rider a resilient contender against sweepers and control elements often prevalent in competitive scenes.


How to beat Headless Rider

Headless Rider stands out in the realm of zombie synergy within Magic the Gathering. It’s not an indestructible titan by itself, but it becomes a tactical threat by bolstering the undead army every time a zombie you control dies. The key to dismantling this morbid parade is through exile effects—cards like Path to Exile or Leyline of the Void that prevent the death trigger of zombies from ever occurring. Single-target removal can be ineffective due to Headless Rider’s replacement effect.

Board wipes such as Wrath of God can be a double-edged sword; they clear the board but also trigger the Rider’s ability. Therefore, focus on effects that bypass the graveyard, nullifying the Rider’s ability to create more zombie tokens. Graveyard hate cards, like Rest in Peace, can stop this cycle dead in its tracks. Addressing the root of the issue, by preventing zombies from amassing, you take the reins from Headless Rider and can steer the game towards victory.

In summary, understanding and leveraging the distinct arsenal of exile and graveyard interaction spells accordingly can make Headless Rider less daunting and cripple an opponent’s strategy that heavily relies on zombie synergies.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Headless Rider card is a linchpin in MTG deck strategies revolving around undead themes, transforming each zombie’s demise into an opportunity. Its unique ability to expand your army with Zombie tokens ensures your battlefield presence is continually felt. Considering the pros and cons, including mana demands and specific synergies, the card finds its strength in zombie tribal and sacrifice-focused decks. For those seeking to thwart the power of Headless Rider, exile effects and graveyard hate are your arsenal. As you hone your collection and gameplay, remember Headless Rider for its resilience and adaptability against the ever-changing MTG meta. Explore further strategies and enhance your deck with BurnMana’s insights on how to effectively incorporate Headless Rider into your army of the undead.


Cards like Headless Rider

Headless Rider finds its niche within the array of MTG zombie-themed cards. Within this undead roster, we can contrast it with cards like Diregraf Captain. Both offer tactical advantages for zombie decks. However, while Diregraf Captain boosts other zombies’ power and toughness and causes life loss when a zombie you control dies, Headless Rider takes a different approach, focusing on replacing your fallen horde by creating Zombie tokens each time another nontoken zombie you control dies.

Another card that echoes the theme of undead resilience is Relentless Dead, which also leverages death for advantage, allowing you to return it to your hand and potentially bring another zombie back from your graveyard to the battlefield. Where Relentless Dead offers more direct graveyard recursion, Headless Rider emphasizes a sustained presence by bolstering your zombie army numbers.

Ultimately, Headless Rider stands out as a compelling option for players looking to continuously swarm the battlefield with undead minions. Its capacity to perpetuate your zombie forces positions it as a formidable element in zombie tribal strategies, adeptly keeping the pressure on your opponents even as your zombies fall.

Diregraf Captain - MTG Card versions
Relentless Dead - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Captain - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Relentless Dead - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Cards similar to Headless Rider by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)
Severed Legion - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Headless Rider MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad: Crimson Vow, 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 Headless Rider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Headless Rider Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by E. M. Gist.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 953272015normalblackE. M. Gist
22021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 3722015normalblackE. M. Gist
32021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 1182015normalblackE. M. Gist
42022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 3852015normalblackE. M. Gist

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Headless Rider has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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